what shocks do i need to get?

[yotayes88]

I have 5 inch lift blocks in the rear, and need help figuring out what rear shocks I need to get. Can I get a direct bolt on shock that will work? If so what website do I go to? A link would be nice. Thanks everyone. Oh and its an 1988 toyota pickup if this helps

 

[KLF]

Are you asking for a brand? We can't answer that. It's like asking for the best tire.

Rancho 5000's are cheap, but I think they ride terrible. I prefer Bilsteins. Or, you could spend a fortune on Kings.

It's unlikely you can just look up the exact model you need on a website. What you need to to is get on a set of ramps and really articulate the suspension to the extreme, then measure the minimum and maximum length that you need. Then look on the website of your preferred brand, see what exact model will meet those dimensions.

 

[cody c]

5" lift blocks? yikes, your gonna have some issues breaking pinions with the axle wrap that will produce at some point.

As for shocks, there is lots of vendors, may I suggest looking at low range off road, trdparts4u, marlin crawler, trail gear or poly performance, some of these show specific shocks per vehicle, but basically you should be looking for a 5" lift shock, and actually rear lift springs or parts for the 63" chevy spring swap while your shopping, as per brands, bilstein have a good reputation for the price.

If your looking for what length to get, best thing to do is see what your max/min lengths are by driving one side of the vehicle up a ramp, second best would be to find the length of the stock shocks and then add 5" (minus some for sag if they are old springs).

 

[ajordan1975]

I agree w/ the statement about buying lift springs. blocks are no good.

 

[yotayes88]

I was only going to use the lift blocks for a little while til the front springs settled a bit. Then I was gonna do either f 150 or chevies for the rear because I can get springs for 13 bucks a side. While the blocks were on it I was only gonna drive it to work and back, and maybe a very small amount of light wheeling.

 

[KLF]

We already did the "don't install blocks" lecture in another thread. I guess the OP decided to ignore our sound advice. 2-3" blocks are risky, 5" is just insanity.

Think about the forces on those blocks. Now think about the force and torque that will be transferred if you stomp on the brakes. Don't be surprised when they collapse and pop out from under the truck. I don't care about what Dodge puts under their RAMs or your friend has been running for years, the perches on these axles are not built for that much torque.

 

[yotayes88]

Like I said above, I only plan on running the blocks for a few weeks at most. Maybe a month, depending on how long the springs take to settle just a tad bit. And while the blocks are on I was only going to be driving it to work and back, maybe 5 miles total per day. and for errands around town. And I live in a small town. I don't plan on hitting any trails at all while the lift blocks are under it. I am going to put either chevies or f150 springs in the rear, after the front settles a hair. Which from what I've read, and herd from quite a few people, doesn't take long. So no I wasn't ignoring your advice, I got the blocks for free and was only using them TEMPORARELY.

 

[KLF]

I don't care if you're only using them for 5 minutes or driving 50 feet. Your vehicle has to be safe any time it's driven on a public street, otherwise it's a risk. You can get into a panic situation as soon as you leave the driveway, and that's when you'll learn the limits of the system or suspension.

I don't mean to rant or get in your face, but I just don't understand why people think "oh it's only for a few days/weeks, so it doesn't matter if it's safe or not". Most accidents occur very close to home, many within a few miles.

Rant off. Back to thread topic.