mounting shocks

[jmj85]

I've got a YJ, and the front suspension is SOA. I'm trying to figure out the best way to mount them for suspension performance.

The shock have 14 inch of travel. My stock bump stops are setup ffor about 7-8 inches of up travel. Should I max the tuck, and limit droop, max droop and limit tuck or equal droop and tuck?

 

[CrustyJeep]

What's this got to do with your shocks? Your shocks should limit bounce, and nothing more.

Usually you want the rig to ride past center in the travel, meaning more available down travel than up. This keeps your center of gravity as low as possible. It's going to depend on your springs though. If you're sitting on a lot of arch at ride height, you should consider softening them somehow; different springs, remove a leaf, etc. Shackle angle can come into play here as well.

Your bump stops are there to save your springs from destruction, nothing more. Determine where you think a safe limit is for your springs and set your stops there.

Once you get your travel figured out and properly limited, mount your shocks, making sure you can't top or bottom them out. If you have too much travel, you'll need longer shocks.

 

[TreeClimber]

Your bump stops are there to save your springs from destruction, nothing more. Determine where you think a safe limit is for your springs and set your stops there..

And also to keep the tires out of destructive sheet metal / and-or / to keep the front axle from impacting either the oil pan or lower crank pulleys.

I like to fully compress the suspension and measure the compressed distance, then hang a tire until it's fully drooped and measure the extended length. Then center the shock so that it has extra in both the compressed and extended postions. Remember, that as the axle articulates, it will go past both the shortest and longest lengths when it's level with the frame.