Travel Limit

jakes89f150 · Oct 21, 2007

I have a 1989 f150 with quad shocks and ibeam frontend
it has a 4in lift and 33's on it.
Anyway im wondering of the travel limits of the ford TTB frontend
the ride height is 3/4's of an inch from the max shock height, and the rubber snubbers are 2inches off the axle mean maximum suspension travel is roughly 3 inches on a truck with shocks made to travel over 6 inches...

Im almost thinking someone took blocks from a 6inch lift and but them on the truck.
So please let me know if i can take the blocks under the rubber snubbers off and replace them with 2inch ones or 1 1/2 ones. (making suspension travel just over 5 inches from ride height

Outback · Oct 21, 2007

What you are describing sounds like a bunch of the wrong parts in the right places or the right parts used in the wrong places...

The TTB will give about 8-10 inches of travel basically stock. The limit is the shocks (and the beams). To get any real travel you must change the mounting points of the shocks minimum.
Take a look at these pictures for ideas.
http://www.camburg.com/ford4x4F150-P4x4.html

Good Luck!

jakes89f150 · Oct 21, 2007

thanks.
yea the shocks used are rancho
rs5136 rear of the front axle and im not sure of the one front of the axle i suspect its one of these RS5179, RS5115, rs5179

And now the more i research the more i get confused, i dont know if its a 3inch or a 4inch now heres some pics
http://ghost.digerati-hosting.com/truck/
notice in one of the pics that it looks like theres no clearance between the nut on the camber cam and the spring, and on the other side theres a good 3/4 of an inch...

more below

TreeClimber · Oct 21, 2007

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/powertoys/xppowertoys.mspx

Click on this shortcut. It's an stoopidly easy to use download which will allow you to downsize pictures into an easy to post size. Then you can post the pics right here.

jakes89f150 · Oct 21, 2007

but that takes effort

i didnt want to have to upload to 3 different sites

TreeClimber · Oct 21, 2007

I'm a little confused (doesn't take much) about your shock comments. Perhaps I'm mis-reading them, but, it seems by the pictures that you're taking of the bottom of the shock. Not the section of the shock that slides in and out (which is covered by the red rubber shock boot). Are you sure? Or am I out in never-never-land?

jakes89f150 · Oct 21, 2007

??? now im confused
i meassure the shock lenght from the middle of the eye to the middle of the bushing up top
is that wrong?

TreeClimber · Oct 21, 2007

What's the shock's part number?

Red boots are often Rancho. And a little brake clean and a rag will wipe away the grime, and the part number will be stamped into the body.

edit - D'OH! I just re-read your original post. Hang on a sec

TreeClimber · Oct 21, 2007

Rancho shock lengths, from GoRancho.com

5136 is 11.250 collapsed, 17.375 extended, 6.125 travel
5115 is 13.000 collapsed, 20.750 extended, 7.750 travel
5179 is 13.875 collapsed, 22.250 extended, 8.375 travel

Clean off the shock body, find the part number. Then measure the distance between the eyes of the shock. If it's say 17.0 and it's a 5115 shock, then you've got roughly 4 inches of up and 4 inches of down travel.

jakes89f150 · Oct 21, 2007

eyes on bottom and studs on top, how do i meassure studded shocks
Middle of eye to what point?

TreeClimber · Oct 21, 2007

From where the stud just touches the mount, to the center of the bolt on the bottom. That will give you the 'at rest' measurement.

And make sure you find out which shock body (model #) you have so that we can compare measurements.

jakes89f150 · Oct 22, 2007

Yellow, red or green?
i messured to red

TreeClimber · Oct 22, 2007

I'd measure to yellow.

What's the shock model number? And what's the length as it sits?

jakes89f150 · Oct 22, 2007

ill get the stock model # tomorrow, and ill measure it again because i forget the lenght

TreeClimber · Oct 22, 2007

Go to www.gorancho.com and download the master catalog. It has all the options regarding lifts, shocks, etc. (It's like 150 pages) That'll also tell you the shocks that are supposed to be on a 4 inch lift.

and as an afterthought, remember that dual shocks are not the same as single shocks. Duals are valved much differently internally. So, if you do have the wrong ones, if you want, you can buy only one to replace them and have a confortable ride. But whatever you do, do NOT buy two of the 'singles' and pair them up, as it will be way to stiff.

jakes89f150 · Oct 22, 2007

yea my shocks are stiff as hell so that might be what someone did.

jakes89f150 · Oct 22, 2007

well i think i found some of my issue...
it looks like someone converted the truck from single to quad shocks, yet left the stock front, front ones, rs5136 rear front ones and stock rear ones (they have no brand name, no part # no nothing), an

(infront of front axle = stock , rear of front axle = rs5136) so 4 shitty shocks and 2 rancho's.

So i guess my truck has a 3inch lift not a 4...
would it be possible for me to use these shocks?
aft of front:
RS5117
Extended Length (in): 18.750 in.
Collapsed Length (in): 12.000 in.

Foward of front:
RS5179
Extended Length (in): 22.250 in.
Collapsed Length (in): 13.870 in.

Rear:
RS5116
Extended Length (in): 24.000 in.
Collapsed Length (in): 14.875 in.

Specs of Current shocks:
Uncompressed on truck
17.75 aft of front axle
20.75 forward of front axle

Ride
Rear axle 22.00
front aft ride 16.25
front forward ride 18.875

aft shock specs from rancho: (the only ones i knows)
Extended Length (in): 17.375 in.
Collapsed Length (in): 11.250 in.