Spring too close to Frame?

[Doug118]

I’ve also spoken to several people and they said running a drop shock and shock extenders is a bad idea and I should just be running a shorter shock without the extenders. Problem with that is, I welded the extenders to my axle so I may try running stock length shocks once the frame is notched

 

[kbuskill]

I’ve also spoken to several people and they said running a drop shock and shock extenders is a bad idea and I should just be running a shorter shock without the extenders. Problem with that is, I welded the extenders to my axle so I may try running stock length shocks once the frame is notched

I don't know why running a drop shock with the extenders would be a bad idea.

I am running the extenders and an air ride shock that is the same length as the Belltech SP drop shocks and I don't have any problems with it.

I wish @iamdub would get off his lazy duff and hook his ALC to his airlift bags and see how/if it works the way he is wanting it to.

If it works properly and doesn't blow the bags then I may follow suite and then install the Rancho 9 way adjustable shocks on the rear to get rid of some of the "hoopty bounce" since the shocks I have on there now don't seem to be heavy duty enough or valved properly for the weight of the Burb.

I have already found a set of the Rancho shocks that are the same length as the drop shocks and should be valved properly for the weight, plus they are 9 way adjustable so I should be able to dial it in the way I want it.

Hurry up Dub!

 

[iamdub]

The air bag kit I’m running is airlift 60742.
I wish that Tony guy would just list his knowledge in a sticky instead of always wanting people to text him. He rarely actually texts back.
https://www.tahoeyukonforum.com/threads/how-to-install-helper-bags-in-springs-pics-inside.56921/

THANK YOU! As much as I've Googled for info and pics, this is exactly the info I've been looking for. This subject has been covered and recovered so many times on multiple forums by so many OPINIONS and contradicting info that you can't find the cold hard facts. I have two sets of Air Lift bags and wasn't sure which ones I should use on the 5305s. I was gonna guess the taller ones, but this corrected me. Glad I won't have to do the work twice!

 

[iamdub]

I’ve also spoken to several people and they said running a drop shock and shock extenders is a bad idea and I should just be running a shorter shock without the extenders. Problem with that is, I welded the extenders to my axle so I may try running stock length shocks once the frame is notched

I don't see how it could be a bad idea. The purpose of both drop shocks and extenders is simply for range of travel. The amount of drop will determine if you need one or the other or both. For a 7" drop with no extenders, you'd need a ridiculously short shock that may not even exist, at least not in a quality truck shock. Running an extender would be like having a 5" drop, and there are plenty of known good shorter shocks to support that. I don't think a stock-length shock would work for a 7" drop. It'd be bottomed out or nearly bottomed out. With extenders, the stock shock would "see" the equivalent of a 5" drop and that's pretty much at the max of it's travel.

 

[iamdub]

I wish @iamdub would get off his lazy duff and hook his ALC to his airlift bags and see how/if it works the way he is wanting it to.


...Hurry up Dub!

Huh? What're you talking about? Hooking the ALC up to the Air Lift bags? Sounds like some kind of hack!

 

[kbuskill]

Huh? What're you talking about? Hooking the ALC up to the Air Lift bags? Sounds like some kind of hack!

Get to hacking... lol

 

[Doug118]

A shock isn’t meant to be fully expended and with the drop shock and extenders, the shock is close to full extension. There are plenty of shorter shock options to use without the extenders

 

[iamdub]

A shock isn’t meant to be fully expended and with the drop shock and extenders, the shock is close to full extension. There are plenty of shorter shock options to use without the extenders

Correct. It depends on how short the drop shock is. If your drop shocks are nearly stretched out with extenders, then you have really short shocks and the extenders aren't needed. That's gotta be a really small shock to have plenty of compression but nearly extended with a 7" drop. With as many different lengths of shocks that are available, it's something that can't be generalized by saying "running a drop shock with extenders is a bad idea". This leads to misinformation that will get around to those that don't know any better and they could end up with a rough ride and blown shocks from bottoming out. I aimed to maintain all stock geometry and travel and got the longest of the shorter shocks that would fit, accounting for the 2" gain with the extenders. This ended up being the Belltech 2412FF instead of the ubiquitous 2410FF. At my lowered ride height, I have about 4" of upward and downward travel with these.

BTW, I'm not critiquing your drop or methods. I'm just trying to figure out what all you have in place for such a large static drop. How all of that is crammed up in there is a bit fascinating to me.

 

[kbuskill]

Correct. It depends on how short the drop shock is. If your drop shocks are nearly stretched out with extenders, then you have really short shocks and the extenders aren't needed. That's gotta be a really small shock to have plenty of compression but nearly extended with a 7" drop. With as many different lengths of shocks that are available, it's something that can't be generalized by saying "running a drop shock with extenders is a bad idea". This leads to misinformation that will get around to those that don't know any better and they could end up with a rough ride and blown shocks from bottoming out. I aimed to maintain all stock geometry and travel and got the longest of the shorter shocks that would fit, accounting for the 2" gain with the extenders. This ended up being the Belltech 2412FF instead of the ubiquitous 2410FF. At my lowered ride height, I have about 4" of upward and downward travel with these.

BTW, I'm not critiquing your drop or methods. I'm just trying to figure out what all you have in place for such a large static drop. How all of that is crammed up in there is a bit fascinating to me.

1 inch of his drop is from shorter tires. The 255/50/20 tires he is running are 2" shorter than the factory 275/55/20 tires it came with.

 

[iamdub]

1 inch of his drop is from shorter tires. The 255/50/20 tires he is running are 2" shorter than the factory 275/55/20 tires it came with.

:facepalm:

That doesn't count! I've been duped!