I think I understand the question as relating to +4" shocks on stock IFS front ends. If I'm wrong I apologize up front.

For our year trucks the lift options initially were to adjust the torsion bars or get a 4" lift. As a result, companies came out with shocks that could extend 4" longer than the stock shock. The compromise here was that the shock could no longer compress as far as it did in the stock application. Typically, a shock would have a compressed length of at least 2" longer than the stock version.

Now, enter ball joint spacers. This modification changed the shock requirements. Now, the extended length increased by 1.5" while the collapsed length remain the same. The result is the shock went from a approx. 9.5/13.5" to a 10/15.5" shock.

How this effects a stock 9.5"/13.5" shock is this: The shock needs a longer extended length to work with out a shim at the expense of a slightly longer collapsed length.

If you have a +4" shock, you will likely find that with a spacer type lift the shock won't collapse far enough (the a-arm travels up as far with the spacer as it does without) and therefore becomes the bumpstop. This is bad and usually destroys the shock quickly.

On the other side, if you have stock, but un-shimmed shock, you'll find the shock limits the droop. This might not bother the shock at all or might wear it out fast. Our rear axles drop as far as the shocks will let them and the shocks are designed accordingly to handle that load. Whether our front shocks are used in a similar situation on another vehicle is unlikely but possible. I would not count on it. Therefore, it makes sense to shim stock length shocks for a spacer lift if you do not have the correct shock at that moment.

Hope this helps.

Frank

 

Thanks Frank...the added detail helps a lot.

 

Yes it does....my xmas present is some BJ spacers and i am still debating on shocks

 

Well I installed some Doetsch tech 8069's today. I'm not sure how I feel about them. I haven't had a chance to wheel them yet but I did hit a few key dips on some roads to compare them to the cheapy Monroes.

Both ride very well. The valving on the DT's is tighter which one would expect. The 8000 series is not a gas charged shock though and I think that inhibits the tires from dropping as quickly into dips. I'm inclined to see if I can upgrade to the nitrogen charged 9000 series. Still, the ride quality is superb and I'm really nit picking here.

Now, the Monroes while riding great on road faddd pretty fast in the washes. I'm talking like 5 minutes of working the suspension and they were gone until they cooled down. These I can tell will fair better. The shocks are heavier, tubes longer, and carry more oil. They don't have the shroud that covers the shock body the more the shock is compressed. I think the center shaft is larger too. Also, there is this large rubber bushing that appears to act somewhat as a bumptop. I *think* it will make contact just before the low pro compression stops hit the LCA. I took some pics of the two shocks side by side and will post them.

Frank

 

Almost. Uptravel will kill them, not down travel.

I run the Old Man Emu N98 front shock. This is one of the Nitrocharger line. It has a 2" longer stroke, but can still compress fully AS LONG AS YOU HAVE STOCK BUMPSTOPS.

 

Interesting on the stock bumptops. One plus for the DT's they can compress fully with the low pro lower bumptops. Still need to drive on them more though to get a good feel for them.

Frank

 

I have those same shocks and low pro compression bumpstops, I hit the bumpstops before the shock bottoms out. The combo actually works pretty good in the desert and out at the dunes.

 

Wow soaking soaking soaking. I will probably have a new motor in my truck by the end of January and may do the suspension at the same time if the wallet allows. I was going to do old man emu rear leafs, maybe a 1 inch longer shackle, bj spacers up front and a light light tbar crank. Now if you were to the point where you had 2.5 inches of lift in the front, and it was hard to find a shorter shock that fit but one for 3-4 inches would compress on itself and kill itself, why not just buy a cheap upper shock mount (f250, toy solid axle stock mount etc.) and mount it about 1.5-2 inches higher and run the 3-4 inch lift shock? If you had the shocks and the mounts I would bet you that the labor for welding would end up being between $100 and $200. I work in a full service welding shop and that would be a cake job, I myself would probably ask right around $175 to remove the old mounts, cut the new ones to mount the shock, tack them on, test the suspension cycle, finish welding it/adjust it, and paint to finish with shocks mounted etc. Seems like a good solution if you can weld, or don't mind paying for it. It would open up a LOT of options for shocks.

 

Ok I finally got it Frank..

Still debating on how to set it all up really though.

Were talking all kinds of choices to shocks here. I think a stock suzuki samurai shock size is our best bets as they are easier to find. But a DT 9069 looks VERY nice for the price. Ya never hear to much about them b/c they are a small company iirc.

I would be willing to take a gamble if I can ever locate a danged trucK!

 

This weekend I installed procomp es 9000s and SDORI BJ spacers. had some fitment issues with shocks clearing the bumpstops (had to cut the metal lip off the bumpstop) and even though the application said for 2" lift the shocks still came up a touch short (1/4") with the suspension at full droop. I guess I will have to shim them as long as I am on the road for now it should be ok. BJ spacers were simple enough had help from a great guy on here (4RNR THANKS JOHN!), used a plasma cutter to trim the UCA. def allowed for relaxing of the T bar I will have to fine tune it for height now. I noticed also ALOT of play in my idler arm so thats going to have to be replaced and I def need an alignment now the steering feels goofy. With the hubs engaged I feel like there was more vibration while driving possibly due to higher CV angles. I also have torn CV boots wich need replacing. I think with a tweak here and there and the adressing of an issue or two I will be pretty satisfied, at the moment the steering feel is making me a little nervous and unsure as to how the spacer actually affected the ride and dynamics of the front end and the CVs.

 

I'm thinking I should have gone with the nitrogen charged DT's but the 8000's (Prerunner shocks) are really nice. I hit some dips hard and they settle the truck out right away. I wonder if they found that not nitrogen charging made room for more oil or something. Who knows but either way these shocks smoke the Monroe's as one would expect when you push the suspension.

Frank

 

Of course, monroes are cheap junk.

I had gabriels on my T100 and found out just what happens when busted shocks hit a washboard-you bend stuff!

 

Holy cow! Dead thread resurrection!

New info on Bilstein shocks after much searching:
NOTE: rear is for leaf springs.

Stock Length HD:
Front: F4-B46-1139-HO 13.9"/9.25"
Rear: F4-B46-1140-HO 20.91"/13.39"

5100 series:
Front: F4-BE5-6582-H5 18.5"/12"
Rear: F4-BE5-6583-H5 25.6"/16.0"

5125 series:
Front: BE5-6140-T5 18.42"/11.77"

OME

Front: N98 15.17"/9.71"
Rear: N85(firm)/N94(soft) 22.89"/13.92"

Something to remember is that the shocks are mounted inboard of the BJ spacers, so a 1.5" BJS doesn't require a full 1.5" additional length. Getting some Alcan Springs made. They report Bilstein to be the best shock from reports from their customers. Unfortunately, Bilstein doesn't make the right length shock for BJS.

Hope this helps someone else.

 

does Bilstein still not make the right size shock for the BJ spacer? I plan on the deutsch tech for the rear but I awas thinking Bilsatein for the front. If they wont work then I guess old man emu.

 

Haven't looked at it since last April. If you're willing to pay, you could probably get a Bilstein 6100 series shock in a length that would work.

 

Any one else running OME N98 up front and Doesch tech MV-12 rear on a p/u. How do they like them, did you get them from the same place? I need to buy today, to have a chance at getting them by friday, but not sure which way to go.

 

Add on to this thread as I'm gonna go the bj spacer route from sdori. What is the longest collapsed length you can run with the stock bump stops? I found a bilstein part # for suzuki sami shocks

Part #: F4-B46-1215-H0

I called and the lengths are 10.27"/15.86". Is this 10.27" too long for the collapsed length? especially if I was thinking about trimming the LCA bump stops?

 

Has anyone run the Bil HD's up front shimmed with the 5100's in back? Will this combo even work?

 

So, I want to put bj spacers on my truck for travel and only for maybe a 1/2" of height increase. i was thinking the 1.5" spacers, but keep the the ride pretty much the same. I have bilstein 5100 shocks that i got from downey. They are the standard replacement for for the truck and up to 2 1/4" or torsion bar lift would those be sufficient for the down travel increase or would the shocks be fully extending before the suspension hits the bump stops? I mostly do desert and forest road pre-running.

 

Can some one post a pic of how you shimmed your front shocks, if you kept the stock length ones?