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| | | | Joined: Dec 2001 Posts: 14,522 Moderator: Welcome Centre, Southern Bolters, Legion Hall | | Moderator: Welcome Centre, Southern Bolters, Legion Hall Joined: Dec 2001 Posts: 14,522 | Is there a "standard formula" for measuring for shock length.
The two mounting points are 14 1/2" apart. I know the shock has to be able to extend/compress so basically my question is "how much". I don't think there will be a problem with extending, but more of how much the shock should be "out" for compression.
Hope you understand the question....I know many of you have probably been through this exercise.
I'm listening, so educate me!. | | | | | Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 29,746 Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer) | | Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer) Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 29,746 | The simplest way to determine minimum shock length would be to actually measure it. Loop a piece of chain over the frame and under a floor jack, hook or bolt it together, and start cranking on the jack until something bottoms out- - - -suspension snubbers, etc. Then measure the distance between the upper and lower shock mounting points and add an inch or so "fudge factor" so there's no way for the shock to hit a mechanical limit. That's how we did it on the round track race cars where there were no factory specifications available. If your shop happens to have chain anchors built into the floor, or the suspension can be assembled without a spring in place, it's a lot simpler.
Jerry
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln
Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt!
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| | | | | Joined: May 2015 Posts: 10,997 Housekeeping (Moderator) Making a Stovebolt Bed & Paint and Body Shop Forums | | Housekeeping (Moderator) Making a Stovebolt Bed & Paint and Body Shop Forums Joined: May 2015 Posts: 10,997 | Actually all you need to do to measure actual suspension compression is to measure the space between the axle and the snubber. It's actually harder to determine how much to allow for shock extension, although you could do that buy jacking from the frame until the wheels come off the ground, and measure again between the axle and snubber. Subtract that from the measurement you took with the truck sitting on the wheels and that's the extension of the shock. As Jerry said, adding an inch or so in both directions would work.
Kevin 1951 Chevy 3100 work truckFollow this saga in Project JournalPhotos 1929 Ford pickup restored from the ground up. | 1929 Ford Special Coupe (First car) Busting rust since the mid-60's If you're smart enough to take it apart, you darn well better be smart enough to put it back together. | | | | | Joined: Jan 2018 Posts: 298 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Jan 2018 Posts: 298 | I measured my distance between mounting points with wheels off the ground and with wheels back on ground and called Monroe and they figured the correct shock for my 37 1/2 ton.
1937 GC
| | | | | Joined: Dec 2001 Posts: 14,522 Moderator: Welcome Centre, Southern Bolters, Legion Hall | | Moderator: Welcome Centre, Southern Bolters, Legion Hall Joined: Dec 2001 Posts: 14,522 | Thank you guys. Reading this brings rattles my brain back to many years ago that I thought I had forgotten.
Stovebolters to the rescue!!
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