The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Front lever to tube shocks pictures

I got to send a few hours this weekend on my 4t6. I haven't worked on it for any amount of time this summer so it felt good to accomplish something. I made up a new front upper mount. This I heated and folded the top over and welded. Primed and painted. Mounted and installed here. Can be changed back to stock if desired. Hopefully will work OK.
Dan

How did you figure out which angle to mount the shock? Did you just guess it or go by the action of the lever shock. Does it make much difference? I figure that a shock near vertical is more effective than one mounted at 45 degrees.
Reason I ask is I want to convert my rear lever type and took dimensions of a 1953 frame hoping that I will be close.

I did some reading at Monroe or Gabriel, don't remember, that had some good info. I just winged it and placed similiar to old levers so I could change back if necessary. I did my rear shocks a while ago. Here's the thread. Hope this helps. Good luck and have fun
Dan

Afternoon all,
I have been looking through the archives and have some follow up questions on the 1-11-08 thread "Lever Action vs Modern tube" and this one.
What is the consensus on Olblu's comment "... a shock near vertical is more effective..."?
Second, when looking at different shock configurations through the years, some angle toward the front, others to the rear, some inward from the springs and even one forward and one back. What is consensus on the best? Any, or is this more a matter of compression and extension travel and dampining?
Chev4t6's rear and front mods seem to go both ways - front almost straight up behing the axel, and the rears at about a 45 degree angle forward of the axel. Chev46, how this working for you?
Chev46, also looking at the pictures of your truck, I see the crossmember (rearward and above the rear axel)for the under bed spare tire mount. Was this existing crossmemeber an option.
Finally,what quality are the shocks that come with JC's conversion kit? I am seriously considering this option, and as Chevy46 has done, mounting the front to the outside frame and cutting the bracket down to fit my existing spare tire X-memeber or adding one forward of the rear again, like Chev46.
Let me complicate this as I too am considering the front OE and aftermarket rear swaybars.

Cavebull

Following up after 180 some odd visits and 1 reply via PM. So I found a good info site as linked below. Gives all the specifics to measure up shocks and what to work toward for optimal performance. It is a 4X4 site but I went there becuase I know they often deal with shocking front and rear leaf springs and solid axles. Intersting, they even give information on shock location taking into consideration the location of shackle as well.
Good info. I have also built an Excel speadsheet that calculates the shock length requirements per the variables and such outlined. If interested, contact me via PM and I will get it to you. I will be mounting shocks and will take picts of the measuring as well as the fabricating/install process.
http://www.4x4review.com/Features/Tech/BeAGeniusShockAbsorbers/tabid/307/Default.aspx
Cavebull