dentedvw
uıɐƃɐ ʇɐɥʇ op ʇ,uoʍ ı
- Location
- Bountiful, UT
I have been having trouble finding parts for my Nissan, er, truck, van, thing. I am used to Jeep parts, everywhere has them, and stuff from other vehicles fits. Not on this. 
I have been on a search for longer rear shocks, so I can get more travel from the rear. Stock amount of travel = no traction = stuck in desert, again. So, I went down to the big chain 4x4 shop, and they said there is nothing listed. I knew that, so I tried to talk them into helping me find some that fit anyway. He was unhelpful, constantly saying it couldn't be done because nothing is listed. I asked if I brought a stock one in, we measured the eye bolt diameters, and lengths and cross referenced, and called Rancho, or wherever... etc. Blank look, sorry, I can't help you. Repeat this procedure at a handful of shops that I thought most likely, but nada.
I visited the shop in SLC that converts vans, including this one to 4x4. I talked to the guy who owns the shop and he assured me he could get me just what I needed, even with the amount of lift I have, and yeah I understand you want more travel. It's a bummer, no locker, yada yada yada. Ok, lets do this.
One week. Two weeks. Three weeks. Four weeks. Gotta make a bushing, something about hole size. Sure man, just let me know.
Finally in my hands today, get home, pull stock shock, line them up. Huh, that's interesting. Fully extended, only 1 3/4" longer. Wait. What? Measure again. Yup, 1 3/4" longer, and the bottom bolt doesn't fit, pretty loose. Loose enough it would probably make some racket. I am no engineer, but I have turned a bolt before, and if things go together loose enough to fit a trim nail between them, it's the wrong size. So, if they made some metal bushing for this (like I remember him saying, thus the delay), they must have forgot to put it in. Or in the box. Or didn't do it at all.
FWIW, this is the shock listed for a Toyota tacoma that is lifted 1 3/4" inches. Surprise.
Here they are, side by side.
I lifted the rear about two and a half inches (perhaps a bit more). So, by my laymans measuring and fuzzy beer driveway math, I think I need rear shocks AT LEAST two and a half inches longer than stock. Am I crazy? I am not an auto mechanic, so help me out here. I can't get a locker of any kind, not now and probably not ever, so I am stuck in one wheel drive. I have to have enough travel to drive through small dips and wee washes, or I am going to be stuck again. A lot.
I know I need to extend the brake lines. I can use something like this to help, but getting longer lines would be best.
I know I need to extend the ABS wires (if I can, sometimes those things are weird and the cable has to be just so).
This is also the only shop that can do a 4x4 conversion on this van. That job is in the neighborhood of $11k. It's the only way I can get more than one wheel to turn. Hell, it's the only way I can up UP some roads in places I have already tried to go, and had to turn back. A lot of people would say I shouldn't be doing that anyway, but it's my vehicle and I am going to do try what I want to, based upon my experience driving stupid large vehicles in places most people wouldn't either. This is just the one we use on the weekend, and if it can't make it to trail heads, or river take outs, or down sandy roads in the desert, we want to modify it so it can. It's just a box with wheels, not that different from any other, only this one is slightly more rare.
I still want the 4x4 conversion. I checked out some of the work they did on those, and it looks ok, but where else would I go, right?
Right, so, how does one find the right shock?
If I just need a reality check, say so. Would you fit shocks that are a bit loose on one end, and not much more travel when you felt you needed more travel?
Also, we have had the Ford Econo, so please don't recommend that. It was a fine van, but not quite what we wanted. $printer was too expensive to buy and maintain (but a bit nicer, I admit). I am not looking to replace the van, just modify it.
I have been on a search for longer rear shocks, so I can get more travel from the rear. Stock amount of travel = no traction = stuck in desert, again. So, I went down to the big chain 4x4 shop, and they said there is nothing listed. I knew that, so I tried to talk them into helping me find some that fit anyway. He was unhelpful, constantly saying it couldn't be done because nothing is listed. I asked if I brought a stock one in, we measured the eye bolt diameters, and lengths and cross referenced, and called Rancho, or wherever... etc. Blank look, sorry, I can't help you. Repeat this procedure at a handful of shops that I thought most likely, but nada.
I visited the shop in SLC that converts vans, including this one to 4x4. I talked to the guy who owns the shop and he assured me he could get me just what I needed, even with the amount of lift I have, and yeah I understand you want more travel. It's a bummer, no locker, yada yada yada. Ok, lets do this.
One week. Two weeks. Three weeks. Four weeks. Gotta make a bushing, something about hole size. Sure man, just let me know.
Finally in my hands today, get home, pull stock shock, line them up. Huh, that's interesting. Fully extended, only 1 3/4" longer.
Wait. What? Measure again. Yup, 1 3/4" longer, and the bottom bolt doesn't fit, pretty loose. Loose enough it would probably make some racket. I am no engineer, but I have turned a bolt before, and if things go together loose enough to fit a trim nail between them, it's the wrong size. So, if they made some metal bushing for this (like I remember him saying, thus the delay), they must have forgot to put it in. Or in the box. Or didn't do it at all. FWIW, this is the shock listed for a Toyota tacoma that is lifted 1 3/4" inches. Surprise.
Here they are, side by side.
I lifted the rear about two and a half inches (perhaps a bit more). So, by my laymans measuring and fuzzy beer driveway math, I think I need rear shocks AT LEAST two and a half inches longer than stock. Am I crazy? I am not an auto mechanic, so help me out here. I can't get a locker of any kind, not now and probably not ever, so I am stuck in one wheel drive. I have to have enough travel to drive through small dips and wee washes, or I am going to be stuck again. A lot.
I know I need to extend the brake lines. I can use something like this to help, but getting longer lines would be best.
I know I need to extend the ABS wires (if I can, sometimes those things are weird and the cable has to be just so).
This is also the only shop that can do a 4x4 conversion on this van. That job is in the neighborhood of $11k. It's the only way I can get more than one wheel to turn. Hell, it's the only way I can up UP some roads in places I have already tried to go, and had to turn back. A lot of people would say I shouldn't be doing that anyway, but it's my vehicle and I am going to do try what I want to, based upon my experience driving stupid large vehicles in places most people wouldn't either. This is just the one we use on the weekend, and if it can't make it to trail heads, or river take outs, or down sandy roads in the desert, we want to modify it so it can. It's just a box with wheels, not that different from any other, only this one is slightly more rare.
I still want the 4x4 conversion. I checked out some of the work they did on those, and it looks ok, but where else would I go, right?
Right, so, how does one find the right shock?
If I just need a reality check, say so. Would you fit shocks that are a bit loose on one end, and not much more travel when you felt you needed more travel?
Also, we have had the Ford Econo, so please don't recommend that. It was a fine van, but not quite what we wanted. $printer was too expensive to buy and maintain (but a bit nicer, I admit). I am not looking to replace the van, just modify it.
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