General Tech Shock mounts on front of axle?

[cruiseroutfit]

I've got a spring-over I'm working on for a customer and at the same time we are strethcing out the wheel base a few inches (4-5"). This necessitates moving the frame mounted shock cross-member back if I plan to use shock mounts on the back of the axle. This presents a problem as his exhaust and muffler (nice clean setup) is already in this location and short of really re-working the entire exhaust its not happening.

So, there are lot of OE applications that use front mounted shocks on one or both sides of the axle. Obviously the mount can be a rock target but other than that is there a major reason I wouldn't just implement this as a simple fix? This way I can even use the stock shock cross member on the frame saving him quite a bit of money and me time.

Thoughts?

 

[lewis]

Did some searching and found this. Made some sense to me out of it.

There are some very important elements to consider when selecting and mounting shocks. Shock placement affects much more than just up and down motion of the chassis in relation to the axle. For this reason, on spring over applications we do NOT suggest leaning the tops of the rear shocks toward the center of the chassis. Firstly, leaning the shocks into the center of the vehicle is completely unnecessary and will not improve travel. What it DOES do, however, is place your chassis upon a peak at its center (like a teeter-totter) therefore, no side-to-side body roll or cornering oscillation can be effectively dampened ie; the weeble-wobble effect on uneven road surfaces. Secondly, most off-the-shelf shocks are valved 30% compression and 70% extension. This is why they should not be mounted on the FRONT of the rear axle housing where axle wrap compresses them with very little resistance or dampening as opposed to being mounted on the REAR of the axle housing where axle wrap creates EXTENSION of the shock and dampens some axle wrap motion. We would suggest mounting the shocks on the rear on the original upper mounts and mounting the bottom of the shocks about 1" to 1 1/2" in from the inner u-bolts and at the bottom level of the axle tube with about 2" to 3" of up travel

 

[1995zj]

My shocks are currently mounted in front of the axle. Of course it's a completely different monster, but I've had no issues what-so-ever with it.

 

[BCGPER]

My 72 Blazer is mounted in front.

My 2010 Ford is mounted in front.

My JK is mounted behind.

My deductive skillz lead me to believe it really just don't matter..

 

[I Lean]

While I understand the reasoning of the axlewrap argument, I don't believe the shock affects axlewrap substantially either way, unless the shock mount sticks WAY out from the axle tube. I think the axle sorta rotates around whatever resistance there is, whether that's the spring, the shock, some combination of those, or a single-link traction bar.

Long paragraph short, mount 'em however they fit and I'll bet you won't notice any difference compared to redoing everything. (unless you were to bring the top mounts together in the center, then you'd notice an increase in crappiness)

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Did some searching and found this. Made some sense to me out of it.

There are some very important elements to consider when selecting and mounting shocks. Shock placement affects much more than just up and down motion of the chassis in relation to the axle. For this reason, on spring over applications we do NOT suggest leaning the tops of the rear shocks toward the center of the chassis. Firstly, leaning the shocks into the center of the vehicle is completely unnecessary and will not improve travel. What it DOES do, however, is place your chassis upon a peak at its center (like a teeter-totter) therefore, no side-to-side body roll or cornering oscillation can be effectively dampened ie; the weeble-wobble effect on uneven road surfaces. Secondly, most off-the-shelf shocks are valved 30% compression and 70% extension. This is why they should not be mounted on the FRONT of the rear axle housing where axle wrap compresses them with very little resistance or dampening as opposed to being mounted on the REAR of the axle housing where axle wrap creates EXTENSION of the shock and dampens some axle wrap motion. We would suggest mounting the shocks on the rear on the original upper mounts and mounting the bottom of the shocks about 1" to 1 1/2" in from the inner u-bolts and at the bottom level of the axle tube with about 2" to 3" of up travel

As an engineer Lewis you should be troubled by some aspects of that logic. Where did that come from?

Shocks mounted on an angle can lead to slightly more travel and if you choose a proper shock valving the angle (forces in multiple directions) can be incorporated, so if you have a real high compression shock mounting it inwards could do the trick and more importantly give clearance during the arc of the axle. Shocks to combat axle wrap? Sure it can help but the spring buckles UP in front of the axle, thus it would be most beneficial to have the shock up front by their same logic, not in back. 2-3" of up travel?

 

[cruiseroutfit]

...Long paragraph short, mount 'em however they fit and I'll bet you won't notice any difference compared to redoing everything. (unless you were to bring the top mounts together in the center, then you'd notice an increase in crappiness)

Thanks, exactly the answer I asked for

 

[lewis]

I once read something about mounting the shocks and when I searched I figured this was it and skimmed it really quick without reading it figuring it was what I had read before that made sense. Having gone back and read it I realize it wasn't the article I thought it was. Also we both know I am far from being and engineer, the paper says so but that doesn't prove very much.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

...Also we both know I am far from being and engineer, the paper says so but that doesn't prove very much.

Don't sell yourself short, if a paper (from a legit source ) says your an engineer, your an f-n engineer. You don't to have zero personality, computer only hobbies and a pocket protector to qualify, they just help

 

[lewis]

Don't sell yourself short, if a paper (from a legit source ) says your an engineer, your an f-n engineer. You don't to have zero personality, computer only hobbies and a pocket protector to qualify, they just help

Thats funny, I do own A pocket protector.