I run 3 inch coils (Dobinson) with 5 inch shocks (Amada)

I am using superflex arms in the front and run a factory rear sway bar (extended links) but no front bar

In the front I used 2 inch raised shock mounts and standard bump stops, no coils retainers required

In the rear I have extended bump stops to stop up travel before the shocks try to bottom out. I do use spring retainers and drop out cones in the rear and it does need them.

You can check out my build thread for what I have used if you like. http://www.patrol4x4.com/forum/members-rides-19/extra-cab-gu-ute-148713/

 

Why the 2" shock spacers? And why only on the front?

 

Hmmmm, I have had 5 inch lift without such mods for over 10 years, had no probs with the original tough dogs nor the newer Armadas. I have flexed it to the max then crawled under and taken measurements, shocks don't bottom. Just can't find the book I have the measurements written down in at the moment.
But I guess if I am to drop the ride height 2 inches using the same shocks then there may be a problem?
Hmmm will have to find that book and see how close it goes now to give me a better idea.
But I expect that I will find, I need the raised towers?
Thanks guys.

 

Coils make no difference to ur shocks bottoming out mate, full up travell is full up travell no matter what spring you've got squashed between the diff and chassis

 

+1

It doesn't matter how high your springs are, if your shocks are 5" longer than stock and you hit a big bump that compresses the suspension all the way to the stock bump stops, the shocks will run out of travel before the bump stops absorb the crunch. It's not a problem if you never bottom your suspension but will destroy your shocks and probably their mounts if your suspension ever bottoms out. One thing some manufacturers do that helps a lot is to provide a bottoming rubber on the shock shaft to stop metal to metal impact. These integral bottoming rubbers seem to range from good to bad but a lot of shocks don't have them at all. They still put a lot of load on the shock mount and can cause damage to it.

Cheers,

 

Found the note book I have all my suspension measurements in.
When fully flexed I made some measurements.
The shocks are far from bottoming and in any case can go all the way to the stops without being fully compressed. So all good.

I even rang Superior for their recommendation, they told me I don't need raised towers.
As far as fitting 3" springs are concerned, if you then add 2" raised towers you are defeating the purpose of the 5" shocks are you not?

 

.As far as fitting 3" springs are concerned, if you then add 2" raised towers you are defeating the purpose of the 5" shocks are you not?

No not really, even if the difference in total shock length was 50mm, and your raised your top mount by 50mm, yes you would get the same amount of "flex" or downtravel, but you now have a longer shocks with more travel from open / closed, so it can handle bigger bumps and jumps a lot better.

 

If your hitting the bump stops all round without raising you shock towers/mounts with the 5" shocks then you don't need to do anything to the mounts. If the shocks were bottoming out before the stops then you would have to either raise the mounts or extend the bump stops to suit. There isn't much room to raise the front towers in a GU without having to drill through the inner guard (well on mine at least...) so IF you need to do something, just extend the bump stops. Every company sell bump stop extensions of some sort but you can just make your own easy enough. Just get some body lift blocks for the front and longer bolts. For the rear just tack on (so you can remove it if you need/want to) some SHS to the diffs stops and plate the ends for strength. Drop out cones are a must unless your getting coils that you can tie both ends to each of the hats, top and bottom, without reducing flex (yes it can be done but it's a pita to get the spring rates comfortable for a daily). If you get weld ins, you need engineering anyway as you are welding to the chassis (yes it's a mild steel chassis and there is no reason you can't weld to it at all and it's very easy to do a better job than what the robots did at the factory putting the bloody thing together, want to see bird shiat welds look at a patrol chassis ha ha, but QLD laws suck.).

But all you need is drop out cones and coil retainers.