BigJimnyMeet (North) 2024 (12 Jan 2024)
14th July 2024
Parkwood Nr. Leeds
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Question re shock relocators
- Wright
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No, they're not absolutely useless and a waste of money...
BUT...
In the example you're saying - you're already buying a +2" lift kit comprising of 2" longer springs* and 2" longer shocks... So, the longer springs will give you 2" of lift, and the shocks will be a matching 2" longer than stock? So, no, you don't want to add shock "relocators" / "repositioners" / spacers...
Why? Well, the shocks are 2" longer than stock already, so you don't want to add the extra 1.5" that shock relocators add, as then you'd have a shock that was effectively +3.5" longer than a stock one...
The result? No, no added height, but more added droop, so your shocks would extend more than you need and your brake lines wouldn't be long enough, and your shocks may droop low enough that your springs become loose...
Also, the compressed / closed length of the shock is 1.5" shorter too (as you've added the spacer to the bottom), so you're in danger of the shock "topping-out" (the piston slamming into the top of the tubular body of the shock) before the suspension cycles up properly, i.e. without bump stop spacers, the shock is going to close completely before the axle hits the black rubber cone bump stop on upward travel...
So you need to choose shocks of the right length to use with these sort of relocators, so you'd need - say - a +2" spring and a +1" shock with relocators on the bottom of the shock on the rear axle... to give you the right amount of range of movement in the shock to match the spring...
On my blue S200KYS Jimny for example, I've got +5" springs and +4" shocks with these kind of relocators on the bottom, so that my range of movement of the shock matches that of the spring... i.e. on full droop my spring is still sat on the bottom axle spring seat and doesn't lift off the raised 'cone' in the middle of the seat, so it doesn't 'dislocate'. and on upward articulation the spring compresses enough that the axle hits the bump stop before the shock tops out, also without the spring becoming 'coil-bound' (the spring's coils touching each other which can fatigue the spring)...
So there's a few things to consider before adding spacers to a shock (of the right length)
There's two opinions of whether these type of relocators are needed, I'm with the ones that say Yes, partly as I sell them (as ZookBOB) and use them from practical experience... My Jim has +5" of spring lift using Mercedes saloon springs, so you can imagine the angle of the rear shock mounting bolt after the axle has rotated downwards at the back with the lift applied, no way a rear shock is going to sit on that rear mounting bolt without a LOT of twist on it, so I made up a pair of custom relocators so that the shock sits in the U-bracket above the original mounting bolt without twisting so much that it's under a LOT of tension on the bush, which is know to wear them prematurely or even break the bolt...
* You realise with +2" of spring length you'll probably need castor correction on the front radius arms? Otherwise the steering won't self-centre and will become a bit 'vague'.
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- Wright
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Dave 'ZookBOB'
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- Wright
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- Venter
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The only ways to improve ground clearance is by fitting bigger tyres or cutting and welding the bottom of the diff housing. Or with portal axles, but if you can find a set for the Jimny please show me where! Out of these the easiest and most common is sorting the tyres.
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- Venter
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S200KYS wrote: Ah, yes, but fitting larger tyres opens another can of worms... as it upsets the gearing... an expensive fix then follows...
That's only if he joins your lunatic fringe with 31's and the like
An upgrade to 215/75s or at a push 235/75s can still be used without needing a gearing change. Although the gearing change is fun and is also a worthwhile mod, but then that's heading down the rabbit hole...
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Venter wrote: That's only if he joins your lunatic fringe with 31's and the like
PMSL
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- Wright
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