Now that my frame welding is about to get down. I've been thinking about shocks and shock towers. I want to run the Rancho 9000s, but will the stock shock towers be enough or should I go with something else? I'll be SO, SR, 55 rear springs front and rear and 36" TSLs.

Thanks,

Sean,
I am planning the same sort of suspension and ordered the Ford shock towers from the dealer. A whole $11.64 apiece brand new. Part number:E5TZ-18183-A

They are about three inches taller than stock, require a bit of fender trimming and mount to the outside of the frame rail. I welded but they can be bolted up to the frame rail. No pics right now, but search around people have used them long before I ordered mine.

Originally posted by cruiserbrett
Sean,
I am planning the same sort of suspension and ordered the Ford shock towers from the dealer. A whole $11.64 apiece brand new. Part number:E5TZ-18183-A

They are about three inches taller than stock, require a bit of fender trimming and mount to the outside of the frame rail. I welded but they can be bolted up to the frame rail. No pics right now, but search around people have used them long before I ordered mine.

Thanks Brett, I'll check the local Ford dealership. In fact, I'll check the dealership the next town over. The guy in the parts dept has an FJ-40 that I stumbled up a couple months ago looking for some one to do my cage. His truck was in that shop getting a coilover. I posted a picture here. I wonder if he can get me a better deal than $11.64.:D

BTW - got the air rail, but no nozzles. I may have the nozzles, but I couldn't find them in my parts warehouse, aka my 10'X10' storage unit! :smokin:

I have them on mine aswell

I installed the Ford shock towers, not certain it was this exact part #. The ones I got cost more but that could be the dealer, and they had 4 holes for mounting to the frame. I installed them as high on the frame as I could get the upper bolts in.

What I found after the install, and some flexy wheeling is that the tires rubbed the shocks at the top, and the towers. No real problem but the paint got removed and it was unsitely. If you aren't using wider axles or wheel spacers then I would check how much they angle out at the top, which is what caused the rubbing. Since I may have gotten the wrong parts, this may not not be the case.

If I were doing this again, I would modify the tower so it had less angle. Disregard if I used the wrong part!

Mike,
I think mine will do the same rubbing. I am in the process of changing to Scout P/S(from FJ60) and will also try to tip the tops of the towers inboard some. The towers are for a 1985 F250 pickup according to the parts counter guy. I dont think I paid retail, once the guy heard I was putting them on a Toyota he laughed and said "I'll see what I can do" so maybe I got them at cost... At $11.64 I did not ask.

Originally posted by SpaceGhost
If you aren't using wider axles or wheel spacers then I would check how much they angle out at the top, which is what caused the rubbing. Since I may have gotten the wrong parts, this may not not be the case.

I'm thinking I'm gonna be using wheels with 2" backspacing, prolly be okay with that, huh?

Originally posted by cruiserbrett
Mike,
I think mine will do the same rubbing. I am in the process of changing to Scout P/S(from FJ60) and will also try to tip the tops of the towers inboard some. The towers are for a 1985 F250 pickup according to the parts counter guy. I dont think I paid retail, once the guy heard I was putting them on a Toyota he laughed and said "I'll see what I can do" so maybe I got them at cost... At $11.64 I did not ask.

Hey Brett, If I can't get a good deal, I'll trade you an air rail for a set from your guy, I'll pick all shipping!! :smokin:

Originally posted by SpaceGhost
What I found after the install, and some flexy wheeling is that the tires rubbed the shocks at the top, and the towers.

I run custom front towers on mine, and experienced the same shock-rubbing from the tires. I relocated the lower axle mounts further in for that reason.....

PLUS, at full twist, the steering arm bolts themselves would dent the shock!!

Relocating the lower mount about 1" in has solved the arm dent problem and has minimized the tire rub issue.

Originally posted by MD11Fr8Dog


I'm thinking I'm gonna be using wheels with 2" backspacing, prolly be okay with that, huh?

Yeah, your 2" BS will keep the tires off the shocks.

When I furst did my SOA with my FLat, Flat stock springs, the 9012's that are the longest 9000 series shocks were actually too long.

Do the ford towers (I have them) and then twist it up good before you order the shocks.

As for shocks, ala Woody, I am trying a set of Doetch Techs on the front of my Cruiser now.

I suggest going to his IH8MUD tech site and finding the exact shock size you need.

Originally posted by wngrog
I suggest going to his IH8MUD tech site and finding the exact shock size you need.

Hehehe, printing out some stuff from there right now!! :D

Originally posted by MD11Fr8Dog


Hehehe, printing out some stuff from there right now!! :D

I hope you didn't pull up that Shock site and just hit print!

Damn thing is like 60 pages long :eek:

Originally posted by wngrog


I hope you didn't pull up that Shock site and just hit print!

Damn thing is like 60 pages long :eek:

Hey, I ain't that stoopid!!!;)

Just printing up some RDB stuff!

When I was shock shopping, I ended up with the DT's for reasons beyond liking them...their tube is shorter than many other manufacturers. In otherwords, the Rancho 14" stroke shock may be 16" compressed, while the DT was only 15.5" compressed, but with the same stroke. Different designs in the tube and inner workings. The DT's best matched the needed compressed and extended lengths for my truck

I tore a front spring hanger this past weekend, and am designing a tougher one this coming weekend. (Too thin of metal on the old stuff) Part of this will be experimenting with moving it back 1/2" to get a sharper shackle angle and a 93.5" wheelbase and perhaps dropping it slightly closer to the frame. New hangers will be welded up from some 3x3x1/4" angle....will post up when I've got the design work done. If things go as I hope, I'm thinking longer front shackles may be needed too, and that may necessitate longer 16" stroke front shocks....hopefully DT takes the lead from ProComp and comes out with some affordable ones.

This also depends on if I spend the day in Green Bay on Saturday listening and drinking to SevenDust...heh heh

Hey Brett, If I can't get a good deal, I'll trade you an air rail for a set from your guy, I'll pick all shipping!!

Sean, I have a spare set alreadry. Just ordered four then. Let me dig them out. Sounds good for the trade. Do you have a choke cable? need not be perfect-it is only going to be a dummy on the dash, so if the cable is bad no problem.

-Brett

Originally posted by cruiserbrett


Sean, I have a spare set alreadry. Just ordered four then. Let me dig them out. Sounds good for the trade. Do you have a choke cable? need not be perfect-it is only going to be a dummy on the dash, so if the cable is bad no problem.

-Brett

Yea, I'll throw that in as well. The last 2-4 inches of the cable snapped off where it attached to the carb, but that's not a prob for you!!

Do you have my addy??

Take it out and flex it up, take comp and ext measurements, check the shock spec tables and make sure you need to replace your shock towers. If fabbing is an option, then you could build them exactly as you want them, and incorporate them into your setup in a custom manor. I run Rancho 9010s and built my shock mounts off of tubing that is tied into the front bumper/"Monoceros" bar....Just another idea:beer: Good luck

Originally posted by woody
This also depends on if I spend the day in Green Bay on Saturday listening and drinking to SevenDust...heh heh
well, seeing as how its saturday right now...i hope your ass is at that sevendust concert!!!! :smokin: :flipoff2: :D :rasta: