cleansi

Refer to this thread
http://www.d-series.org/forums/diy-f...ck-travel.html

Mainly this

Shock Travel
Shock travel is different than ride height!
This is something most people overlook, or don't know enough to look. Shock travel is how much room the rod of the shock can travel before the shock body is hitting the bumpstop. The lower you set your car, the less shock travel you'll have.
For reference. On my 6th gen with 14x5.5 with 185/50's set to 1 finger gap up front I had ZERO available shock travel with a cut 2" oem bumpstop. This basically meant that the shock was compressed almost completely; there was only 2" available before the strut totally bottoms out and this was being protected by my bumpstop.


i have an 00 em1 with a 2.5''drop has any one ever done this and is it reliable ?
worth doing ? or safe?

How to fix this?
The shock fork trick. For the shock fork trick you open up the shock fork wider and remove the shock fork alignment collar from the shock body. Then you lower the shock deeper into the fork. This similates either having a shorter fork, or a shorter shock body. This allows you to gain up to about 1" of travel. Don't go too deep or the bottom of the shock body will hit the axle. This trick is only available for the fronts since there is no shock fork on the rears.

thanks in advance

FlewByU352

I was actually going to try this but not completely doing away with the alignment collar. I was going to chop the collar in 2 spots then tack weld it so I still have the proper top and bottom but shortened. Even a 1/2" more shaft travel is enough for me to justify doing all of that work.

TunerN00b

Alternatively, if you're willing to accept increased side loading of the shock shaft:

FlewByU352

Obviously extended top hats should be used first, but only slightly lowering them into the fork I don't see how increased side load would be a problem, if there even is an increase at just a half inch.

TunerN00b

Lowering the shock in the fork won't increase side loading.

Extended upper shock mounts will, because they move the shock mount further from the spring seat.

The only concerns with lowering the shock into the fork are:
chance of axle to shock contact
possible prevention of the bumpstop being functional (something else could bottom out first now, UCA or tire for example)

STOCK_SOHC_DX

Not to mention the marring of the shock body that would probably void the warranty.

FlewByU352

I bought all 4 of my struts for $120 which are used so I don't get a warranty anyways lol. If I were to have paid full price I'd probably worry more about the warranty, but they are cheap enough anyways where it's not that big of a deal to risk only 2 struts since the rears this can't be done.

TunerN00b

I doubt it. My Koni shocks are painted flat black, and I would still expect warranty coverage if needed. Marring / scratching of the paint shouldn't effect anything.

Now, if you dent / damage the shock body itself, that might be different.

STOCK_SOHC_DX

the marking I'm talking about would be above the shock fork indent, it would probably throw a red flag.

1991EX

Right on point. I am on my 3rd set of Koni's. The (limited) warranty info is worded in their favor if not installed correctly or improperly installed. The shock fork trick will work, but it will definitely open a gray area for the warrantee dept.

PASSENGER CAR, LIGHT TRUCK,
MOTORHOME & MOTORCYCLE
KONI Inc. warrants all new KONI shock absorbers to the
original retail purchaser (purchased after 5/1/80) against
defects in material and workmanship, excluding mounting
rubbers, washers and bushings, when used under normal
operating conditions for as long as such purchaser owns the
vehicle on which the KONI shock absorbers were originally
installed. This warranty does not apply to, and KONI makes no
warranty for, shock absorbers that have been installed;
• Improperly;
• As original equipment on any vehicle except Ford
Mustang SVO;
• On any vehicle that has been modified for a use other than
or in addition to its originally intended use;
• For an application that is not specified in the KONI
literature;
• On any vehicle that has been used off-road, for racing or
for any other driving competition.

MonkeyMagic

i think koni's warranty is written that way because it's just about the only way they'll fail.

cleansi

Well regardless with the warranty im woundering how safe and who has tried doing this and have had only success.

TunerN00b

Actually, the making would be where the brake line bracket would normally have been press fit in place, which would also mark the paint up, especially once you remove it again to send in the shock for warranty service.

That's how the "trick" works, you leave off the brake line bracket, which leaves room for the fork to be mounted higher on the shock body. The pics on the linked page do not have the brake line bracket installed on the shock body.

cleansi

BUMP