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1948 - 1956 F1, F100 & Larger F-Series Trucks Discuss the Fat Fendered and Classic Ford Trucks

bump stops with c-notch

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Old Mar 1, 2014 | 01:53 PM
  #16  
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That would all depend on how much travel you want to leave in the suspension. I would leave no LESS than 2" for normal smooth road driving, closer to 3" if the roads are like around here.
 
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Old Mar 1, 2014 | 01:59 PM
  #17  
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Das54..in post #8 said he has 3/4 of an inch below the c notch. I don't know if that is enough or not. I think it depends on how much clearance you will have between the axle and the top of the c notch. 3", 4" ? And
how much upward travel do your shocks have? If your shocks only have say 3" of upward travel you need the bumper low enough to keep the shocks from bottoming out.
 
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Old Mar 1, 2014 | 09:41 PM
  #18  
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Ok, my snubber is more like 1 inch below the C notch and I also do not know if it is enough, but looks good enough. And I've been checking geometry to make sure the Monroe Max Air 803s that I'm planning to install will not bottom out and I'm pretty sure the 1100 lb. capacity of these air shocks will keep the axle well away from bottoming out.
 
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Old Mar 1, 2014 | 10:29 PM
  #19  
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Originally Posted by das54
Ok, my snubber is more like 1 inch below the C notch and I also do not know if it is enough, but looks good enough. And I've been checking geometry to make sure the Monroe Max Air 803s that I'm planning to install will not bottom out and I'm pretty sure the 1100 lb. capacity of these air shocks will keep the axle well away from bottoming out.
Snubber looks fine, but is that at ride height? No offense but based on experience I dont think your shocks are going to be doing much work at all at that extreme of an angle. I would expect them to blow out the seals and leak in short order, I had a similar setup and had to change it. Maybe it is just the picture but they look to be angled over 45 degrees.

 
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Old Mar 2, 2014 | 01:14 AM
  #20  
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No offense taken. The PO built it this way. I added the C notch because I liked the ride height but didn't like only 2 inches between the axle and snubber. So how can you fit shocks at less than 45 degrees without the lower end dragging in the dirt or making shock towers inside the bed?

I think my current shock setup is a late 60s F100 that has a 12-7/8" to 21 inch stroke. The MA 803 I'm planning to use has a 10-1/2 to 16-1/8 inch stroke. I'll move the lower mount point to 4 inches below the bottom off the axle and 17 inches from centerline. Top mount (outboard hole) is 9.3 inches from centerline. Shock angle at normal ride height about 38 degrees.
 
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Old Mar 2, 2014 | 07:56 AM
  #21  
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Not sure why you guys would cut the rubber back so far.Cosmetics maybe. I would think the more cushion there is the better off the rest will be. They're not in a high vis spot. Spring time here in MN. can have some pretty good potholes exposed not to mention the washboard gravel roads.
 
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Old Mar 2, 2014 | 08:09 AM
  #22  
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Originally Posted by das54
No offense taken. The PO built it this way. I added the C notch because I liked the ride height but didn't like only 2 inches between the axle and snubber. So how can you fit shocks at less than 45 degrees without the lower end dragging in the dirt or making shock towers inside the bed?

I think my current shock setup is a late 60s F100 that has a 12-7/8" to 21 inch stroke. The MA 803 I'm planning to use has a 10-1/2 to 16-1/8 inch stroke. I'll move the lower mount point to 4 inches below the bottom off the axle and 17 inches from centerline. Top mount (outboard hole) is 9.3 inches from centerline. Shock angle at normal ride height about 38 degrees.
I use this reference book to find shocks that work better with a lowered suspension, this way you can find a shorter shock so that you do not need such an extreme angle. I found my shorter jaguar shocks this way that I am using on the front of my build.

http://www.monroe.com/assets/downloa...engthSheet.pdf




Originally Posted by toby tough
Not sure why you guys would cut the rubber back so far.Cosmetics maybe. I would think the more cushion there is the better off the rest will be. They're not in a high vis spot. Spring time here in MN. can have some pretty good potholes exposed not to mention the washboard gravel roads.
Bump stop is a suspension limiter, it is only there to keep the suspension from moving further than it is supposed to, such as keeping a leaf spring from compressing enough to reverse its arch or keeping a control arm from bottoming out. If they are getting hit during normal driving there isnt enough suspension travel.
 
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Old Mar 2, 2014 | 10:44 AM
  #23  
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In AXing we often set the car up to ride on the bump stops on purpose. They are controlled compression elastomeric bumpers that act as stiff springs.
 
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Old Mar 2, 2014 | 10:57 AM
  #24  
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I believe Nascar race cars are setup to run on bump stops that are on the shock shafts. They use to run coil bound in the front, until nascar came out with the new cars.
 
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Old Mar 2, 2014 | 11:07 AM
  #25  
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I'd suggest throwing those shocks away along with the catalogs from the heavily advertised Big Box store shock brands. They are one size fits nothing pure junk. Figure this: a 30.00 Big Box shock cost the store 18.00. It cost the manufacturer about 2.00 to manufacture, and about 5.00 to advertise and market. How much quality control and assortment of valving do you think they do? In fact their quality control is more concerned with the evenness of the paint, and the placement of the decals and the packaging than in the operation of the shock. Almost none are tested for function, and none for durability, they don't want them to last more than a year.
Paying 100 -150.00 a shock from a niche performance manufacturer like Koni, QA1, Bilstein, etc where the shock is designed and valved for the vehicle application or custom built for the exact vehicle is money well spent. Most have a lifetime warantee, and can be ordered with owner adjustable valving in rebound and/or compression to tailor to your driving conditions and style.
 
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Old Mar 2, 2014 | 11:16 AM
  #26  
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Glick, you are exactly right. If you watched the Nationwide race from Daytona last week, When Dale Jr came in for his first tire change, the front tire changer had to pull the wheel down out of the wheel well to get it off the car. They were using so much front shock rebound valving that the suspension was sucked right up against the bump stop that the wheel wouldn't drop down by itself.
 
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Old Mar 2, 2014 | 11:29 AM
  #27  
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Originally Posted by AXracer
I'd suggest throwing those shocks away along with the catalogs from the heavily advertised Big Box store shock brands. They are one size fits nothing pure junk. Figure this: a 30.00 Big Box shock cost the store 18.00. It cost the manufacturer about 2.00 to manufacture, and about 5.00 to advertise and market. How much quality control and assortment of valving do you think they do? In fact their quality control is more concerned with the evenness of the paint, and the placement of the decals and the packaging than in the operation of the shock. Almost none are tested for function, and none for durability, they don't want them to last more than a year.
Paying 100 -150.00 a shock from a niche performance manufacturer like Koni, QA1, Bilstein, etc where the shock is designed and valved for the vehicle application or custom built for the exact vehicle is money well spent. Most have a lifetime warantee, and can be ordered with owner adjustable valving in rebound and/or compression to tailor to your driving conditions and style.
You are right, better toss my shocks and spend $400 to $600 on new ones so when I drive to home depot I can keep the car inside the cones
 
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Old Mar 2, 2014 | 12:14 PM
  #28  
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Well maybe you don't mind bouncing down the road like a beach ball? Better to spend 1000.00 on a set of wheels that don't improve anything.
 
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Old Mar 2, 2014 | 12:28 PM
  #29  
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Originally Posted by AXracer
Well maybe you don't mind bouncing down the road like a beach ball? Better to spend 1000.00 on a set of wheels that don't improve anything.
Are you serious? You cant be serious.
I promise you my truck will not be bouncing down the road with its $20 shocks. If I hit my bumpstops something is wrong. You see I am building a street truck, not an autocross truck, so your information does not apply.
Oh yea I only paid $500 for these so there



I think DAS54 did a nice job with his rear bump stops, as long as there is enough suspension travel he will be good to go IMO.
 
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Old Mar 2, 2014 | 03:25 PM
  #30  
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Originally Posted by drptop70ss
I use this reference book to find shocks that work better with a lowered suspension, this way you can find a shorter shock so that you do not need such an extreme angle. I found my shorter jaguar shocks this way that I am using on the front of my build.

http://www.monroe.com/assets/downloa...engthSheet.pdf
Me too. But I'm thinking I'd like to pull my camper someday (but I want to keep the ride stance) so I'm going to try the Max Air. The shortest Max Air is a 785, one inch shorter than the 803 that I plan to use but it only has a 4.5 inch travel length. And remember, my project is a low buck build so custom shocks are out of the question. I might spend that much on rebuilding my engine.
 
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