Shocks..
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Postmaster
Joined: Apr 2006
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From: Neptune Beach, FL
Shocks..
Got a dumb question.. I've noticed folks put their shocks on different ways.. For instance I know the normal way of having the boots at the bottom.. But i've seen folks put the boots at the top.. Is there a difference? Or just personal preference?
Post Fiend
Joined: Jul 2006
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Actually a pretty good question, Most guys just take it for granted, and really don't understand why.
Shocks that are of the "twin tube" variety have two chambers, the inner, and the outer. Inner holds oil, outer holds pressurized gas. The inner has to constantly be filled with oil, and can only do so if the shock is upright. If it is mounted inverted, or on its side, the gas can enter the inner chamber and cause cavitation (foaming), rendering the shock almost useless. The only exception to this would be a racing style shock that has a gas cell, or cellular gas material designed to keep the oil, and gas seperate. These can be installed any direction with no ill effects.
There is a slight performance increase to inverted shocks due to the whole sprung, unsprung weight thing, but that is really getting down and dirty with shock tuning. So much that daily drivers will never see anything really special.
Hope that was easy to understand, and not too "Mr. Wizard" like.
Shocks that are of the "twin tube" variety have two chambers, the inner, and the outer. Inner holds oil, outer holds pressurized gas. The inner has to constantly be filled with oil, and can only do so if the shock is upright. If it is mounted inverted, or on its side, the gas can enter the inner chamber and cause cavitation (foaming), rendering the shock almost useless. The only exception to this would be a racing style shock that has a gas cell, or cellular gas material designed to keep the oil, and gas seperate. These can be installed any direction with no ill effects.
There is a slight performance increase to inverted shocks due to the whole sprung, unsprung weight thing, but that is really getting down and dirty with shock tuning. So much that daily drivers will never see anything really special.
Hope that was easy to understand, and not too "Mr. Wizard" like.
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Postmaster
Joined: Apr 2006
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From: Neptune Beach, FL
Hmm.. Reason I was asking is.. I have Donahoe Racing Shocks with my lift.. I got this idea that maybe if my front shocks were flipped so that the boot was uptop it might look snazzier instead of just seeing a tube in the gap between top of tire and wheel well.. Lol..
But this information is good to know for shocks now.. What is considered upright? Is that refering to the tube that goes "into" the bottom part of the shock being the top? Or is the top the big part of the shock that the other piece slides in and out of?
But this information is good to know for shocks now.. What is considered upright? Is that refering to the tube that goes "into" the bottom part of the shock being the top? Or is the top the big part of the shock that the other piece slides in and out of?
FTE *******
Joined: Jul 2002
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From: McAllen, Texas
Gas charged shocks will perform equally either way. However the main reason for mounting the shock body inverted is that this allows dirt & debris to fall away from the shaft seal rather than resting on top of it where it can be worked into the seal thereby resulting in premature seal failure.
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Postmaster
Joined: Apr 2006
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From: Neptune Beach, FL
Originally Posted by Overkill
Gas charged shocks will perform equally either way. However the main reason for mounting the shock body inverted is that this allows dirt & debris to fall away from the shaft seal rather than resting on top of it where it can be worked into the seal thereby resulting in premature seal failure.
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