measuring for new shocks

[mylittlecj5]

whats the best way to measure for new shocks, when the CJ in question has an unknown amount of lift, to make sure full travel and flex is achieved?
Unbolt the shocks, then lift a corner with a forklift?
Baring having a forklift at my disposal, whats the next best way?
how about to determine static length against up and down travel?
I'm trying to decide on the shocks also. I'm leaning to the RS9000 air adj. shocks, but might just go with RS5000 or the equivalent Skyjacker series, since I have a Skyjacker lift already.

 

[projectcrawler]

I used an engine hoist to measure compression on the wheel it was attached to, and extension on the wheel that dropped, then swapped the hoist to another wheel and repeated. Sitting the tire on a lift also works well if you have access to one. See this pic. Messygarage - The hoist was maxxed, not the jeep! Jeep-CJ Gallery

 

[CJ]

Do you have a Highlift jack? You should be able to disconnect the shcok and jack that sucker up... As for down travel, do you still have the bump stops on the CJ? That should be your up measurement. If you don't want or can't put the correct shocks on and run out of down travel. You could always make a limiting strap.

 

[mylittlecj5]

My hilift will barely get the tire off the ground, much less get anything like max flex out of it.


I had to leave my engine hoist at my old house out west, so thats not even an option.
I guess its going to be a pull-pal and the biggest tree in my yard time...

 

[projectcrawler]

I've found the neighborhood kids work well for this. Lay one down, then stack two next to them. Next stack three next to them, keep on going until it maxes out the suspension. Works well for an rti ramp also. If you want to be nice, put a 2x10 on them.

 

[mylittlecj5]

HHMM that idea has some merit...

 

[2lostspace]

So let me get this straight you lift one side up and than measure as if the shock is collapsed? Do you do this on both front and rear? What about when the spring is at max down? Do you just lift the jeep tell the wheel come off the ground?

 

[CJ]

Yep, take the shock off, jack that sucker up (or what ever yo have to lift it), measure from the shock eye to eye.

When sitting, measure from the top of the axle to the bump stop, check your eye to eye distance.

That gives your total spring travel. You can get fancy and trig out the angle of the shock and such but I just add an inch or so. This will also give you your ratio of extend to compress distance.

 

[smithmyk]

I think the best way is to use a hoist to hoist each wheel one by one and measure the lift by comparing the normal values from the ground to the values after hoisting.