What am I doing wrong !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[aany001]

Well I was welding in my upper rear shock mounts in my 69 camaro with DSE mini tub kit and noticed that when I install the shock its almost bottomed right out at ride height.It only has about 2" of travel before it hits the bump stop.I am using DSEs Koni mini tub shocks.Where have I gone wrong??? I hope someone can shed some light on this.Thanks in advance.
Steve
http://i150.photobucket.com/albums/s108/aany001/rearshocks006.jpg
http://i150.photobucket.com/albums/s108/aany001/rearshocks005.jpg
http://i150.photobucket.com/albums/s108/aany001/rearshocks004.jpg
http://i150.photobucket.com/albums/s108/aany001/rearshocks002.jpg
http://i150.photobucket.com/albums/s108/aany001/rearshocks001.jpg

[ItDoRun]

Was the crossmember welded in too low? Could it be the wrong shock?

[aany001]

thats what I was wondering??? Does anyone have a spec??

[ItDoRun]

Steve,
That shock looks wrong. How long is the body?

[aany001]

I can go out and check now....do you have a spec on your shocks??

[DRJDVM's '69]

That shock looks wrong..... isnt it nearly impossible to weld in the upper cross member too low ? The kit is pretty straight forward to install from what I've see. You'd have to really mess up its placement to get this....

[ItDoRun]

I can go out and check now....do you have a spec on your shocks??

I'm not running the DSE suspension. I did have the exact set up you have (before I sold it), and I can tell you the shock body looked several inches shorter than that. Sorry, I can't get that measurement for you. Maybe somebody here can get it for you tonight. If not, call DSE tomorrow.

[aany001]

could I have the wrong shocks?? Does anyone know the lenght on the mini tub koni shock??

[Van B]

Top eye to the bottom of the body of the shock is 12 in. I have another 5 1/2 inches to the bottom eye from the body at ride height on DSE 3 inch lowering leafs. Also, my shocks both hang in front of the rear end housing.

[aany001]

I just measured from the centre of the top eye to the bottom of the shock body is 14".........do they make more than 1 mini tub style shock???:(

[Van B]

I have just shy of 3" of travel to the bumpstop. By the grease marks on the shaft, it has only ever used 2 1/4"of travel. Wonder if you accidentally got the wrong shocks. I would call DSE tomorrow.

[aany001]

Ya Im gonna call DSE tomorrow and see what they say........thanks guys for all your help :thumbsup:

[JRouche]

Its hard to tell just from the pics. But I went on the DSE site and looked at the shocks they say are used for your setup. And just going off the pics your shock looks to be about 2-1/2" longer. Again, hard to tell from the pics and their pic may just be a stock pic of the konis they sell.

The pic they show for your car. Its prolly a stock photo for all their shocks. Too bad they dont give specs on their site for the shocks. JR

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v366/Jrouche/Steves%20Nova/rear_shocks_pic.jpg


Well I was welding in my upper rear shock mounts in my 69 camaro with DSE mini tub kit and noticed that when I install the shock its almost bottomed right out at ride height.It only has about 2" of travel before it hits the bump stop.I am using DSEs Koni mini tub shocks.Where have I gone wrong??? I hope someone can shed some light on this.Thanks in advance.
Steve
http://i150.photobucket.com/albums/s108/aany001/rearshocks006.jpg

[DFRESH]

Agree with the others---it would be nearly impossible to install the shock crossmember in wrong--maybe too far forward or back---but not 4 to 5 inches too low on the frame---not possible unless it's my car--:lol: . You got the wrong shocks would be my guess. One question---the leafspring perches (mounts) in the back--if you wrenched those down so tight that they locked the leafsprings into their highest possible position when you installed them--(perches would be angled pretty extreme --pointing rearward towards rear of the car), maybe it's possible that you have brought the spring up to its highest possible spot and the mounts back there are holding them in that position. You probably know this already, but they should be able to move. Just a thought, and probably not, but thought I would ask. I had something similar happen on mine once---let us know the outcome!

Doug

[Vegas69]

I'm going to guess and say you won't have much more than 2 inches of compression anyway but I think the shocks are to short. Call DSE, they'll set you right up.

[aany001]

Agree with the others---it would be nearly impossible to install the shock crossmember in wrong--maybe too far forward or back---but not 4 to 5 inches too low on the frame---not possible unless it's my car--:lol: . You got the wrong shocks would be my guess. One question---the leafspring perches (mounts) in the back--if you wrenched those down so tight that they locked the leafsprings into their highest possible position when you installed them--(perches would be angled pretty extreme --pointing rearward towards rear of the car), maybe it's possible that you have brought the spring up to its highest possible spot and the mounts back there are holding them in that position. You probably know this already, but they should be able to move. Just a thought, and probably not, but thought I would ask. I had something similar happen on mine once---let us know the outcome!

Doug

Doug I know what you mean but the whole suspension on the car is all lubed and slacked off so everything can move freely for mocking up.I am going to call DSE today and hopefully they can straighten this mess out. :thumbsup:
Steve

[aany001]

Well guys I spoke with Dan @ DSE and he assured me that I have the correct shocks and thats the way they sit.What I forgot was that I installed the shocks at ride height so if the diff hangs the shocks will extend out further.So I guess my findings are normal according to DSE.

[DFRESH]

Well, that's good news then---no waiting for parts, no teardown and reinstalls, no more laying on your back on the floor. Let us know how it feels when you take it out for a drive. Glad it worked out nicely for you.

Doug

[JRouche]

Well guys I spoke with Dan @ DSE and he assured me that I have the correct shocks and thats the way they sit.What I forgot was that I installed the shocks at ride height so if the diff hangs the shocks will extend out further.So I guess my findings are normal according to DSE.

Wow. So you get two inches of compression from ride height then you are on the rubber stops. Bet you will be getting some use outta the bump stops. Two inches sounds a lil tight to me. JR

[Van B]

Well guys I spoke with Dan @ DSE and he assured me that I have the correct shocks and thats the way they sit.What I forgot was that I installed the shocks at ride height so if the diff hangs the shocks will extend out further.So I guess my findings are normal according to DSE.

All you really care about is how much travel they have at ride height. The diff will only hang if you are going to be doing Dukes of Hazzard stunts. :lol:

Is there anything that would prevent you from welding the upper mounts toward the center of the car a little so that the shocks would come down at an angle instead of straight down? If I am thinking right, it would gain you a little bit of travel. Of course that eats space where the exhaust can go.

[aany001]

All you really care about is how much travel they have at ride height. The diff will only hang if you are going to be doing Dukes of Hazzard stunts. :lol:

Is there anything that would prevent you from welding the upper mounts toward the center of the car a little so that the shocks would come down at an angle instead of straight down? If I am thinking right, it would gain you a little bit of travel. Of course that eats space where the exhaust can go.

Man I loved The dukes of Hazzard.....That is what I will be doing.Im just gonna lean the top of the shocks slightly inward to gain and inch or so cause I have the room with the 2.5" tail pipes.I will keep you guys posted.
Steve

[Vegas69]

I don't see the point of changing a DSE engineered piece. They know how much compression is built into those leaf springs. 2 inches plus a half inch of bump stop should be fine. I'd take it out and beat on it before I spent all that time.

[Van B]

I don't see the point of changing a DSE engineered piece. They know how much compression is built into those leaf springs. 2 inches plus a half inch of bump stop should be fine. I'd take it out and beat on it before I spent all that time.

I don't have DSE's instructions in front of me, but I can't see what it would hurt to angle them a little. Regularly bottoming out on the bumpstops would be pretty harsh and I wouldn't think really good for the shocks. I would feel better if the first point of physical contact was the snubbers on the axle housing, not the shock. As I posted previously, it looks like mine have only used 2 1/4 inches of their travel and yes, my shocks are angled slightly.

[aany001]

Hey Jeff would it be possible if you could post up some pics of your shocks also if anyone else could that would be great.:thumbsup:
Thanks in advance
Steve

[Vegas69]

I can't imagine it affecting anything either. I just don't think getting a 1/4 into a jounce bumper in the worst case scenario is a big deal. More shock travel is not a bad thing. Either way.

[Van B]

Hey Jeff would it be possible if you could post up some pics of your shocks also if anyone else could that would be great.:thumbsup:
Thanks in advance
Steve

I need to get it up in the air anyway to get measurements to have the 9" built. I will post some tonight or tomorrow.

[aany001]

Hey guys just wanted to say thanks for all the input it really helps and Jeff the pics would be sweet and I hope Im not asking too much..:cheers:
Steve

[JRouche]

Angling the shocks will give more travel. And Im not sure but I think 2" of travel on an angled shock will give more vertical travel for the rear end than a vertical shock with two inches of travel. But on the down side an angled shock will not have the same rate (less) on the rear end as the same shock straight up. Its a give and take process. But if they are adjustable shocks then that will help. And really, am I wrong about the angled VS straight up shock thing. Im not talking from knowledge or experience, just thinking out loud. JR

I don't have DSE's instructions in front of me, but I can't see what it would hurt to angle them a little. Regularly bottoming out on the bumpstops would be pretty harsh and I wouldn't think really good for the shocks. I would feel better if the first point of physical contact was the snubbers on the axle housing, not the shock. As I posted previously, it looks like mine have only used 2 1/4 inches of their travel and yes, my shocks are angled slightly.

[aany001]

Well I was out in the garage for hours and I came up with a solution.....I moved the left rear upper shock mount 1/2" back and to the right.Mounted the shock and I have clearance between tire,exhaust and fuel tank and I gained 3/4" travel on the shock.Now both rear shocks are on about 10 degree angle and shock travel has about 1.25" of travel before it hits the bump stop on both sides.I think I have solved it so Im moving on to the the next project....seat mounts!!!!!!:thumbsup:
Thanks guys
Steve

[Vegas69]

Oh, I thought you had 2" before the jounce bumpers.

[aany001]

Oh, I thought you had 2" before the jounce bumpers.

Todd do you think I will have a problem??

[dhutton]

Are those 3" drop springs? I don't think they have a whole lot of useable travel in them, do they?

Don

[aany001]

ya these are the 3" dropped DSE leafs

[dhutton]

ya these are the 3" dropped DSE leafs

I think those springs are quite stiff so you are not very likely to hit those bumpers very often. I would not worry about it too much. Just finish your project and see how it rides.

Don

[Vegas69]

Like I said, DSE is top shelf. They R&D their stuff. Having extra certainly won't hurt but you probably wasted your time.