[Savage Suzuki]

hey guys ive got 94 sierra with 2'' suspension and shackles, and i would like to get some more flex out of the old girl and im looking at buying some extended shocks what would be the best option? like 3 or 4 inch extended shock? i dont want crazy flex just a bit more then the standed flex. Only a noob so please help out

[MrRocky]

Every car and setup is different
You need to remove all shocks flex it up so one wheel is off the ground and measure both the compressed length and the extended length between the shock mounts for front and the rear.
You should also be aware that before you do this you will have to extend your brake lines as they can snap with too much tension and with 2" susp lift i dare say they would already be on the limit

[J--A--C--K]

For the record a suspension lift makes no provision for longer shocks , nor do the shackles on there own, as the compressed length will still be the same.
I don't really like extended shackles, but if you want to get longer shocks in there and at least have a some reason to be running them you'll want to space down your bump stops, at least and inch to compensate for the over compression of your springs, de rate your spring packs as well so you can actually get to the bumpstops, and or space them more. Then flex up and measure as said above. This will also help with tyre clearance.

A 4 inch extended shock is huge, and don't be fooled by websites that list a 2 or 3 in suspension lift with 2 or 3 inch shocks , this more or less means nothing. It's open and closed lengths that matter.

[Gwagensteve]

^So much this.

[Gwagensteve]

Extended shackles don't really add much flex - a 2" shackle will add 1" of droop to the suspension, at the expense of over compressing the springs 1", which increases the chance of sag, and reduces caster, which slows steering response and worsens tracking.

I've experimented a lot with longer shackles over the years. I do use them in non-standard applications where we're running much longer springs and/or rewelded shackle hangers and reset caster on the spring perches, but that's a lot of work to go to in your case.

Steve

[Gwagensteve]

Think about it like this - a 4" extended shock will be 2" longer compressed. that extra 2" will mean the shock bottoms out before the axle can reach the bumpstop, so you either need to move the bumpstop down 2" or move the shock mount up 2".

There are some tolerances you can play with so you might not need the whole 2" of spacer or extended mount, but nonetheless, you can't just bolt a 2" longer (compressed) shock in and call it good.

[tanked]

I have bolted in some flogged out triton shocks onto the Suzuki myself and it gives me a bit longer movement. I don't know if yours is coily or leaf though.. Minimum compressed seems to be fine. I don't know what model triton got them from a wreckers..

[Gwagensteve]

This sounded interesting, so I pulled some numbers from OME

Triton rear: 368 compressed, 618 extended
Triton front: 225 compressed, 340 extended

Sierra front 256 compressed, 415 extended
Sierra rear 295 compressed, 485 extended

I'm not really sure what's going on here - triton rear is far too long and triton front is far too short (which is what I'd expect) These are for a bolt in kit in both cases, so all shocks will permit contact with the stock bumpstops in their application.

Was it a 2WD triton? year? Have any actual measurements?

[tanked]

pretty sure it was a 4wd triton .. I will measure and confirm this weekend. I am a pretty sure its was a triton anyways it could of been a hilux rears .. They werent sure as they werent tagged so they just guessed themselves....I am still using stock rear bump stops, however on the fronts i replaced with landcruiser and bolted on ... I think it was a fj cruiser chassis, hard to tell when its just a chassis sitting there they said they were pretty sure was a fj, i will add pictures if required.

[Gwagensteve]

Adding measurements as well will be very helpful.

[tanked]

Ok no pics yet however if you type in mr992632 on ebay will show you the shock absorbers I am using on the rears with stock bump stops

[Gwagensteve]

Yes, that's an L200 rear which is what my numbers were based on.

The only other option is 339mm compressed, which is 1996 onwards triton.

That's 46mm longer than an OME Sierra rear shock fully compressed
Its 554 extended, which is 69mm longer, so actual travel gain is only 35mm over a Sierra rear, with the risk of mount damage.

When an over length shock is fitted to the rear of a sierra, the top mount fails and punches through the floor of the car. it's a mess and a huge hassle to fix as the body really needs to come off the car (or you need to cut out and reweld the floor) I've had to do this to repair a car with incorrectly chosen shocks. ( It was a SPOA car with no bumpstops. yuk)

As I said, I think we really need measurements to determine whether this triton shock is suitable.

Steve.

[tanked]

Fair call... Your onto it..well I know it didn't come off a l200 as they only wreck 4wds so guessing it would be the later model triton

[Gwagensteve]

L200 is the name of the Triton outside of Australia. Your listing for that part number references L200, but it's not clear which of the models (pre or post 1996) that refers to based on a quick look.

It seems the only options are 339mm and 368mm compressed regardless of model.