Jim Grant's Tech Tips
Shock
Recommendation
Q: What brand of rear shocks do you recommend
for a '95 2WD? I haul some fairly heavy things sometimes and the vehicle
must be weighted down for traction in winter. When I weigh it down, it
sags a good bit. I am currently running factory shocks. Thanks for the
advice......Vince
A: First,
the job of the shock absorbers is to keep the tire on the road; they are
not designed to lift a vehicle. But, there are shock absorbers that are
modified to assist in maintaining the ride height of a vehicle. The modified
shocks are generally found in 2 configurations: air assisted (known to
many as air shocks) and coil assisted (shocks with coil springs). The
coil assisted shocks are designed to maintain vehicle ride height with
about 200 lbs. of additional weight in the vehicle, rates vary depending
on manufacturer. Air assisted shocks have air lines that join together
at a fitting that looks similar to a tire valve stem. The air pressure
can be increased or decreased as needed to maintain the vehicle's ride
height. Check the manufacturer's specification regarding the additional
load abilities of these shocks. If the load you're carrying is greater
than the manufacturer's recommendation then consider installing stronger
springs with heavy duty shocks.
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