Lift shocks too short?!!!

[87anger]

Help! My DD is apart and cant put it together until I figure this out:
I am installing 4" skyjacker coils and shocks on my truck and I took out my old coils(sagged F-150 coils) and compared them to the new 4" skyjacker:

(new left)Almost the same height... ok whatever maybe stiffer.
Compared the shocks:

New is shorter extended... hmmm
Got the springs in and went to put in the shock but once I tightened the top I saw this:

The shock is too short fully extended. It looks like it will bottom out on the shock. I could maybe understand the coil being shorter, but the shock being too short really concerns me.

I dont want to put it together and mess anything up. It is apart as I type this so it would be much appreciated if any of you could help ASAP.

 

[87anger]

Well I decided to put in the new springs with the old shocks in since they are the correct length. Cleaned one up a bit and found this:

They are pro comps so obviously their stlye actually fits... Anyone else have this problem with skyjacker shocks?

Oh and to add to my problems this is after the "4 inch" coils:

It sits LOWER than before
I was thinking about ordering a leveling kit to get a REAL 4" and trying to return these shocks and get some 6" cheap shocks of some kind(probably avoid skyjacker now)
What do you guys think I should do?

 

[Rowdy Fitzgerald]

I think they might have messed your order up but idk I've never ordered skyjacker stuff. I bought mine in person from summit. Get online and cross reference the part numbers!

 

[chrwilkins30]

I had the same problem when I put a SJ stage 2 lift. The front I had to jack up just to bolt the bottoms in even thought they were for a 4in lift. apparently there lift droops further than their shocks allow, even though there are for that size lift. The rear ones on the other hand were entirely to long and only have about 2in of exposed shock shaft exposed. I plan to just buy different non skyjacker shocks in the future.

 

[4.0B2]

just send the coils and shocks back...
get some XJ coils and good shocks. piece together your lift and get better parts all around

 

[87anger]

I think they might have messed your order up but idk I've never ordered skyjacker stuff. I bought mine in person from summit. Get online and cross reference the part numbers!

I looked up the part numbers and all are exactly what I ordered. 4" SJ coils and shocks.

I had the same problem when I put a SJ stage 2 lift. The front I had to jack up just to bolt the bottoms in even thought they were for a 4in lift. apparently there lift droops further than their shocks allow, even though there are for that size lift. The rear ones on the other hand were entirely to long and only have about 2in of exposed shock shaft exposed. I plan to just buy different non skyjacker shocks in the future.

Wont this mess up the shocks eventually? That was why I didnt install right away.

just send the coils and shocks back...
get some XJ coils and good shocks. piece together your lift and get better parts all around

Will I be able to return the shocks and coils to summit after I put them together and in the truck? I would have to pay back shipping for that too huh?

I should clarify: My truck has RC drop brackets, had F-150 coils, pro comp shocks, broken add a leaf and 2 in blocks for the rear. I am tryin to get 4" out of it with expo+ranger leafs, new coils, and shocks.

What do you guys recommend for shocks and coils?

 

[87anger]

So I just got off the phone with Summit.... They told me that if I installed the coils I cant return them. BUT, if THEY had ordered the parts for me and I installed them, then I could return them. So basically im being punished for not being an incompetant idiot an knowing what I order.

And they guy even had the nerve to tell me that the axle travel is supposed to be limited by the shock. Ya dumbass lets let the shock overextend every single time the suspension flexes... He basically treated me like an idiot who ordered the wrong part.

Luckily he said I could return the shocks even though one of them was put together. But now I have to pay double shipping for parts I dont have.

I was thinking I could just get a leveling kit to add to my springs (since I cant return them) and order some 6" shocks of some kind that way they will be long enough (hmm hopefully not too long) to get my front lift.

Do you guys think the rear skyjacker 4" shocks will work with expo leafs and a 2" block? (plus the factory block of course)

Your opinions will be much appreciated, as I seem to have put myself into a bit of a jam here...

 

[88_Eddie]

not a big deal with the coil height, you could always through some coil spacers or washers in there to give you some more height.


stacking blocks is also generally not considered the greatest idea, no matter how tight you get the u-bolts. they can shift even slightly and throw your rear end out of line.

the truck would look fine with 4" of lift in the front and 3" in the back. it would most likely balanced the truck out level.

for the rear, i'd a 2" shackle from a parts store. that'll give you about 2" of lift. then run either the factory block or the 2" block if you need more height

 

[87anger]

not a big deal with the coil height, you could always through some coil spacers or washers in there to give you some more height.


stacking blocks is also generally not considered the greatest idea, no matter how tight you get the u-bolts. they can shift even slightly and throw your rear end out of line.

the truck would look fine with 4" of lift in the front and 3" in the back. it would most likely balanced the truck out level.

for the rear, i'd a 2" shackle from a parts store. that'll give you about 2" of lift. then run either the factory block or the 2" block if you need more height

Huh if you cant stack them then whats the point of a 2inch lift block if its the same height as the stock one?

Maybe ill just put in enough washers to get 4". Not sure how much I would need though as I have no idea what stock height vs 4" is on this truck.

Does anyone have hub to fender measurements from a stock height or 4" lift on a gen 1 super 2.9? That way I could determine what spacers I will need.
Also will be hard to figure out what kind of shocks I will need because the 4" skyjacker werent even long enough for these springs.

 

[88_Eddie]

Huh if you cant stack them then whats the point of a 2inch lift block if its the same height as the stock one?

you should scrap one of the blocks and use a bigger one. like use a 3" block and get rid of the factory block and the 2" block. or do what i mentioned above with the shackle and a smaller block. the shackles are cheap, i got mine for less than $30 when i worked at autozone.

Maybe ill just put in enough washers to get 4". Not sure how much I would need though as I have no idea what stock height vs 4" is on this truck.

have you seen the article in the tech library about the washers? i reckon you'll just have to add to it until it sits right

 

[brinker88]

For rear blocks, grab a set of blocks out of a 78-79 2wd F150. They have 2.5" wide springs. The block is 1" taller than your factory ranger block. Or if you'd like, I can sell you my extra set.


As for shocks, Call up rough country and get a set for a 4" lifted 80-96 F150. They should be long enough for you.

 

[87anger]

have you seen the article in the tech library about the washers? i reckon you'll just have to add to it until it sits right

Ya I have looked at it. That is my plan. I just dont know what "sitting right" is
and I dont want to end up with over 4". ( basically dont want issues with alignment)

**Basically I would really like to know how a stock truck sits so I can compare and see what kind of lift I got.**

For rear blocks, grab a set of blocks out of a 78-79 2wd F150. They have 2.5" wide springs. The block is 1" taller than your factory ranger block. Or if you'd like, I can sell you my extra set.


As for shocks, Call up rough country and get a set for a 4" lifted 80-96 F150. They should be long enough for you.

I thought about getting 6" lift ones and im sure the 4" F-150 would be similar, Wont they be too long and limit the uptravel?

Oh and I will probably get the shackles for the rear, im just trying to figure out the front first as I still need to build my leaf spring packs.

 

[brinker88]

If you have 2 or 3 inches of uptravel, you're golden. It's all about the downtravel, and with the suspension setup you have now, you wont have to worry about travel, because there wont be much.

 

[87anger]

If you have 2 or 3 inches of uptravel, you're golden. It's all about the downtravel, and with the suspension setup you have now, you wont have to worry about travel, because there wont be much.

Okay so that means if I have 2-3 inches of the shock (piston?) exposed at ride height I should be okay?

I was just out messing with the jack and jacked up the truck to where I would want it. Ride height it was 21.5" hub to fender, after i jacked it up it was 24". I was thinking if I put about 2" in washers I could acheive this right?

Also I think I am going to keep the 4" skyjacker rear shocks. they seem to look like they will work. If not then I will send them back and get 4" f-150 ones that should work.

Anything sound wrong with these plans?

 

[brinker88]

You have to remember the 1.5:1 lift height ratio of the TTB. If you add 1" of washers, it will lift it 1.5".