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View Full Version : Rear shocks bottoming out


firestone
08-16-2007, 07:29 PM
Hello, I have a little bit of a strange situation. On my car, the people who owned the car before me, moved the rear shocks to the inside of the leaf spring to gain clearance for the tires (I assume). When they did it, they fabricated brackets to the housing (both on the front side) and to the frame of the car.

In doing this, they reduced the clearance for the shock to move. From center to center of the top and bottom mounts, each shock measures 10.5" resting. The shocks have about 1/2"-1" of downward travel until they bottom out. This along with the fact that I am pretty sure they are both shot causes them to bottom out at times while driving.

I don't have the resources at this time to get the brackets cut off and proper ones welded on, so I have been trying to find a shock that would work for now. The following shock is the only one that I have found that seems like it will fit and work in that space. This is not the one I want to use since it is rather expensive and I am going to get it all re done some day.

I just want something to get my by. The other problem is that it is a "front" shock. All of the rear shocks that I have seen are much too long to work here. Is it at all possible to use a front shock on the rear? Does anyone have any other ideas?

Here is the shock:
http://www.jegs.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_10001_10002_319890_-1

Thank you
Adam

mytmouz
08-16-2007, 10:41 PM
I moved the shocks inboard on a 69 firebird once and went to the local parts store and thumbed through the book until I matched up some that would work. What I did was jacked the car up under the rearend and measured the length, and did the same with the body height. I found a set for a Fiero that worked perfect.

firestone
08-17-2007, 08:57 AM
Thanks a lot, I will have to try that.

Adam