The rear mounting location either strait up and down or slightly forward at the tops is the preferred mounting location for shock absorbers. If they were mounted ahead of the axle they would have to be made much stiffer to have the same affect they would have behind the axle due to the motion ratio change. The further forward the shocks are mounted, the less authority they will have on dampening forces. A lot of chassis builders have tried the forward position for various reasons, requiring special valved shocks that are unconventional and expensive due to the uncommon motion ratio, so this is why I always mount them rear of the housing about 6". I hope this helps you with your friend's question.
Bruce