For those of you with leveling kits or cranked torsion keys... and ball joint issues...
I was asked today (at the gas station of all places) if I have issues with going through ball joints since my truck is lifted/leveled. The answer is no, and here’s why: proper length shocks.
It sounds crazy, but it’s true. Whether you’re cranking torsion keys, or installing a leveling kit, a set of shock extenders (or longer shocks) will save your front end. Even if you are a HS kid on a shoestring budget (trust me I’ve been there) INVEST IN SHOCK EXTENDERS, or in my case, make a custom set adjustable shock extenders (I had to make a set because I mistakenly ordered stock size Bilsteins instead of a longer size).
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Shock extenders will not save anything but shocks. The issue with many of these kits is that if liftermd more than 2.5” over stock. Your CV axles, ball joints and tie rods are no longer in factory spec. CV axle our of line can only be fixed with a diff drop. If the cv axle angle is out. Ball joints most likely are also. This can be remidied only one way also. You need UCA made for lifted applications. Congnito, Morimoto, Icon are just a few that make these. Shock extenders will only save shocks while limiting suspension travel. A much better option is shocks made for your lift application. Lengthened shocks along with removal or shortening of bump stops will actually give the increased suspension travel. head on over anger join up at SilveradoSierra.com and you can find every bit of info about this you’ll ever need.
Not trying to berate or anything. Just would rather see you have your info correct. The truth is. Shock extenders are nothing but a cheap method that usually just moves the issue rather than solving it. Instead of having shocks bottom out at full droop they will cause you to top out when the suspension compresses. This can cause you to blow out the top of the shock when hitting a bump. They don’t allow proper travel the way a correctly measured shock does. If you want it right. Jack the truck up and remove the shock from the lower control arm at the bottom so the suspension is not being held up by the shock. when your UCA hits the bottom off its range. it will bump against the mounting pocket bump stop. This gives you a measurement for maximum length. Now with the front end on jack stands. put your jack under 1 tire and lift it until the LCA hits it’s stopping point. This will give you your minimum shock length. The difference between the 2 is the travel you want. Better to go with a little more than not enough. In short. just look at the better kits out there. None come with shock extenders. there is reason for this.
Most of the stress on ball joints is due to lack of down travel due to your shocks being fully extended before they should be. It causes simple things like potholes to put your suspension at full droop, worsening the impact.
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Well now that you’ve attempted to insult my intelligence and discredit me, I should probably say I think you’re misinterpreting what my goal is. Not to lengthen travel, but to adjust where its at.
As I said, stock travel is adequate. Its not a pre-runner. And please don’t lecture me about the “real world” when an integral part of my job is going out into the “real world” and making sure stuff actually works as designed. As well as the fact that I was working on cars long before I got an engineering degree.