Prerunner rear shock mounting?

[Explorer23]

I've been moving my build more and more toward the go fast side of things but one thing I'm trying to do is keep rear cargo space for the ocassional bad weather camping. I need the rear suspension to match the front in terms of performance and the only way it seems to do that is to put the shocks through the floor.

I dont have a problem with that except most trucks run the shocks inboard of the frame rails and a tube behind the rear seats to act as a shock mount. In my application that would cramp the camping space avalible...

I will be going to a full width f-150 rear so my plan would be to run Chevy 64" leafs moving the spring outboard, and would allow me to move the shocks further out on the axle by sectiuoning the frame
Like so...

I forgot to add the axle in the second photo but you get the idea. The black is just the frame not the shock mounts or cage work. I was looking at it today trying to figure exactly where to section and saw 2 problems. 1.) The frame curves down just infront of the axle so I cant lean the shocks too far forward. 2.) The driver side of the frame has no more room to move further inboard because of the gas tank. in the stock location.

SO...
Could this idea work if instead of mounting the shocks leaning forward I mount them leaning to the rear like stock, OR stagger them with the driver side leaning slightly to the rear and passenger side leaning slightly toward the front? Then just mount them to the cage or on staggered hoops? :thumbdwn:

 

[james t]

Ive got mine mounted behind the axle housing, very slightly leaned in and back. They come up right through the wheel hump on the inside (tied to the cage) and take up very little if any room in the storage area. This may not be doable for you if you're running the leaves outboarded.

 

[Explorer23]

So you're running the leaves in the stock location and running the shocks outboard?

 

[james t]

Yea. I would really look at running the leaves under the frame as factory... unless it's going to cause ride height issues for some reason... I don't know how doable that is with the longer GM truck leaves. With the shocks outboarded it handles like it has a swaybar.

Here's some old pics... I can get more if you need something specific

 

[Explorer23]

Ok well after reading you're rebuild it helped a lot. Sounds like you had the same dilemma. The only reason I wanted to run Chevy 64"s was because you can get more droop by running the shackle upside down (or whatever opposite of stock is called). I was also trying to stay away from stock, or full custom leaf packs but how does yours ride with the modified 4 door pack in?
If I did stay in the stock location I could always use stock leaves and upgrade later if necessary.

 

[james t]

They flex awesome, ride great, do well at speed (as well as can be expected). They just don't last long... I get about 4-5 rides out of them and they start to turn into a W. Part of it is my lack of a traction bar of some kind, part of it is the missing overload only hurts axle wrap, and part of it is I tend to be a bit of a throttle jockey.

Next time around I think im going with a regular 4 door pack and keep the overload, and swap out the shackles for spring sliders like these- http://liquidironindustries.com/Liquid-Iron-Industries-Universal-Slider-Box-Kit.html

 

[danwaters]

Keep your springs in the factory location. If you want to run 64" springs and keep the wheel base what it is at just move the front perches forward to accept the correct geometry and mount you shocks outboard the frame rails. The f-150 axle will give you enough width to do so. If you run an 18" shock or a 16" shock you can mount tabs off the front of the axle and tuck the shock mount tube in the cargo area right up against the rear seats.

 

[Explorer23]

I have been brain storming about this quite a bit lately and I want to get as much down travel as possible. My goal isn't really to run 64" springs, I just want to run what works best and according to the internet flipped shackles will get you the most travel out of leafs so I have rethought this and this is what I have come up with.

A shackle drop bracket that allows the entire assembly to mount below the frame. This would be at ride height as pictured.

And here at droop (I know the shackle isn't supposed to go beyond horizontal this was a rough sketch)

I came up with this idea late last night and today I got to mock it up on the truck using some plate I had laying around.

This is just a plate I had laying around, looks pretty close to me. I might be able to get rid of an inch or two if i go this route.

Just to give you an idea of how far it hangs down in real life. (this is a bone stock ex, so it won't be quite that low when I SOA or get different springs).

And incase you didn't quite understand the brackets, it would be double shear with a plate at the bottom to limit droop and a plate/gusset on the rear to box it in

I have no idea if I should keep the stock springs if I go this route and just go SOA. Or If I should start searching junk yards for random packs... OR give deaver a call

 

[MercuryMullet]

I have deavers, 3.0 bypasses outside the frame on the stock 8.8. Running 33x12.50s and adapter spacers. Frame is notched and boxed, shackles are standard and mount on a pass thru. But I have a 97 also.