Drag Racing Tech
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by:

Strange shocks - one extends further?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Nov 24, 2006 | 11:23 AM
  #1  
calongo_SS's Avatar
Thread Starter
10 Second Club
iTrader: (7)
 
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 2,070
Likes: 1
From: Victoria, TX
Default Strange shocks - one extends further?

I recently installed front strange double adjustable drag shocks.
I had the front of the car jacked up to set rear sway bar preload when I noticed one of the front wheels was coming further out fo the wheel well.
I took the shocks off, and compared them, the shocks themselves are identical.
The upper mount looks to be a little longer on the driver side, pushing the whole shock down further.
What gives? Anyone seen this before? Any idea on a fix?

I tried talking to strange, they said they designed the shocks for Billingsley & Billingsley tested them. Strange has never actually installed a set of their own shocks. I tried to contact Billingsley, but wouldn't you know it, they don't take phone calls... No response to email either...

TIA
Craig
Reply
Old Nov 24, 2006 | 11:24 PM
  #2  
promod1955's Avatar
11 Second Club
iTrader: (44)
 
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 1,312
Likes: 3
From: Virginia Beach, VA
Default

It takes awhile sometimes, but they usually answer e-mails. plus it is the holidays.

I'de also set the car on as flat as level ground as you can find, and put the correct amount of drivers weight in the seat. put the correct amount of fuel in the car, and set proper air pressure in the tires.

Then you know your true neutral and set your preload from there.
Reply
Old Nov 25, 2006 | 02:57 AM
  #3  
calongo_SS's Avatar
Thread Starter
10 Second Club
iTrader: (7)
 
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 2,070
Likes: 1
From: Victoria, TX
Default

Yeah, it was in the garage, so the ground was flat. I didn't have any problems setting the pre-load, it just happened that I noticed the issue with the shocks while adjusting the sway bar.
Reply
Old Nov 25, 2006 | 09:22 AM
  #4  
promod1955's Avatar
11 Second Club
iTrader: (44)
 
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 1,312
Likes: 3
From: Virginia Beach, VA
Default

Im trying to understand why you have the front of the car jacked up to set the preload.
Reply
Old Nov 26, 2006 | 01:15 PM
  #5  
calongo_SS's Avatar
Thread Starter
10 Second Club
iTrader: (7)
 
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 2,070
Likes: 1
From: Victoria, TX
Default

That is what the directions from Spohn said to do, unload the front suspension by putting the jack under the center of the k-member, put the driver in the drivers seat, and adjust the passenger side end-link until the back of the drivers side door jam is 1/16" lower than the passenger side.

Back to the shocks - somebody else is running these shocks, has anybody else seen this?
Reply
Old Nov 28, 2006 | 12:11 PM
  #6  
calongo_SS's Avatar
Thread Starter
10 Second Club
iTrader: (7)
 
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 2,070
Likes: 1
From: Victoria, TX
Default

C'mon, any ideas why this is happening? Is there an aftermarket spring perch I'm supposed to be using with these shocks?
Reply
Old Nov 28, 2006 | 12:55 PM
  #7  
JRcamaroZ28's Avatar
TECH Resident
iTrader: (41)
 
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 809
Likes: 1
From: Lancaster, PA
Default

i got my shocks from Billingsley and from what i recall they were the same size for both shocks
Reply
Old Nov 28, 2006 | 01:00 PM
  #8  
calongo_SS's Avatar
Thread Starter
10 Second Club
iTrader: (7)
 
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 2,070
Likes: 1
From: Victoria, TX
Default

Here's some pics, it's hard to make out, but you can see that one of the perches looks to be a little bit longer (almost 1"). This is the only difference I can find from one side to the other. The shock body is identical, the extended lenght of the shocks is the same, but it seems that one of the perches is a little bigger, pushing the entire spring/shock combo further away from the body.
Attached Thumbnails Strange shocks - one extends further?-long_perch.jpg   Strange shocks - one extends further?-short_perch.jpg  
Reply
LS1 Tech Stories

The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time

story-0

Amazing '71 Camaro Restomod Is Modern Muscle Car Under the Skin

 Verdad Gallardo
story-1

6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-2

Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph

 Verdad Gallardo
story-3

Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-4

Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!

 
story-5

Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP

 Verdad Gallardo
story-6

Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes

 Verdad Gallardo
story-7

Awesome K5 Blazer Restomod Comes With C7 Corvette Power

 Verdad Gallardo
story-8

10 Camaros You Should Never Buy

 
story-9

10 LS Engine Myths That Refuse to Die

 Verdad Gallardo
Old Nov 28, 2006 | 01:39 PM
  #9  
onfire's Avatar
Coal Mining Director
iTrader: (17)
 
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 4,442
Likes: 0
From: Virginia
Default

How much lower does one wheel droop over the other?
Reply
Old Nov 28, 2006 | 03:31 PM
  #10  
calongo_SS's Avatar
Thread Starter
10 Second Club
iTrader: (7)
 
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 2,070
Likes: 1
From: Victoria, TX
Default

The drivers side extends down about 3/4 - 1" lower than the passenger side.
I don't really know what effect this will have on launching the car, but I bet it won't help.
Reply
Old Nov 28, 2006 | 05:14 PM
  #11  
SLowETz's Avatar
10 Second Club
iTrader: (12)
 
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 2,356
Likes: 2
From: Padded cell
Default

If you've ever noticed, the drivers side is always a bit higher than the passenger side on a stock suspension car to account for driver weight.

The driver side spring cup is longer for that reason as the stock coil overs aren't adjustable.

It's the installed spring height you're dealing with, not the shock, so just set the castle nut on the shock body so that ride height is 1/8" higher on the driver side without the driver in the car and you're golden.
Reply
Old Nov 28, 2006 | 05:18 PM
  #12  
calongo_SS's Avatar
Thread Starter
10 Second Club
iTrader: (7)
 
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 2,070
Likes: 1
From: Victoria, TX
Default

Ok, well I guess I was being paranoid about nothing. The drives side is just over 1/16" higher w/o driver. I just never noticed that w/ the front suspension unloaded the drivers side wheel came out of the wheel well that much further than the pass. side.
So everybodys car does this?

Craig
Reply




All times are GMT -5. The time now is 12:25 AM.

story-0
Amazing '71 Camaro Restomod Is Modern Muscle Car Under the Skin

Slideshow: This heavily modified 1971 Camaro mixes classic muscle car styling with a fifth-generation Camaro interior and modern LS3 power.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-12 18:06:42


VIEW MORE
story-1
6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them

Slideshow: From wobbling harmonic balancers to failed EBCMs, these are the issues that define long-term C5 ownership and what repairs typically involve.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-05-07 18:44:57


VIEW MORE
story-2
Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph

Slideshow: A modern Camaro transformed into a retro icon, this limited-run "Bandit" build blends nostalgia with brute force in a way few revivals manage.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-21 13:57:02


VIEW MORE
story-3
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked

Slideshow: Cadillac didn't just crash the high-performance luxury vehicle party, it showed up loud, supercharged, and occasionally a little unhinged...

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-04-16 10:05:15


VIEW MORE
story-4
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!

Slideshow: Top ten most powerful Chevy trucks ever made

By | 2026-03-25 09:22:26


VIEW MORE
story-5
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP

Slideshow: Hennessey has turned the Silverado ZR2 into a 700-hp off-road monster with supercharged V8 power and a limited production run.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-24 18:57:52


VIEW MORE
story-6
Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes

Slideshow: A one-off sports car that looks like a vintage Italian exotic-but hides a C6 Corvette underneath-just sold for the price of a new mid-engine Corvette.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-23 18:53:41


VIEW MORE
story-7
Awesome K5 Blazer Restomod Comes With C7 Corvette Power

Slideshow: A heavily reworked 1972 K5 Blazer swaps its off-road roots for a low-slung street-focused build with modern V8 power.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-09 18:08:45


VIEW MORE
story-8
10 Camaros You Should Never Buy

Slideshow: There are thousands of used Camaros on the market but we think you should avoid these 10

By | 2026-02-17 17:09:30


VIEW MORE
story-9
10 LS Engine Myths That Refuse to Die

Slideshows: Which one of these myths do you believe?

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-01-28 18:10:11


VIEW MORE