Bump Stop Alternatives?
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 1,921
Likes: 80
From: North Houston
Bump Stop Alternatives? For a long time now, I've run cut and hose modded rear springs on my 02 camaro. To accommodate some wider tires, I cut the bump stop and the mounts off the car. In place of the stock bump stops, I put air bags in the springs and set them at 15psi, never had an issue scraping or anything.
Well now, I've replaced the shocks and springs with coilovers. The coilovers are awesome! But now that the springs are gone, the bags are gone since they won't be retained.
So aside from welding brackets back on the car for factory style bump stops (not preferred) is there an alternative?
Well now, I've replaced the shocks and springs with coilovers. The coilovers are awesome! But now that the springs are gone, the bags are gone since they won't be retained.
So aside from welding brackets back on the car for factory style bump stops (not preferred) is there an alternative?
Shock Bumpers..... They have been used on shocks for tuning circle tracks cars for a long time.They come in many different compounds and lengths depending on your application.
Craig
I'm sure this subject will cause major controversy on LS1Tech...lol
Craig
I'm sure this subject will cause major controversy on LS1Tech...lol
shock bumpers slide onto the shock shaft before the shock shaft is slid up into the body mounting cavity. they come in various lengths.
https://www.google.com/search?q=shoc...-7CFMQ_AUIBygC
https://www.google.com/search?q=shoc...-7CFMQ_AUIBygC
Im in the same situation and was planning on running some of the shock mounted bumpstops when i swap out my shocks and springs but i was told that they don't really work well on f-body shocks. I think there was a guy a few years ago that ran some and ended up messing up his shocks cuz they don't stop the car from bottoming out as well as the stock design does but of course he was road racing. Im still undecided if im gonna get new brackets welded on and run factory style ones or the shock mounted ones.
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12 Second Club
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 4,273
Likes: 0
From: Bucks County, Pa.
They are what's on the FRONT set up of EVERY aftermarket coilover conversion out there, so I don't see how they would not work on the rear coilover set ups, as long as they were tall enough, and the correct (progressive) durometer (hardness).
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Verdad Gallardo Here is what i was told in an email. It actually makes sense when you look at the rear shocks for these cars.
I have shock stops but they don’t work on this car. The rear shocks are too long and by the time they touch it’s too late to help anything. And the shock is mounted in rubber top and bottom. If you hit the stop, the other rubber would just keep squishing instead
I have shock stops but they don’t work on this car. The rear shocks are too long and by the time they touch it’s too late to help anything. And the shock is mounted in rubber top and bottom. If you hit the stop, the other rubber would just keep squishing instead
Here is what i was told in an email. It actually makes sense when you look at the rear shocks for these cars.
I have shock stops but they don’t work on this car. The rear shocks are too long and by the time they touch it’s too late to help anything. And the shock is mounted in rubber top and bottom. If you hit the stop, the other rubber would just keep squishing instead
I have shock stops but they don’t work on this car. The rear shocks are too long and by the time they touch it’s too late to help anything. And the shock is mounted in rubber top and bottom. If you hit the stop, the other rubber would just keep squishing instead
First: If you need a longer shock bump stop, just buy 2! If that ends up being too long, then trim down the second one. Second: Factory rear bump stops were a type of foam. Foam is softer than rubber, and rubber doesn't just "keep squishing" either. It's, in a nutshell, a very absorbing high spring rate type of material, in a nutshell obviously. Just find out how long your shock bump stops need to be, trim it to a good length if needed, and you should be fine. Unless I'm completely cookoo myself, that should be a decent way to retain rear bumpstops on the shock body itself
Here is what i was told in an email. It actually makes sense when you look at the rear shocks for these cars.
I have shock stops but they don’t work on this car. The rear shocks are too long and by the time they touch it’s too late to help anything. And the shock is mounted in rubber top and bottom. If you hit the stop, the other rubber would just keep squishing instead
I have shock stops but they don’t work on this car. The rear shocks are too long and by the time they touch it’s too late to help anything. And the shock is mounted in rubber top and bottom. If you hit the stop, the other rubber would just keep squishing instead
A properly selected shock mounted bump stop will work fine. Not only do they work, but they can be used to tune the suspension.
Im just posting what i was told...and the person that told me this is considered a suspension guru on here. Also there is a thread from way back where a guy ruined his shocks running the shock mounted bumpers. Like i said i was planning on running them myself and still might i was just letting the op know what i was told.
Whaaat. Whoever sent that is a little cookoo if you ask me.
First: If you need a longer shock bump stop, just buy 2! If that ends up being too long, then trim down the second one. Second: Factory rear bump stops were a type of foam. Foam is softer than rubber, and rubber doesn't just "keep squishing" either. It's, in a nutshell, a very absorbing high spring rate type of material, in a nutshell obviously. Just find out how long your shock bump stops need to be, trim it to a good length if needed, and you should be fine. Unless I'm completely cookoo myself, that should be a decent way to retain rear bumpstops on the shock body itself
First: If you need a longer shock bump stop, just buy 2! If that ends up being too long, then trim down the second one. Second: Factory rear bump stops were a type of foam. Foam is softer than rubber, and rubber doesn't just "keep squishing" either. It's, in a nutshell, a very absorbing high spring rate type of material, in a nutshell obviously. Just find out how long your shock bump stops need to be, trim it to a good length if needed, and you should be fine. Unless I'm completely cookoo myself, that should be a decent way to retain rear bumpstops on the shock body itself
Not much of a suspension guru if they blame shock failure on bumpers when the shock itself was too long. Again: No shock bumper will prevent damage to a shock that is too long. It's a BS statement by the "guru".
Another thing- yes, the rubber mounts do compress. Do they somehow disappear as they keep compressing? No, they don't. They will only compress so much, like a shock bumper. Factor in a margin when choosing the correct bump stop for your application. It's not a one size fits all. Can't throw random **** at a car and expect it to work.
Another thing- yes, the rubber mounts do compress. Do they somehow disappear as they keep compressing? No, they don't. They will only compress so much, like a shock bumper. Factor in a margin when choosing the correct bump stop for your application. It's not a one size fits all. Can't throw random **** at a car and expect it to work.
Not much of a suspension guru if they blame shock failure on bumpers when the shock itself was too long. Again: No shock bumper will prevent damage to a shock that is too long. It's a BS statement by the "guru".
Another thing- yes, the rubber mounts do compress. Do they somehow disappear as they keep compressing? No, they don't. They will only compress so much, like a shock bumper. Factor in a margin when choosing the correct bump stop for your application. It's not a one size fits all. Can't throw random **** at a car and expect it to work.
Another thing- yes, the rubber mounts do compress. Do they somehow disappear as they keep compressing? No, they don't. They will only compress so much, like a shock bumper. Factor in a margin when choosing the correct bump stop for your application. It's not a one size fits all. Can't throw random **** at a car and expect it to work.
TECH Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 5,798
Likes: 16
From: St.Charles MO
I think the issue is if that part of the chassis where the shock mounts can take multiple hard hits like that.
The part of the wheel well that has the bumpstops attached is designed for taking hard hits, i don't know if the shock mount could take those same forces.
Are the any coil overs that attach to that point?
The part of the wheel well that has the bumpstops attached is designed for taking hard hits, i don't know if the shock mount could take those same forces.
Are the any coil overs that attach to that point?
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 1,921
Likes: 80
From: North Houston
Alright, well thanks for the input everyone. Seriously, I know virtually nothing about how a bump stop should behave, so the insight is very helpful.
After doing what I probably should have done from the beginning (searched!) and taking input from this thread, I'm less comfortable using a shock bump stop. However, the search yielded a thread where a guy relocated his bump stops inboard. I haven't looked under there since seeing that idea, but it seems like the right thing to do... maintain the same style bump absorption, impact the same part of the car with the force and avoid damage to the coilover.
Thanks, everyone!
After doing what I probably should have done from the beginning (searched!) and taking input from this thread, I'm less comfortable using a shock bump stop. However, the search yielded a thread where a guy relocated his bump stops inboard. I haven't looked under there since seeing that idea, but it seems like the right thing to do... maintain the same style bump absorption, impact the same part of the car with the force and avoid damage to the coilover.
Thanks, everyone!
12 Second Club
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 4,273
Likes: 0
From: Bucks County, Pa.
Yes, but the general practice is to (heavily) reinforce the shock tower mounting surface.
Some of the newer rear coilover kits (at least the handling/road race oriented ones) have a reinforcement 'ring' which is either bolted or welded to that unibody shock tower mounting suface.
Shock mounted stops on the rear of this car do NOT work nearly as well as body mounted ones. I just got done testing EXACTLY that on a Camaro using both on shocks stops (more than one style and length and stiffness) and body mounted stops.
If you have no other option then not great is better than not at all. But even if the mounts are cut off, it's not hard to make a mount for a body stop to go back on. A little welding and some nuts and bolts and you're done.
If you have no other option then not great is better than not at all. But even if the mounts are cut off, it's not hard to make a mount for a body stop to go back on. A little welding and some nuts and bolts and you're done.
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Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
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www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion