how to measure for shocks

[NTXMancheman]

how do you measure for shocks with no shocks on it to drive any where to flex? is there a stand still method? i need to get shocks asap when i lift the jeep because its my daily

[Eagle]

You park the vehicle on its wheels (or on jack stands that are supporting the axle, not the chassis), and you measure from the centerline of the lower shock stud to the centerline of the upper shock stud. That's your "at rest" position, which should fall basically at the mid-point of the shock's piston travel.

 

Then you go to Monroe's web site and you look at the technical data in the rear of their catalog. You look for shocks that have round stud mounts top and bottom and an average length (Monroe gives the max and min IIRC) that's as close to your measured length as possible.

[Eagle]

I forgot to mention the second step. After you find a Monroe shock that fits your measurements, you then go to Monroe's application guide and look up the number of the shock you found. That tells you what vehicle it's made for. When you know the original vehicle application, you can shop for all brands of shocks that fit that vehicle.

[skidoo_j]

That's how I measured for mine. One thing I suggest though look for ones with a larger travel, atleast 10". Once the new shock is installed i remove the spring and see if the shock is going to bottom out and adjust my bump stop accordingly.