How to determine where to put shock mounts

[1989 comanche mj]

I have about a 5.5 inch lift on my Comanche, spring over with d35. Its a RE kit with longer shocks.  The brackets and spring perches on there aren't equal, I think they bolted everything up and started welding.  I don't have any confidence that the shock height was set right.

 

I have my 8.8 regeared and ready to go in.

 

Should I weld the perches on with the shocks in the middle of their travel at ride height?  Or weld them on at full extension with the axle at max droop?

 

I know the ideal way is with a fork lift measuring max up and down travel, but I don't have one, and don't have a way to flex it all the way up.

[Jackrabbit41]

I just let my axle droop all the way then welded the mounts on so the shocks weren't at full extension

[onlyinajeep726]

I took measurements off of a stock height/stock setup (SUA) MJ, measuring the shock length eye-to-eye at rest, on level ground.  It measured between 18.5-19".

AFTER I went SOA with my 8.8, I then measured from the frame side shock eye bolt, 18.5" down to the axle (again at rest, on level ground), to find where said shock mount should be placed.

 

I did that because I wanted to retain stock length shocks.

[Eagle]

I would go with setting the shocks to run at mid-length at normal ride height. YMMV.

 

But what does the shock length have to do with welding on the spring perches? The spring perches should be set to give you the correct pinion angle at normal ride height.

[Incommando]

I put the perches where they worked best and measured shocks to fit. Stock shocks limit your flex which takes away one of the advantages of a lift. Fine for a street truck but not ideal for an off-roader