Shocks on 4/6 drop...again...June 2021

[97SWBCHEVY]

I’m sure this has been covered numerous times but I’m gonna ask it again...lol
‘97 RCSB 4/6 notched with rear shock extenders...
I bought this truck with all this already done...
The spindles are drop spindles, and I assume they went with lowering coil springs instead of cutting the factory springs...wheel alignment and that side of things is good...
Rear end is flipped and everything appears to have been done right...it does have shock extenders...but the shocks do like they still sit at too much of an angle to me...it seems like they should sit at a lil more closer to a straight up/down angle, than appearing to be at over a 45 degree or less to being in a side to side angle running parallel to the ground lol...but I guess the angle is normal...and the leaf springs appear to be factory OEM...
The shocks are basic Monograms and I’m guessing just for factory/normal ride heights...
The truck has a 4/6 drop I know it’s not gonna have the greatest and/or smoothest ride
no matter what, I know I gotta pay attention to the road, pulling into places with steep grades, etc etc...and I understand that the up/Dow travel I have is limited, and when I do bottom out I’m gonna feel it...and I don’t want to change over to coil overs or bag it...but I don’t like feeling like I’m floating going down the highway and to me it’s seems like I’m bottoming out way to easily and all to often...
So first things to go will be the Monogram shocks...so the question of the day is...lol
What’s the best shock for the 4/6 drop???
Bilstein, Belltech, this brand, that brand..?
Which model of which brand..?
If I have shock extenders in the rear do I need to order factory length rear shocks or do I need to order rear shocks for a 6” rear drop?
Do they make some sort of shock extenders for the front???
Last question...any other suggestions that will help my current set up other than some good shocks other than raising it, or going to coil overs or bags???
Thanks in advance!
Shane

 

[618 Syndicate]

Are the shocks working properly? I've run factory shocks with relocators in the past, have drop shocks on my nbs now, and just put f-150 shocks on the dually. Honestly can't tell the difference. Every lowered vehicle I've ever owned (literally dozens) rode rougher than stock.

Tire sidewall makes a big difference in ride quality, and helper bags are a must if you plan on towing stuff.

 

[sewlow]

Shocks = BellTech Street Performers.
Rear shocks still at a a funky angle, even with the extenders?
BellTech p.n. #6658.
Upper shock mount relocation kit.
This will put the shocks more upright & back closer to the angles that they were designed to work at.
Front shocks for a 4" drop are 2" shorter than stock. The spindles don't affect the length, but the shorter springs do.
Rear shocks for a 6" drop are 4" shorter. when using the lower extenders.
Just order the proper part number B/T S/P shocks for a 4/6 drop & all will be fine.
I can't recommend the upper relocation kit enough. It allows the shocks to work as shocks as opposed to swinging levers.
Have you notched the box cross-member above the diff pumpkin?

 

[bluex]

Another vote for belltech street an performance. Best ones for a lowered obs hands down.

 

[97SWBCHEVY]

Shocks = BellTech Street Performers.
Rear shocks still at a a funky angle, even with the extenders?
BellTech p.n. #6658.
Upper shock mount relocation kit.
This will put the shocks more upright & back closer to the angles that they were designed to work at.
Front shocks for a 4" drop are 2" shorter than stock. The spindles don't affect the length, but the shorter springs do.
Rear shocks for a 6" drop are 4" shorter. when using the lower extenders.
Just order the proper part number B/T S/P shocks for a 4/6 drop & all will be fine.
I can't recommend the upper relocation kit enough. It allows the shocks to work as shocks as opposed to swinging levers.
Have you notched the box cross-member above the diff pumpkin?

Thank You Sir for taking the time to respond and give me your insight...I appreciate it!
Just so I’m sure I’m on the same page you’re saying that on the rear I also need the upper shock relocating mount to go along with the rear lower shock extenders bracket, so that I have both on my truck...and to still go with Belltech Street Performer rear shocks for 6” drops???
As far as above the pumpkin, I don’t see any sign of anything hitting in that area...

 

[97SWBCHEVY]

Shocks = BellTech Street Performers.
Rear shocks still at a a funky angle, even with the extenders?
BellTech p.n. #6658.
Upper shock mount relocation kit.
This will put the shocks more upright & back closer to the angles that they were designed to work at.
Front shocks for a 4" drop are 2" shorter than stock. The spindles don't affect the length, but the shorter springs do.
Rear shocks for a 6" drop are 4" shorter. when using the lower extenders.
Just order the proper part number B/T S/P shocks for a 4/6 drop & all will be fine.
I can't recommend the upper relocation kit enough. It allows the shocks to work as shocks as opposed to swinging levers.
Have you notched the box cross-member above the diff pumpkin?

https://www.belltech.com/products/b...treet-performance-shock-set-lowered-9522.html

https://www.belltech.com/products/b...-88-98-gm-1-2-ton-upper-shock-mount-6658.html


https://www.belltech.com/products/b...-88-98-gm-1-2-ton-upper-shock-mount-6658.html

 

[sewlow]

Yes. Lower extensions + the upper relocation kit are used together.
When I first lowered my truck, it was done before forums even existed. Info was somewhat limited. A lot of what I learned was via trial & error.
The first time the suspension was done, for the first 3 or 4 months, I pretty well had to wear a mouth-guard!
With the way that the lowering kit laid out the shocks, they weren't working as shocks. With my (*ahem!*) driving 'habits', the pumpkin would hammer that cross-member pretty hard.
So hard that I would avoid certain roads.
So hard that the floor of the box was eventually bent upwards.(!)
When we did the notch, on a hoist, when we made that first cut, the floor dropped down to it's original shape with a resounding 'Ka-BOING'!
I tell ya, you've never seen two guys come flying out from under a vehicle so fast! Scared the bejesus out of us! Lol!

Also, we then turned the junction box for the brake lines around to face the rear of the truck. That way, the soft line had a straight shot at that J/box & eliminated that loop in the soft line where it comes off of the bracket & snakes around to get to the connection in that original forward facing position. Just a bit of insurance against that line being pinched between the diff & the cross-member. This required a bit of modification/re-positioning of the bracket that the soft line connects to from the hard line on the truck's frame.

I've posted pix of all this on here a few times over the years, but they're not on this computer.
The Stupid Lowered Questions Thread has all those pix posted somewhere on it, but that's become a hugely long thread. I don't know if I could find them on there, but if you're feeling ambitious...

 

[sewlow]

https://www.belltech.com/products/b...treet-performance-shock-set-lowered-9522.html

https://www.belltech.com/products/b...-88-98-gm-1-2-ton-upper-shock-mount-6658.html


https://www.belltech.com/products/b...-88-98-gm-1-2-ton-upper-shock-mount-6658.html

Perfect!

 

[97SWBCHEVY]

Yes. Lower extensions + the upper relocation kit are used together.
When I first lowered my truck, it was done before forums even existed. Info was somewhat limited. A lot of what I learned was via trial & error.
The first time the suspension was done, for the first 3 or 4 months, I pretty well had to wear a mouth-guard!
With the way that the lowering kit laid out the shocks, they weren't working as shocks. With my (*ahem!*) driving 'habits', the pumpkin would hammer that cross-member pretty hard.
So hard that I would avoid certain roads.
So hard that the floor of the box was eventually bent upwards.(!)
When we did the notch, on a hoist, when we made that first cut, the floor dropped down to it's original shape with a resounding 'Ka-BOING'!
I tell ya, you've never seen two guys come flying out from under a vehicle so fast! Scared the bejesus out of us! Lol!

Also, we then turned the junction box for the brake lines around to face the rear of the truck. That way, the soft line had a straight shot at that J/box & eliminated that loop in the soft line where it comes off of the bracket & snakes around to get to the connection in that original forward facing position. Just a bit of insurance against that line being pinched between the diff & the cross-member. This required a bit of modification/re-positioning of the bracket that the soft line connects to from the hard line on the truck's frame.

I've posted pix of all this on here a few times over the years, but they're not on this computer.
The Stupid Lowered Questions Thread has all those pix posted somewhere on it, but that's become a hugely long thread. I don't know if I could find them on there, but if you're feeling ambitious...

That’s awesome...pretty funny too...but for real that is pretty awesome that you put in the work and figured stuff out by trial and error like that!!!