some know this and most don't seem to know so i thought i'd post this to help out. i replaced my shocks with bilsteins and added leveling keys for leveling the front. as most know, when cranking up your torsions, you loose some ride. when raising around 1" or greater, it seems you get the kidney buster effect. basically, it's the stock length shocks at full extension or too close to it and when hitting a bump, the shocks limit uptravel and you end up with a 50k pogo stick.):h

i took a few measurements and made a 3/4" spacer to slide over the upper shock mounting stud. this gains more than 3/4" suspension travel due to suspension geometry. more like a couple inches of uptravel gained which gets rid of the kidney busting ride. basically end up with a better than stock ride with the bilsteins this way, IMO.

I do the same, and I agree you get a better ride.

yepper, you can also add a spacer on the bottom.

What about just getting the longer travel billsteins? Would that also correct the issue?

What did you make the spacer out of? I'm debating washers vs. steel tubing.

What about just getting the longer travel billsteins? Would that also correct the issue?

I don't know about bilsteins, but most shock companies don't offer shocks for just a 1-2 inch lift. I know that the Rancho 9000X`s that I bought didn't. Rancho claimed they were, but when I took measurements, they were pretty much the same as the factory shocks.

If you raise the truck by dropping the control arms, you get closer to bottoming on the downward travel bumpstop.

That means you have loads of upward travel but very little downward travel. I'm talking suspension component travel not truck body travel.

You end up being drastically off center of your suspension travel when sitting still. If you drive over a hole or your suspension needs to drop but can't, you feel it and so does the shocks. Not to mention what you're doing to your CV joints.

Hoot has definetly hit the nail on the head...and it's one of the major reasons to go with the Cognito leveling kit as it helps to correct the down travel by changing suspension geometry and allowing more space between the uca and the uca droop stop.

Steering geometry (bump steer) gets pretty nasty when you go way high with the front. The spacer on the OE Bilstein listing is my preferred method IF necessary....

What did you make the spacer out of? I'm debating washers vs. steel tubing.



steel tubing.

given the cost of various lift kits combined with skill and tools required to install yourself, keys are a popular choice. quick, easy, and cheap as you already know.
in light of making the best of what you can afford, this is a simple solution for many that don't know they can make their suspension ride a lot better.
if fact, i think it was a post by john kennedy i had seen about this. thanks john.

Cool spacer rusty. very nice.

It isn't the bumpstop, but the oem (including oem bilstein) shock length that limits downtravel. After extending the shock 1", the bumpstop becomes a...

bumpstop. Just a clarification

Cool spacer rusty. very nice.

It isn't the bumpstop, but the oem (including oem bilstein) shock length that limits downtravel. After extending the shock 1", the bumpstop becomes a...

bumpstop. Just a clarification


If that's true than that would be a design flaw? Shocks are not designed to be travel limiters. I think I read elsewhere somebody did a check and did in fact find the shocks bottom out on a stock vehicle. Also I don't think GM is the only brand that does this. Maybe that's why OEM shocks don't last long before blowing a seal.

I agree with you

When I pulled the torsion bars from my 05' 2500 the shock kept the arms from bottoming on the stop. When I pulled the shock bolt it dropped the rest of the way.

so if you did not add leveling keys would this mod still be worth the time using bilsteins shocks and having your stock bars turned up a few inch's

If you jack up any stock 2500HD truck by the frame, I have found that the downward travel is limited by the shock. I have even tried to take the bottom bolt out of the shock when the truck is supported by the frame, but couldn't because the shock was strung tight. After the bolt was out, the A-arm went against the travel stop.

I have also added a washer stack to the top of my shocks similar to what you have done here. Even 1" of washers does not let the A-arm travel all the way down to the stops. I am going to add a spacer to the bottom of the shock when I get time. I figure I have made the travel better than stock just by what I have done.

evidently, the shocks that cognito sells with their leveling kits are longer? They give you the option of a shock relocation bracket or a longer shock.

I've done as a lot of you have and put the green keys in my truck and raised the front end about 2" in order to achieve a more level attitude and make a bit more room for larger tires. The issue I have developed is a 'bumping' that I feel in through the steering wheel when traveling at slower (the neighborhood) speeds. It's as though I am feeling every crack in the road. Would adding spacers eliminate this issue? The truck is one year old, and recently aligned, so I do not think anything is worn out.

I may need these spacers too.IIRC I saw one company that sold a set of spacers for the lower shock mounts. I forgot the name..Anyone?

I saw one company that sold a set of spacers for the lower shock mounts. I forgot the name..Anyone?


i thought i saw them included in a cognito kit the other day. try them. otherwise, make your own. i'm gonna make some lower mount extensions for my shocks. pretty soon. hey, maybe i can sell them.):h

Does anyone know how the Cognito kit will affect sled pulling? When I pull I drop all the tension off my torsion bars. Am I still going to be able to to this? (I don't have big tires or anything, I just would like to level the truck out for driving around.)

Yesterday, I leveled out my truck by cranking the torsion bars 7 turns. Drove it about 60 miles to get home and had a front wheel alignment done. I did notice that the truck rode a little stiffer in the front. Today, I install a 3/4" spacer bushing as described by the first poster in this thread. It made a noticeable difference in softening the ride in front, at least as good as stock. If it matters, I have Bilsteins. The stainless steel bushing I used I ordered from McMaster Carr, part number 8492A351. Two cost $17.00. They were 3/4" long with a 5/8" inside diameter. Worked perfectly. www.mcmaster.com (http://www.mcmaster.com).

Dave

I'm going to try this trick. My truck has a lot of bumpy feel through the steering wheel

Are there any special tools you need to get the spacer on the shock. Never have taken shocks off before. Can I just undo the top bolt, put the spacer on and then bolt it back up? What size steel tubing do I need to use also?

What size steel tubing do I need to use also?


at the risk or sounding rude, have you read any of this thread?:cookoo:

see below.


Yesterday, I leveled out my truck by cranking the torsion bars 7 turns. Drove it about 60 miles to get home and had a front wheel alignment done. I did notice that the truck rode a little stiffer in the front. Today, I install a 3/4" spacer bushing as described by the first poster in this thread. It made a noticeable difference in softening the ride in front, at least as good as stock. If it matters, I have Bilsteins. The stainless steel bushing I used I ordered from McMaster Carr, part number 8492A351. Two cost $17.00. They were 3/4" long with a 5/8" inside diameter. Worked perfectly. www.mcmaster.com (http://www.mcmaster.com/).

Dave


Are there any special tools you need to get the spacer on the shock. Never have taken shocks off before. Can I just undo the top bolt, put the spacer on and then bolt it back up? What size steel tubing do I need to use also?



yes you can just undo the top bolt but the pain is, working against the nitrogen pressure in the shock (not collapsing easily) can be difficult.

Thanks. Got so involved looking at the pictures I didn't even read all the threads. Doh!

yes you can just undo the top bolt but the pain is, working against the nitrogen pressure in the shock (not collapsing easily) can be difficult.

I tried just undoing the top bolt, however couldn't compress the shock enough to get it out of the shock tower. Jacking it higher didn't make any difference. What I ended up doing was removing the bottom bolt too and taking the shock out. I was then able to put the spacer on. To re-install, I made a strap out of three rather long zip ties. I compressed the shock and used the strap to hold it in the collapsed position. Put the bottom bolt back in, positioned the shock and slipped off the strap. Whaala...shock back in. Also, I listed the wrong dimensions for the bushing from McMaster, although the part number was right. These are the correct dimensions:

Steel Press-Fit Drill Bushing With Head 13/32" (0.4062") ID, 5/8" OD, 3/4" Length.

I didn't see an answer to where are ya'll getting the extra length to put the spacer in? As the photo shows, I only have 1-2 threads above the shock nut.
Thanks

now dont the Cognito Kit give you the lift you want take care of any shock concerns and suppose to ride better than stock

I didn't see an answer to where are ya'll getting the extra length to put the spacer in? As the photo shows, I only have 1-2 threads above the shock nut.
Thanks



you've got more going on up top than i do. i have bilstein stock replacements. for the record, to get the bushing to work, i had to cut about 3/16" off of both the upper and lower rubber bushing mount thingys. what kind of shocks are those? it seems there's something taking up alot of room below the tab/mount. take off 1/4" off of each of those two bushing mounts and there's a 1/2", almost there.


now dont the Cognito Kit give you the lift you want take care of any shock concerns and suppose to ride better than stock


the only thing i know of about the cognito kit is that it was much more expensive than my $50 keys from ebay. which meant more $ to spend on the boost stick w/ extension, finger stick, and the egr block off plate.):h
the mrs only gives me so much to play with you know!

you've got more going on up top than i do. i have bilstein stock replacements. for the record, to get the bushing to work, i had to cut about 3/16" off of both the upper and lower rubber bushing mount thingys. what kind of shocks are those? it seems there's something taking up alot of room below the tab/mount. take off 1/4" off of each of those two bushing mounts and there's a 1/2", almost there.

They're Rancho RS9000x's. That white part you see above the nut is not threads. It's flattened out in order to put a Cresent on to hold while bolting it down. I'll try shaving a little off the bushings like you did.




the only thing i know of about the cognito kit is that it was much more expensive than my $50 keys from ebay. which meant more $ to spend on the boost stick w/ extension, finger stick, and the egr block off plate.):h
the mrs only gives me so much to play with you know!

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