stupid question about front shocks

I'm replacing my front springs and shocks on what i believe is a Mustang II front end. My question is should i have to jack up the lower control arm to be able to install my shocks? Or are the new shocks i bought to short.

Compared to the old shocks that came out they are the same length but the springs are not. The new springs are about 1/4 to 1/2 inch taller. If i install the shocks by lifting the lower control arm it will compress the spring. Is that normal?

 

anyone?

 

Did you pull the shocks to their full extension before trying to install them. HRP

 

yes. They are fully extended

 

That's pretty normal, they shouldn't top out before your suspension hits the upper travel limit.

 

It just seemed odd that i have to compress the spring to put the shock in. granted the car is in the air at the moment so there is no weight on it. I just wanted to verify before i possible ruined a brand new shock.

 

I have not had to do that on any Mustang 2 front end Hot rods I have worked on.

 

It's normal.

 

The shock should not be the extension stop. The rubber bump stop should hit before the shock tops out, otherwise the shock can eventually pull it's top off.......

 

x 2

 

The new springs will most likely settle that amount, you should be right where you were.

 

Common? Yes. Correct? Absolutely not. Listen to Don.

 

Don,

Mustang II shocks are the suspension limiters. On both ends of the travel.

Word or warning on the OP's shocks. Some manufacturers have been opening the distance between the upper and lower control arms to accommodate tall frame rails. These guys use a longer shock than stock, compare the open length of your new shocks to your old ones. They should be the same.

 

Still seems sketchy to me.

 

Been like that since 1974.

If you look at how the shocks are built, you get it. There is a reason why the venerable Mustang II became such a popular front end, not unlike the SBC.

 

The bump-stop on the MII front suspension is on the shock. The rubber "bulb" that is installed in the shaft is the front suspension bump stop.

 

ok that is the compression stop, how 'bout extension stop?
which is what I was talking about..............

 

It's internal.

Sent from my Dick Tracy Two-Way wrist radio.

 

There should also be a metal cup that goes over the rubber bump stop on the shock. Many times they were thrown away when the shocks were replaced.

 

In the black area there would be a internal damping rubber, or heavy duty orifice to restrict the fluid, during the the compression stroke.

 

While it may not seem right, I will have to agree that for a lot of modern cars, the shock or strut is the travel limiter. I have pulled many a rear coil spring out of a FWD car that was on a lift by holding the rear axle and pushing up on the spring. The thing holding the axle in place to keep the spring in was the shock.

For the front it was the same with my 74 Mustang, my 78 Chevy truck and others. It doesn't seem right but it is way more common than one would think.

 

Thanks - I will retract my statement. I knew they were the Bump stop, but I did not realize they were the Extension as well.
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