Thread: IIA 88 rear shock absorber lengths

This is driving me mental. I've never really had any trouble getting parts for my IIA, but the rear shock thing is messing with my mind.

Everybody who lists a HD shock for the rear end of an 88 gives the part number of RTC 4235. When I had two of these, they only reached 17" in length when extended. The specs I can find suggest that the compressed and extended length of shocks for the rear of an 88 (the standard part number is RTC 4232) are:

RTC4232 320 12,60 515 20,28

Maximum extension 515mm or 20.28", compressed length 320mm or 12.60".

That is pretty-much is how my rear axle sits.

I can get HD shocks from a suspension outlet with those specs, but they are pretty expensive. When I phone Land Rover suppliers, asking them to pull out a pair of (nice and cheap) RTC 4235 shocks, they say things like "Oh they're in the warehouse... we can't check that."

Nobody I have contacted says "Yes, we have items for the rear of an 88. Here are the specs...."

Aaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.. ..........

Just a question but why do you need the HD shocks over the standard shock anyway?
Will you be carrying heavy objects around all the time?
The springs support the load and are to a point self damping until you start carrying heavier loads. But if you use HD shocks with standard springs unladen you may find the spring can't respond fast enough to the trail/road leading to packing over corrugations.
Springs and shocks should usually be matched so the valving is compatible with the spring rate.

Originally Posted by Ozdunc

Just a question but why do you need the HD shocks over the standard shock anyway?
Will you be carrying heavy objects around all the time?
The springs support the load and are to a point self damping until you start carrying heavier loads. But if you use HD shocks with standard springs unladen you may find the spring can't respond fast enough to the trail/road leading to packing over corrugations.
Springs and shocks should usually be matched so the valving is compatible with the spring rate.

Good question. Basically I am just doing a bit of experiment (having had standard oil shocks earlier) with a cleaned-up spring pack and I'm interested how it'll go with the heavier shocks. That's one reason why I don't want to pay an arm and a leg: I may go back to standard after a little time anyway. The thing is, I would like to find a supplier who could confirm the extended length, particularly...

Johnno, I have a very similar problem on the front of my 109".

The car had Monroe gas dampers on it when it arrived, but after reconditioning the springs and reassembly time came along, the dampers were about 50mm too short. I assume that because the springs were rusty, that they had settled in a low position when the Monroes were fitted, so I bought original dampers from Paddock.

The Paddock ones were 50mm too short as well

In the end I compressed the springs and fitted them, but I have of course lost a lot of downward travel on the front axle.

I await your solution with interest,

Cheers Charlie

Originally Posted by chazza

Johnno, I have a very similar problem on the front of my 109".

The car had Monroe gas dampers on it when it arrived, but after reconditioning the springs and reassembly time came along, the dampers were about 50mm too short. I assume that because the springs were rusty, that they had settled in a low position when the Monroes were fitted, so I bought original dampers from Paddock.

The Paddock ones were 50mm too short as well

In the end I compressed the springs and fitted them, but I have of course lost a lot of downward travel on the front axle.

I await your solution with interest,

Cheers Charlie

If you compressed the spring to fit the shock, doesn't that mean that under normal operation the shock is bottoming out?

I'm about to run into this problem as well, I've got a bit of lift on my 88, so I'm going to assume I'm in for a bit of a nightmare to find suitable shocks.

Originally Posted by chazza

Johnno, I have a very similar problem on the front of my 109".

The car had Monroe gas dampers on it when it arrived, but after reconditioning the springs and reassembly time came along, the dampers were about 50mm too short. I assume that because the springs were rusty, that they had settled in a low position when the Monroes were fitted, so I bought original dampers from Paddock.

The Paddock ones were 50mm too short as well

In the end I compressed the springs and fitted them, but I have of course lost a lot of downward travel on the front axle.

I await your solution with interest,

Cheers Charlie

Hey Charlie,

That's interesting, eh? That sort of thing is one reason I have been so pedantic with asking questions of suppliers to confirm the extended and compressed lengths before I'll buy a shock absorber. Luckily, I was able to return the set of shocks I bought a while ago, and I don't want to have to do that again.

The shame of it is that (having thrown away hardly anything when I stripped the car) I threw out the old rear shocks. What I wouldn't give now to know exactly what they were. At the time, I suppose I never guessed that I might run into trouble replacing them.

Your mention of getting too-short shocks from Paddocks confirms my hesitancy about buying sight-unseen unless I can absolutely confirm what I am getting first.

Thanks - and I will definitely post on this when I find a solution (or somebody pops up and explains what an idiot I've been and what I should be buying).

Cheers,

John

Originally Posted by debruiser

If you compressed the spring to fit the shock, doesn't that mean that under normal operation the shock is bottoming out?

I'm about to run into this problem as well, I've got a bit of lift on my 88, so I'm going to assume I'm in for a bit of a nightmare to find suitable shocks.

Yep - good point. I am paying especial attention to the compressed length as well. Not good to have the shock bottom-out and the mounts take all that sudden force.

Must do some measurements this week to see how closely the compressed length I need matches the spec sheet I have.

Cheers,

John

Originally Posted by debruiser

If you compressed the spring to fit the shock, doesn't that mean that under normal operation the shock is bottoming out?

I think in my case it is more likely to take the load when the wheel drops; it is not a good situation, but I put them on anticipating getting it through licencing and hopefully finding a solution before it goes off-road.

I wonder if the longer travel dampers the parabolic spring people recommend is the better way to go.

It is extraordinary that it seems so many standard parts are quite clearly the wrong ones!

Cheers Charlie