can shocks be installed upside down?

[kmagnuss_2000]

Hey, I have my rear shocks with the tube on the top and the rod on the bottom. (skinny shiny part on the bottom). These are doestech shocks, I think the dt1000's? Does this negatively affect their effectiveness, or does it not make a difference either way?

-Keith

 

[younggun96]

don't know anything about those shocks but whenb I tried this with my pro comp's it definately affected the way the valving performed. Rode like shit and banged like they were gonna fall off!

 

[BrettM]

i believe it is only monotube shocks that are reversible. put the "can" down.

 

[kmagnuss_2000]

crap

 

[kmagnuss_2000]

so will having the 'can' down make them ride softer? Is it worth the time to flip them?

 

[kmagnuss_2000]

nevermind, I have the dt3000 shocks, which I just read on RE website can be run inverted.

Thank you, please drive through.

 

[96country]

If you have the DT3000s and they ride harsh, definitely turn them over.

 

[mgt]

yea run them upside down. I run my rancho 9000's that way

 

[shimmy]

my RE monotubes are tube at the bottom... most new cars run with shocks like this becuase it provides a better response and smoother feedback

 

[sjx40250]

I believe it is all in the design of the shock valving. If you read the directions for many shocks, they tell you to how to get the "air" out of the valving before installation. You really don't want the gas where the fluid should be and vice versa. Oh yea, the fluid acts like a lubricant as well. If there isn't any fluid in even part of the stroke, you will get premature failure.

Why take the chance?

DISCLAIMER (flame retardant?) All this is speculation from an engineer who has absolutly no shock design experience and very dated familiarity of shock design.

 

[Ludakris]

ok, I am bringing back this thread. I have Doestch DT3000 on order and am contimplating running them upside down (inverted). I know this reduces unsprung weight, but I am concerned about crap getting on the rods and shortening their life. also, does anyone know if they come with boots, or do I need to order them elsewhere? Thanks guys.

 

[jfw432]

The doestch shocks don't come with boots as far as I know. But if you think about it, all shocks have wipers to push all that junk out of the way so it can't enter the shock system. Even $200 mountain bikes have this feature. If they aren't sealed they aren't any good anyway. I mean if you submerged them in water on a regular basis that might affect them but if you're submerging them then a simple shock boot isn't really going to help anyway.

If it's an air/oil shock then it will perform like crap upside down. If it's a very basic shock it might fine either way but a lot of shocks have the valves shaped differently on each side so the fluid moves faster one way than the other. Usually it moves faster on the upstroke to help absorb the bump and slower on the downstroke to control the bounce.

 

[kmagnuss_2000]

doestech (sp) doesn't come with a boot. They seem to be working fine upside down.

 

[jjvande]

had my rs9000s on upside down for a while...rode like shi#. the valve was not working properly. flipped them and now its soooo much better.

 

[rockwerks]

Hey, I have my rear shocks with the tube on the top and the rod on the bottom. (skinny shiny part on the bottom). These are doestech shocks, I think the dt1000's? Does this negatively affect their effectiveness, or does it not make a difference either way?

-Keith

according to the MFG you can run all their shokcs in any position without and difference in performance....(jsut talked to a tech today about it)

racers usually run them upside down to reduce unspring weight IE: ( the weight of the shock is mounted to the body not the axle. This saves about 5 LBS of unspring weight.

I have always used theirs canister side up (upside down) so I did not have to worry about hitting them on the rocks...most ranchos you can run upside down also.

 

[BillR]

according to the MFG you can run all their shokcs in any position without and difference in performance....(jsut talked to a tech today about it)

racers usually run them upside down to reduce unspring weight IE: ( the weight of the shock is mounted to the body not the axle. This saves about 5 LBS of unspring weight.

I have always used theirs canister side up (upside down) so I did not have to worry about hitting them on the rocks...most ranchos you can run upside down also.

Brian, you've been doing this longer than me, but I had a much different result on that TJ I had. I mounted the rear shocks can-up. The back end just floated. There was no dampening at all. I could push down on the rear bumper, and it would move up and down 3-4 times. I turned the shocks over to can-down, and it was FIXED. The shocks worked fine and I felt MUCH more control. These were DT3000s.
YRMV...

 

[rockwerks]

yep I never noticed a difference, and ran em both ways for years