MetalCloak 6PAK Shocks?

[fyrfytr1717]

Anyone seen these? I just stumbled across them in Jp magazine and decided to look them up online. Seems the company caters mostly to the Wrangler market, but I don't see why these shocks couldn't be used on a Cherokee with the same modifications you'd make to run 7100's or the like. Seems like an ideal set up given the amount of travel they'd provide with the limited space we have to mount shocks on our XJ's, just not sure about the technology... (oh, and they aint cheap!)


Click pic for more info:

 

[AIbandit]

Pretty cool, innovative stuff is always fun to see.

 

[XJLI]

id leak to see a video of those hitting a good size bump at speed... on road or off. look like they'd snap in half.

 

[xcm]

looks stupid.

 

[outfitterguy]

looks stupid.

Like Forrest Gumps Momma said about stupid...

I am one of the few that have had a chance to check these out so I will try to take this one on.
The combined diameter of the shafts are larger than that found on most longtravel-coilover shocks that have to support the weight of a vehicle, and as a matter of fact, a typical monotube shock has only 1 shaft that is 5/8th while the MetalCloak 6pak has four 1/2in shafts that split the stroke of the travel. The MetalCloak 6pak shocks are designed as longtravel shock dampers, not coil retainers, and do not have to support the continuous weight of a vehicle, also because the shafts come from both sides of the shockbody the unsupported, extended shaft ends are only half as long as typical coilover shafts so they take much less leveraged force and the force is spread out over a total of 4 separate dampers that are combined into one package. Whew, hope that made sense.
Why do I care..? I was invited to go on a 4 wheeling trip through Death Valley during the “over 100 degree” days and my 230,000 mile MJ was having some intermittent cooling issues (imagine that), so one of the owners of MetalCloak offered me his brand new JK to take and do some testing on so…
I have been fortunate enough to beat the crap out of a set on a 6500 pound JK for 4 days out in Death Valley and they performed flawlessly.
p.s. the first thing I told MetalCloak when I saw these was "oh man the XJ guy are gonna love these!" Long travel and no cutting These will be on display at Off-Road Expo in Pomona in a few weeks if any are interested.

 

[87manche]

my only question is how do you get the "body" of the shock to stay in place? Are the pistons spring loaded against each other so the body of it remains in the middle?
What about tire clearance on the front axle when you've got it turned all the way to lock?

 

[MoparManiac]

my only question is how do you get the "body" of the shock to stay in place? Are the pistons spring loaded against each other so the body of it remains in the middle?
What about tire clearance on the front axle when you've got it turned all the way to lock?

Why would you need the body of the shock to stay in place...?

I would think if each "shock" has the same valving the thing would stay in place regardless.

I wonder if there would be any benefit to having dual valving? Like softer on one side then firmer on another? Kind of progressive. Not sure how the thing would like bottoming out though.

 

[ktm racer 419]

interesting to say the least. i don't see a practical application in an xj though. we pull plenty of travel out of conventional shocks without issue

 

[cmelo]

They look expensive

 

[old_man]

interesting to say the least. i don't see a practical application in an xj though. we pull plenty of travel out of conventional shocks without issue

I would really like more travel, especially on the front without cutting the shock towers and installing hoops.

 

[beakie]

at work so I couldn't check out their site...

but what is the diameter of the body?

it doesn't seem to replace a coil-over, instead it replaces just the shock, correct?
if so, depending how large it is, it could cause a problem packaging wise to fit a coil in stock position, and this seemingly large shock.

otherwise it looks pretty innovative... so obviously people won't like it!

 

[XJEEPER]

Lengths/Stroke Available:
GC-1213: $399 each 12" Stroke
Compressed eye-to-eye 13"
Extended eye-to-eye 25" GC-1414: $419 each 14" Stroke
Compressed eye-to-eye 14"
Extended eye-to-eye 28" GC-1615: $439 each 16" Stroke
Compressed eye-to-eye 15"
Extended eye-to-eye 31" Nitrogen Charge:
150psi – 160psi per side (end user can custom adjust if desired)
Shaft (rod) Material:
AISI 1045 centerless ground steel shaft, Rockwell hardness C70 hard chrome plated, 12RMS finish
Rod End:
Industry standard rod end (½ inch fine thread) ½ -20 UNF (multiple types of rod ends will work)
Rod ends feature adjustable length & Teflon race
Tube Housing:
ASTM B-210 Seamless 6061-T6 aircraft-grade aluminum
Piston wearbands are Bronze impregnated Teflon (40% Bronze 60% Teflon)
Shaft Wiper-Seal:
Polyurethane dual wiper and seal
Valve Disks (stacks): custom valve stacks available
Butterfly style 17-7PH stainless steel, with a Rockwell hardness of C40

CONTACT US for more information

 

[kastein]

looks pretty nifty, but wayyyy too expensive for me to buy.

I don't think it really matters that the shock body stay in the middle as long as they're valved equally.

I wonder how 4 whitebody shocks bolted into a piece of box tubing in this configuration would work? :gee: :gee: :gee:

 

[AIbandit]

I wonder how 4 whitebody shocks bolted into a piece of box tubing in this configuration would work? :gee: :gee: :gee:

I bet I know of someone who would try it . he who cannot be named.

 

[ktm racer 419]

my only question is how do you get the "body" of the shock to stay in place? Are the pistons spring loaded against each other so the body of it remains in the middle?
?

theres a video. they stay centered. not sure how, but they do.

I would really like more travel, especially on the front without cutting the shock towers and installing hoops.

i have run 12's in the front with 3" merely by moving the lower shock mount and bumpstopping for the size tire i ran. too much articulation and it hurt me at times. i'm now at 5" over stock with 10" shocks and i'm perfectly content with it lol.

the rear is a tighter fit for me and i can see more of a practical application there for people who want the added ground clearance of raised shock mounts yet don't want to cut through thier floor.

 

[foxwar71]

:doh: Why'd I just buy a set of tried n' true Bilstein 7100's?!






Cool ideas and concepts, only time will tell how they do and results. Wonder how they compare to other $400ea shocks out there and such?

 

[kastein]

I bet I know of someone who would try it . he who cannot be named.

I'm real tempted, just to see if it would work at all. I even have a set of 4 blown shocks I haven't returned on warranty yet, think 4 blown = 1 good one in this configuration? :jester:

 

[asp]

Looks like a neat idea and looks like it works. That's awesome.

But if the shock droops further than the coil extends, what's the point?

 

[ktm racer 419]

I'm real tempted, just to see if it would work at all. I even have a set of 4 blown shocks I haven't returned on warranty yet, think 4 blown = 1 good one in this configuration? :jester:

hose clamps and tack welds dude

of course it will work.

it will just be bulky.

 

[alex22]

the rear is a tighter fit for me and i can see more of a practical application there for people who want the added ground clearance of raised shock mounts yet don't want to cut through thier floor.

This was the first thing I thought of when I saw these, but the price is too high for me at the moment.

~Alex