How To: Adjust the Fox Shock Perch / Height / Level the Front

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Java

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No, this is from a small auto care shop. He handles all sorts of aftermarket suspension, wheels, exhausts etc. Great Reputation for quality work.

I recommend you print up SDHQ's instructions or the "shock on" instructions. If they aren't familiar it will take them longer and they are more likely to garf it up.
 

mictouch

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Spring Compressor and Shock Valving

BTW, Nice Job SDHQ - I agree with "ChartGuy" and "KaiserM715" sounds like they have done their homework. I do shock valving on all sorts of off road cars from UTV's to Trophy Trucks. The triple internal bypass shock is a very difficult shock to re-valve. Thus, why they call it position sensitive... Like it's Female or something!

For a REAL SPRING COMPRESSOR, see pictures below. Its just at $300 but worth every penny.

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Spring-Compressor.jpg

Front-Shock-Perch-Setting.jpg

Spring-Compressor-1.jpg

I am in the process of revalving the Factory FOX SVT Shocks and we are taking it to another level. Yes, you guys are correct that the internal bypass holes inside the shock work a bit better with the spring perch at the middle position. Yes, the truck will work better with Deavers or National Springs setup - BUT, they also work amazingly well with the factory springs. We are valving them for all setups. We do additional work inside the shock besides just creating a new valve stack for compression and rebound. We weld up some of the internal bypass holes and change - what we call Butteryfly shims that cover a bypass hole. This will make the ride on the street a lot more comfortable as well as really increase the off road capabilities. Remember that rear end hop (Like a Bucking Bronco)? Well, this new valving will help settle that down. Have you noticed how the front end launches itself back up in the air after a hard "jump" landing? We got that covered too with a lot more rebound front and rear. The secret is to get the internal bypass hole dialed in with the spring force and have the valving shims do all the rest of the work. Adding more compression valving front and rear keeps it off the bump stops and makes the truck just that much more fun to drive.

Here is a pic of the internal bypass tube inside the shock.

Bypass-Holes.jpg
 

WannaRaptor62

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MicTouch can you elaborate on this comment?

"Yes, you guys are correct that the internal bypass holes inside the shock work a bit better with the spring perch at the middle position."

I'm looking for a good excuse to move to the middle perch other than looking better.
 

mictouch

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FOX Bypass Shock

The easy way to explain it is (without being too technical) there are bypass holes inside the shock. The holes are in a bypass tube that drops inside the shock. See Picture below. The Piston on the shock shaft with the valving passes these holes and as it goes though its stroke and the holes allow some shock oil to bypass the valving on the piston which makes the ride softer until it passes each hole. After it passes each bypass hole it become significantly stiffer. Once it passes the last bypass hole it forces the oil to open just the piston valving instead of bypassing. So, each hole the piston passes means more and more oil has to go though the valving verse being bypassed and this increases the dampening more and more.

I hope this make sense - if you are still with me then maybe this will help you understand that moving up a notch up on the spring perch compresses the spring that much more through its travel. This increases the spring rate which lifts the front of the truck. The shock is still the same overall length when fully extended but with more preload the shock at ride height it is more extended and this means the piston is a little further from the first bypass hole, thus making the dampening a bit softer. Not to confuse things but the internal bypass holes are still bypassing at the same rate as when the spring rate was softer.

The first picture shows the bypass tube inside the shock.

0044.jpg

The second picture is one side of the internal Bypass Tube with (what we call the "Butterfly" valve shims).

0102.jpg

The third picture is with the Butterfly Shims removed so you can see the Bypass holes. Also note the replenishing holes for the oil to have a place to go as it goes through its stroke.

0236.jpg
 

Raptoyd11

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What brand is that spring compressor, that looks nice unlike the cheap ass 39.00 dollar ones I keep seeing. Saw what appeared to be a nice set on JEGS for 162.00 dollars. Nice case with 2 spring compressors
 
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mictouch

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What brand is that spring compressor, that looks nice unlike the cheap ass 39.00 dollar ones I keep seeing. Saw what appeared to be a nice set on JEGS for 162.00 dollars. Nice case with 2 spring compressors

I sent you a PM with all the details.

It was $300 from a company call ZDMAK TOOLS

I'm sure it has to be Chinese - what isn't? - including my wife... ha ha
 

Raptoyd11

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I sent you a PM with all the details.

It was $300 from a company call ZDMAK TOOLS

I'm sure it has to be Chinese - what isn't? - including my wife... ha ha

Thanks a lot, got your PM. Would rather own a decent compressor like this to do my own work than pay a shop. Going to need an alignment afterwards anyway so should probably get a nice set of the RPG tie rods and put those on at the same time before alignment. Awesome write up on the Fox shock re-valving, how much would you say that actually stops the rear wheel hop, some or quite a bit?
 
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