OG's method of 2Gen shock swap.

The issue I see with even a limit strap equipped 2nd gen to original generation swap is that internal bypass is inherently very position sensitive.

The way around this is to raise either the entire shock bucket, shorten the shaft or an extended hat.

I was not able to find an extended hat for our trucks.

I was able to find a set of these billet aluminum paperweights for around $30.



Yes, a leveling spacer but I call them paperweights because prior to this idea that's all they were good for.

All measurements and bench fits show this is good to go. I'll update with fit-up and measurements on the truck as I move forward. It's looking like the 1.5" paperweight is the one to go with if not 2" billet aluminum paperweights are also cheap.

Because of the motion ratio of the suspension, 1.5" closer to 1" thick but that is ok if you read on.

The first modification is to press out the mounting studs in the 2 gen hat.



The second modification is to press or cut out the rubber shock shaft bushing from your old OG shock hat. Make sure the shaft passes clear through the modified OG hat.

You only need one rubber firmly gripping your shaft or you'll get binding and possible bending of the shaft and we all know that hurts.



Bottom side up of the stack up.



Side boob... um view. It's close but clearing the ID and OD of the paperweight.

the game plan.

So this will sit on top of the upper spacer you see in the engine bay like it sits here on my sockets. The 1G hat will be underneath the bucket and it wil be transferring all the spring and bump stop force into the bucket just as it always has.

This rig just moves the shock shaft up to limit droop and by moving the shaft up which also moves the internal bypass of the shock.

Mount the OG hat in the truck without the shock exactly per the original configuration with the tapered rings correctly aligned on their correct side of the shock bucket.

Mount the 1.5" actual 1" thick paperweight ON TOP of the upper OEM tapered shock mount spacer ring.

Between the upper tapered ring and the thickness of the bucket, it looks good to be close to 1.5" higher placement of the shock shaft.

Next, mount the 2 gen hat to the studs on the paperweight. Assemble the shock, spring, and bump stop on the truck.

For testing will probably install the shock without the spring and bump stop and without the 2 g hat bolted to the paperweight while on the stands and cycle the suspension up and down.

I will be able to see if the shock body limits up travel and if the spacer limits down travel that way.

Then I'll figure out my bump stop cut down strategy.

With most big $ upgrade shocks back-ordered this just ought to be just fine and perhaps even thrash proof until you upgrade.

More to follow.

 

Seems legit. Spring installation could get sketchy. Got Live Valve disabled? Interested in seeing how it progresses!

 

No need to disable live valve.

The shocks just default to stiff and a 1G has no electronics.

There is a live valve delete... It just swaps out the stub for a N2 schrader. Not needed.

With the springs just disconnect everything CVs etc...and the LCA will droop low enough to get it in.

 

I had seen a post or two about the live valve delete but haven’t seen exactly how the system works, I understand the concept though and would think the stiff mode would be worth deleting.

Right, spring removal not so bad, install maybe not either as you could use the weight of the truck...then just a matter of aligning the shock shaft into the hat...

 

I’m also interested in how brutal the ride is gonna be with the Live Valve defaulted to full stiffness.

 

There are a whole ton of people who have done it WITHOUT doing the KHC buckets and this means not moving the shock rod up which puts the position-sensitive shock's internal bypass 1.5" off of where it should be. Nobody says it's valved too harsh.

Stock is Starbucks/mall crawler bullsh*t so live valve at full hard is probably softer valving than bolt on king or fox 3.0's.

 

Stock is Starbucks/mall crawler bullshit? lol you must love having your nut sack jammed up hard into your ass. Unless you use this thing 80% or more for serious off-roading like race conditions with jumps, that's a bit much Enjoyed the laugh though