Originally posted by TeeJay
STLNLST:
I don't really agree about the short shock shafts. On my XXX-S I have problems getting it as low(4-5mm ride height)as I want it. And thats due to the shocks. Now my pistons work in the topmost(and I mean the VERY topmost, just a couple of mm's.) area in the shock. There is two problems with that: 1st, if I get any air(even the slightest) in the shock, guess where the bubbles will be??? Yupp, the top.... Second, since there is a fluid in the shock the damping will be a bit different in the top and the bottom of the shock, the walls will pose a opposing force on the piston near the end points...... So I say, get the shafts.... I have also noticed that the uptravel is limited by the shockbody. So if you run on a slick surface and want to setup the car to lean a lot in the corner the shockbody will not allow as much uptravel as you 'd like....
/TeeJay
STLNLST was refering to the REAR shocks, which have lots of travel (the pistons are nowhere near the top) with the standard length shock bodies. The front is another story...