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  #1  
Old 05-15-2007, 12:57 AM
PanzerSD's Avatar
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Exclamation Silly shock question...

Can shocks be used upside down?

in light duty custom applications??

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  #2  
Old 05-15-2007, 01:11 AM
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I may be wrong, but I don't see why not. Seems to me if it can be safely mounted like that it's no diff than a spring.
-Zach
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  #3  
Old 05-15-2007, 01:13 AM
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Motorcycles, yes, cars no, as there are two mounting points, bolt holes on the lower side, one threaded stud on top.
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  #4  
Old 05-15-2007, 01:24 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by toomany MBZ View Post
Motorcycles, yes, cars no, as there are two mounting points, bolt holes on the lower side, one threaded stud on top.
yeah, I know that....

Well, I wasn't going to tell anyone this, because you'll all think I'm nuts

I want air shocks on my mercedes. I plan to lower, and want some adjustability.
Munroe produces air shocks for 78-81 Camaros and Trans Ams, and their rear shocks are nothing more than a mercedes shock (in the sense of mounting style) only they have the stud on the bottom and the bolted pin on top.
the extended and compressed lengths are the same.
and considering that fronts and rear shocks are mounted the same, I think that 4 air shocks (if they can in fact be used upside down) would do a "good enough" job providing me some adjustability so I can go down for highway driving, and up in the city.

I think I can actually gain some MPG if I squatted the car down at speed..

and that's what i've been thinking about for the last 36 hours


Enjoy!
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Old 05-15-2007, 02:21 AM
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Length is not what you need to look for. The shocks go through the springs in the back so overall diameter is the limit.

I've tried it before on my wagon. There is no way you can fit air shocks in the stock location unless you remove the spring and reinstall the spring with the shock inside it.

EDIT: On second thought, I'm not sure if the W116's have the shocks going through the springs like the W123/W126
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  #6  
Old 05-15-2007, 03:50 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ForcedInduction View Post
Length is not what you need to look for. The shocks go through the springs in the back so overall diameter is the limit.

I've tried it before on my wagon. There is no way you can fit air shocks in the stock location unless you remove the spring and reinstall the spring with the shock inside it.

EDIT: On second thought, I'm not sure if the W116's have the shocks going through the springs like the W123/W126
The front springs, are outboard mounted, but the rears are inside the spring..
going to change rubber spacers anyway so the springs are coming out.
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Old 05-15-2007, 03:52 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by E320wagon'94 View Post
I may be wrong, but I don't see why not. Seems to me if it can be safely mounted like that it's no diff than a spring.
-Zach
See, that's why I asked, because I wasn't sure. I know that oil charge shocks, wil bleed out after a while sitting and you have to reprime them, I wonder how being upside down will effect valving and dampening effect.
whereas gas shocks, being alot stiffer, don't care whether up is down or down is up, because it's gas.
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  #8  
Old 05-15-2007, 04:38 AM
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Damping and rebound ratios would be reversed of course. Also a quick check with a shock upside down should be done. I wonder how it would work since there is air or gas over the fluid inside .Gravity might have the fluid where it was not supposed to be when needed. Before spending a dime I would contact a shock manufacturer for an opinion. I might easily be all wet here. I also thought gas shocks just had a charge of gas over the oil to stop or reduce foaming of the oil. Compared to just air of course. I could once again be wrong here. Check it out well.

Last edited by barry123400; 05-15-2007 at 04:43 AM.
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  #9  
Old 05-15-2007, 06:15 AM
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actually damping and rebound would be unaffected since they only know if the shock is being compressed or extended.

this question came back when i was reading circle track magazine and smokey yunick had an advice column. smokey answered as barry did one month and the next month had to correct himself, so don't feel bad.... he was one of the smartest innovaters ever in racing and in oil drilling equipment design.

the air shocks will absolutely ruin your ride.

imho.

are you planning to remove or modify your springs to get it low?

if i cant talk you out of this i advise you get an extra set of springs and so forth so that after you try it out you can put it all back stock if you really hate it. from the salvage yard it wont cost much for this safety net.

tom w
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  #10  
Old 05-15-2007, 06:49 AM
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Back in the day, I used to sell and install shocks. Before installing we were told to cycle the shock a few times, making sure it was in the upright position--this was to bleed out the air. I noticed MANY shocks had air in the oil. The first couple of cycles had almost no dampening action. Then they would improve to offer the resistance intended. I would guess that upside-down would not work.
Admitedly, this was in the days before gas-charged shocks were the standard. I don't know if that makes a difference.
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  #11  
Old 05-15-2007, 08:47 AM
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If the oil and air is isolated by a piston or bladder, then you can mount the shocks upside down. Some shocks can be mounted upside down, some can not.
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  #12  
Old 05-15-2007, 11:54 AM
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It depends on the valving of the shock. Also you will need covers to protect the poloshed shock rod from dirt and dirt collecting inside the protector since it will act like a cup and keep water and dirt from escaping.
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  #13  
Old 05-15-2007, 08:40 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rrgrassi View Post
It depends on the valving of the shock. Also you will need covers to protect the poloshed shock rod from dirt and dirt collecting inside the protector since it will act like a cup and keep water and dirt from escaping.
Aha! that's the thing, these are AIR shocks, no cuppy thing

and I got my hands on one today, and it'll be very easy, infact, the trans am shock when extended is longer by about an inch. The airbag doesn't inflate much bigger than the diameter of a typical coil over shock. however, I will be have to remove the spring to install.

As far as the fronts are concerned, it gets a little tight up at the top with a stock shock, but with the air's upside down, the minor diameter is going to be at the top and it's smaller than an OE billstien.
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  #14  
Old 05-16-2007, 03:40 PM
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I have done this on my 1981 300D

.
Hello All

I also figured out the older style camaro and firebird shocks where the same as the Mercedes ones, only upside down.

And I tried some Monroe air shocks on the back of my 1981 300D 123 body.

I enlarged the access holes behind the rear seat to get the shocks inside the springs.

I have a problem with the diameter of the shock being too large.
The air fitting that comes off the side of the shock keeps hitting the inside of the spring.
Which cuts the air line and the shock looses pressure.

Also I do not like the ride of the car with the shocks.
I have to have pretty high air pressure in the shocks for them to work.
This jacks the rear of the car up severely, to the point of changing the rear alignment.

The ride is very bouncy with lower air pressure in the shocks.

I think I will be changing back to bilstien shocks.

But I sure can hall a heavy load on the trailer with the air shocks.

Just my experience, your mileage may vary.

Thank You
RichC
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  #15  
Old 05-16-2007, 05:02 PM
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Panzer,

Best to ask the manufacturer. THey usually know the most about their products.

P E H

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