Dean!

This is just a question, not sure how dumb I sound or not!

If loosening or removing the front swaybar helps with unsprung weight and weight transfer to the rear... what about unbolting the lower bolts of the two rear shocks on the 99-02 L ? I did a shock replacement about 2 weeks ago on a friend's 01 L, it was incredibly easy... you could undo the lower bolts for the shocks for the rear in prolly 10 minutes at the track...

Thoughts ? Sorta like a poor man's drag shock, cuz this would be FREE.. Anyone ?

fairlane

Why are shocks used in the rear?Try it and let us know the results.

HotRod

I would certainly NOT unhook the shocks. Their purpose is to control the springs movement. It is very possible the truck would be undrivable with them off. You could easily wreck. It will turn the rear of the truck into a pogo stick. Leave the rear sway bar in place also.

------------------
Rod K.

'93 Lightning #1529 NLOC #675
13.27 @ 101.55 Au Natural
12.67 @ 102.52 Kinda juiced..
'98 SVT Contour E1 #5782
'00 Suzuki Bandit S1200 10s??

Don's Bolt

I agree with Rod

Don't unhook any shocks.

If you want to help weight transfer just unhook the front sway bar.

Dean!

I bring this topic up, because I think it is a good point of discussion...
My thoughts are, any 60-70's Muscle Car of olde is body on frame with leafsprings only in the rear...no rear shocks...

I thought the 99-02 Lightnings were the only F-150s that had rear shocks, don't the regular F150's only have leafsprings in the rear?

If shocks were to control the leafsprings movement, it should only be up/down movement versus lateral movement of the rear axle, otherwise, all of our shocks would just crack in half. I think Ruslow once drove around with his hardened springs without shocks, but I am not sure of that statement.

I also bring this topic up because Hal shocks (for the 01 Lightning) when set to 1, I can compress the shocks with a finger..as if there wasn't even a shock there...but, I'd like to hear some more ideas, that last thing I want is to make a unsafe driving situation.....Thanks for the ideas thus far!

fairlane

Dean,The last time I was under my 1966 Fairlane,I was looking at my rear Lakewood shocks.All cars and trucks have rear shocks that I know of.

scampismith

Put 90/10's in the front and 50/50 shocks in the rear. No shocks is bad news.
George S. NLOC #542

Dean!

Ahh, thanks, I guess I was looking at some unfinished project cars - tainted me!

Thanks for the replies! Shocks it is...

Must be that GM product I own, also..

Lightning Struck

Anything with a spring needs a shock to control ocilation of the spring.. Be it a leaf spring or a coil it WILL ocilate. This will cause loading and unloading of the rear tires(much like wheel hop)...BAD NEWS... EVERY F-150 I've ever seen, along with EVERY car I've ever seen has shocks..

------------------
Curt
'93 Red Lightning #4232
http://www.geocities.com/lightning_struck93/index.html

CATMAN

It might work till you let off the gas then she would be all over the place. Most common combination like was said is 90/10s front 50/50 rear.

scampismith

The 90/10's are great for weight transfer but are not very good on the street. They are very hard on equipment.
George S. NLOC #542

POWERSTROKE

My Dad had a 1948 Ford F-1 pickup that didn't have any rear shocks on it I think.... Otherwise EVERY Ford I've ever seen has had shocks! I even had an '87 F-150 4X4 that had factory dual shocks on the front. Front & rear sway bars and aux. over-load springs on the back. MAN! How do some of these rumors get started anyhow?....

------------------
DENNY
'96 F-250 4x4 5-SPD
BRIGHT RED POWERSTROKE
LONG WHEEL BASE LIGHTNING!!!

Dean!

They get started by people like me looking under cars older than I am and not seeing any shocks hehehe I've looked at a 68 Camaro and a 60's something Mustang which I'll just assume were unfinished project cars... Oh, well, I "learnt" somethang today!

Litng1

LOL funny one Dean!.Dont start anymore rumors.

CATMAN

You would not want to run 90/10s on the street for sure.I was just describing the most commonly used shock for drag racing. There are other factors in chosing even a drag shock,weight and spring rates for instance. Just the main thing is run them.