The Car Care Clinic with the Dr John

95 2WD Day Van - Rear Shocks recommend

Charlie in Manchester

Question

What brand of rear shocks do you recommend for a '95 2WD Day Van? I haul some fairly heavy things sometimes and the vehicle must be weighted down for traction in winter. When I weigh it down, it sags a good bit. I am currently running factory shocks. Thanks for any advice

Answer

First, the job of the shock absorbers is to keep the tires on the road, and to dampen road surface oscillations, they are not designed to lift a vehicle. But, there are shock absorbers that are modified to assist in maintaining the ride height of a vehicle. The modified shocks are generally found in 2 configurations: air assisted (known to many as air shocks) and coil assisted (shocks with coil springs). The coil assisted shocks are designed to maintain vehicle ride height with about 200 lbs. of additional weight in the vehicle, rates vary depending on manufacturer. Air assisted shocks have air lines that join together at a fitting that looks similar to a tire valve stem. The air pressure can be increased or decreased as needed to maintain the vehicle's ride height. Check the manufacturer's specification regarding the additional load abilities of these shocks. If the load you're carrying is greater than the manufacturer's recommendation then consider installing stronger springs with heavy duty shocks.

Good Luck!
Dr. John