Front Suspension Setup

[Chingon619]

Hey all, I need some help with front suspension setup. I am currently swapping all components from a 2 seat frame to a 4 seat frame. Same builder but now the upper shock mounts are in a different position. They look to be about 1.5" higher on the new and about 3.5" more inboard. 

So with that said, I thought, ok I'll just mod my arms those distances to make up for the difference. Sounds easy enough... but what I can't wrap my head around is, maybe even on my old frame.... at full bump the frame bottoms first before the shock's full compression distance. I kind of remember removing the springs and letting it down slowly and I had ground clearance of about 5". I'm confused now. 

So the questions are;

1. Do you have to setup the frame and shock mounts at full bump leaving some ground clearance on the frame? So basically collapsed shock is at 19.1" so, hole to hole and done? 

2. Adding bypasses, which is supposed to bottom first? Bypass or coilover?

I don't think my 2 seater ever bottomed the front end except for one time I lost talent over a dune near the flats lol nose dive for sure but popped out of it no problem. If I had to guess, my old frame was still about 2" from full bump on the shock as the frame bottomed out. 

What about the shock's full compression? How is it possible to reach full compression with springs in the way, crossover hitting, collapsing lower spring only? Maybe it never seen full collapsed mode. 

Am I trippin'? Should I just follow the shock hole distance difference and call it a day? My old setup worked fine, may be a bit heavier now. 

 

[2turbofords]

Was the old setup for a 10-in stroke shock? Lots of old frames used in 8-in shock in the front then later models started using 10" shocks in the front. I also learned that a 10-in stroke shock 2.0 is a couple inches shorter than the same stroke shock with a 2.5 body. I bought the wrong length bypass shocks when I upgraded my front end and it limited the down travel a lot. Post some pics

 

[Chingon619]

Was the old setup for a 10-in stroke shock? Lots of old frames used in 8-in shock in the front then later models started using 10" shocks in the front. I also learned that a 10-in stroke shock 2.0 is a couple inches shorter than the same stroke shock with a 2.5 body. I bought the wrong length bypass shocks when I upgraded my front end and it limited the down travel a lot. Post some pics

Both frames setup for 12" shocks. Problem was, that I didn't provide the front arms for the builder to match them. No way for him to know where the mounting tabs were. 

Not many pics but here goes... I referenced the upper arm mounting holes to where the upper shock mounts were. So it went 1.5" higher and about 3.5" inboard. 

 

[KLC]

Coil over and bypass should bottom out at the same time.

 

[Rockwood]

Set your minimum ride height, then collapse the shocks (remove the air) and set your mounts based off of that. Before final burn in, make sure it makes sense at ride height (50-60% of bump travel remaining). Full droop can always be limit strapped, but make sure you have sufficient droop remaining at expected ride height or it’ll look funny or ride like chit.

Best to make both shocks bottom at the same time. If for some reason you can’t, you want the bypass to bottom first since that will make the position sensitivity actually work.