quick shock question...
 

does it matter if you put gas shocks upsidedown or not?, I like the rod pointing down.

They dont say "this side up".

O.K. I'll bite... The 2 I put in last week had directional arrows.

Depends upon the shock design. All twin-tube shocks must ride shaft up, body down.

They need to go in right side up, otherwise the top (now the bottom) will collect dirt and water and damage the seal in no time and the oil will leak out.

Well heres what it looks like, I suppose I can flip em, but there were no arrows or anything.

They apear to be missing the top 1/2 of the body....never seen anything like that.

Sure those aren't bicycle tire pumps you got on there? ;):lol:

Those look like BellTech shocks.

All the 4x4 shocks I have seen look like those. Most mount them the other way but I don't see why what u have wont work.

I have a question boraxman, Am I not seeing that right or is there no plug in your rearend cover? Is that factory? How do you check the fluid? Thanks

There's supposed to be a plug on there? :confused:

It's been a while since i had a 12 bolt truck, but isn't the fill hole on the passenger side of the diff....towards the front a little?

Yep, fill plug will be in the rear housing, on the passenger side. 12 bolts have smooth covers.

Ok the shocks are Doshtsh or something, nitrogen gas charged, along with all new 3"-5" springs and rear shock locators, my ride has improved :) Guess i'll leave them bike pumps alone for a while :hm:

Contact the shock vendor or the shock manufacturer, surely they have a recommendation.

Good link, but says nothing about mounting up or down.

I don't think it matters which way they are mounted, as far as performance.. If it was me, I would mount them reveresed as they are pictured, only to keep the rods from getting damaged by rocks and whatever getting kicked up under the truck...

IMO, the oil in a shock is designed to be stored and displaced as the piston travels, if upside down would this not cause a problem in performance?

I race cars, some shocks can be put on any way you want, while others do have to be mounted a specific direction. I wish I could remeber what the determining factor is. The shocks I use are gas mono-tube bilstein's and they can be mounted however you want. Call the manufacturer I would say.

Although, the way you have em mounted gives you less unsprung weight, should handle better if the shocks will work mounted like that;) Probably not enough differece to notice tho.

If they are twin tube shocks, the oil would drain away from the piston/valve after the compression and leave gaps in the oil that could lead to cavitation.