Staggered Shocks

[izzy_Britton]

all of my square trucks have had staggered shocks on them from the factory. Only one truck that i owned i changed to be on the leading edge of the rear axle housing and leaning forward. unfortunately i never got to drive that truck enough to notice if there was any difference in the ride quality or handling.

What is the consensus on changing the shocks so that they are either on the front or rear on the rear axle housing?

I notice now that i have put new shocks on my 86 that the left rear seems a little more 'squishy' when going thru dips in the road on straight roads and much much more 'squishy' if there is a right hand corner with a dip in the road at all.

I Have been considering bolting in a simple shock mount cross member just forward of the rear axle housing and changing the shock mounts on the axle housing itself. This would put the shocks ahead of the axle housing.

I am wondering what would the pros or cons of running shocks in an un-staggered configuration be?

Also the shocks would be inboard of the frame rather than outboard. I could do the cross member so that the shocks are on the axle housing located in a similar position from center as the stock mounts and have them tilt inward to a more center mount on the cross member. this could serve as a simple way to use a stock length shock in a lowered truck situation?

Looking at porter built parts his rear drop member is a little too extreme for me and my daily driver, but i noticed that he mounts his shocks inboard of the frame, forward of the axle housing, straight up and down, and the bottom mount appears to be the swaybar itself?

Thoughts?

TIA

-Izzy