where is best rear shock location

[blazer2007]

I have to move one of my shocks forwards or other side backwards so as to put air bags on my leafs,going to run 2 leafs with a air over leaf setup.Was wondering which would be a better shock location facing fr. or back.The truck is a 78 blazer with 454 with decent power

[cdowns]

rt in back of axel left in front of axel is the muscle car way of staggered shocks

[blazer2007]

That is the way my shocks are now but I have to move one of the shocks so I can put the air bags on the leafs,either in front or rear of the axle so they are equal when pumped up.So I have to move one of the shocks either forward or backwards,but I was wondering which position would be best

[Super73]

They are that way on a leaf set up for a reason. As you accelerate, the pinion wants to roatate up, when you decel, the pinion wants to roatate down. Engineers figured out by stagering the shocks (one in fron and one in the rear) it helps to control unwanted pinion angle movement.

I understand you packaging delema, but switching it up is going to put added wear on you u-joint and pinion seal. It is also going to change hard acceleration and braking characteristics.

If you really still want to move it, I really don't see an advantage to front or rear on a leaf spring style suspension. Just go as wide as you can as the closer to the center you go, it is going to induce a leverage ratio and will have less absorbtion control.

If this was a 3-link, 4-link or ladder bar I would say go behind the axle.

[blazer2007]

ok thanks I will try and rethink this out,maybe I can put the shocks inside the frame rails,Its tuff trying to have a lowered truck with bags and have the traction needed for lots of horsepower with out braking the bank

[Wild83C10]

You could always add a third shock that is mounted parallel to the gound near the center of the axle. This should prevent the axle from twisting too much. The Dodge SRT-10 Ram has this type of setup. This will allow you to put both shocks on one side.