ShottsCruisers
Explorer
OK....with my 100 being basically "completed" I continually tried to imagine what other changes could be made to improve off-road performance. One thought that kept naggin' at me was:
"OK, why do they have long-travel L-shocks for the 80-series and not for the 100?"
The answer in the front is obvious! IFS! Travel could not be improved by just adding a long shock (without wrecking something else).
"What about the rear though?" "The rear suspension is very similar in the 80" "I have L-shocks with 863 springs on my 80-series...why can't I slap them on my 100?"
The answers I got over and over to the above questions was "they don't fit". When I'd ask why I'd also get the following:
"The parts fit differently, plus it's a different truck"
"On an 80 the L-shocks were made for taller springs than the 863"
"Why do you want them?" "What will you gain?"
"Nobody is running this setup"
I would him-and-haw at the answers, though every trip out in the 100 this topic kept nagging at me. "If the 863 and N74 L-shock work so well on my 80-series, why can they not work on my 100?"
Finally, Mr. Slee had some extra time after I pushed him pretty hard to tell me "what it would take to put the L-shock on the 100 so I could try the setup out" and he came through. Here's the details:
"For John. N74L vs N101
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
John, the N74L should work by swapping some of the bushings.
Measurements:
N74L compressed vs N101 = 1" longer
N74L extended vs N101 = 2.6" longer
The bottom bushing ID is 19mm but on the N101 the width is 45mm and the N74L is 40mm. So you would need to use the N101 bottom bushing.
The top pin is 17mm on the N101 and 14mm on the N74L. The index washer lip is 26mm on the N101 and 22mm on the N74L.
So on the top you need to use the N101's washers and hardware, but you need to use the poly bushings from the N74L.
So there you go, send the check."
FINALLY....I HAD A SOLUTION! I had the parts...because I had 100 shocks. I "sent the check" and ordered a pair of N74L shocks. On they went in an hour.
"OK, why do they have long-travel L-shocks for the 80-series and not for the 100?"
The answer in the front is obvious! IFS! Travel could not be improved by just adding a long shock (without wrecking something else).
"What about the rear though?" "The rear suspension is very similar in the 80" "I have L-shocks with 863 springs on my 80-series...why can't I slap them on my 100?"
The answers I got over and over to the above questions was "they don't fit". When I'd ask why I'd also get the following:
"The parts fit differently, plus it's a different truck"
"On an 80 the L-shocks were made for taller springs than the 863"
"Why do you want them?" "What will you gain?"
"Nobody is running this setup"
I would him-and-haw at the answers, though every trip out in the 100 this topic kept nagging at me. "If the 863 and N74 L-shock work so well on my 80-series, why can they not work on my 100?"
Finally, Mr. Slee had some extra time after I pushed him pretty hard to tell me "what it would take to put the L-shock on the 100 so I could try the setup out" and he came through. Here's the details:
"For John. N74L vs N101
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
John, the N74L should work by swapping some of the bushings.
Measurements:
N74L compressed vs N101 = 1" longer
N74L extended vs N101 = 2.6" longer
The bottom bushing ID is 19mm but on the N101 the width is 45mm and the N74L is 40mm. So you would need to use the N101 bottom bushing.
The top pin is 17mm on the N101 and 14mm on the N74L. The index washer lip is 26mm on the N101 and 22mm on the N74L.
So on the top you need to use the N101's washers and hardware, but you need to use the poly bushings from the N74L.
So there you go, send the check."
FINALLY....I HAD A SOLUTION! I had the parts...because I had 100 shocks. I "sent the check" and ordered a pair of N74L shocks. On they went in an hour.
