Suspension question? think shop got it wrong

Hi all ..

so today I called up a well known 4x4 shop to talk about winches and bumpers , during conversation I mentioned spring rates as I wouldn't want to change my new springs for HD ones ..

The guy asked what I was running , So I told him , new genuine LR springs , with old man emu shocks .. On mentioning this has asked who sold them to me, made a few huffs and said that I run a danger of bottoming them out and putting a strut through a turret, as the shocks are for a 50mm lift ..

after finish chatting I had a google and a check as I was sure that I had fitted things correctly .. The same shop sells standard height supergaz shocks showing 385mm closed , well the old man emu closed are 329 all showing +- 5mm..

so I called them back to point out the error of his ways and ask about this because if a standard hight shock when closed is overall longer the the OME logic tells me that what I fitted should be fine , he then said to me that a standard defender front shock is 319mm , and said to keep an eye on it and check my bump stops ...

I asked again and mentioned that all the brit part shocks for standard height truck are longer closed than the emus , he still didn't seem to understand what I was saying ..

So thought I put it to you guys ?? have I missed something ..

Shock length and spring length have no direct relation.

If you remove the spring and move the axle all the way up, ideally it should hit the bump stop before the shock is fully closed. If not then all the weight of the vehicle is directly on the shaft and mounting points of the shock. Known as the shock bottoming out. This could lead to a bent shaft on the shock or a bent/broken shock mount. Or some other damage to the shock body.

As a rule a longer shock (fully extended) will also have a longer closed length. Therefore presenting this as a potential problem. However shock lengths will vary from maker to maker.

A cheap work around option is to fit extended bump stops, thus limiting and restricting the amount of up travel by the axle. But this will also reduce your total flex as a rule.

Other options could mean relocating the shocks mounts. On the front this is done with taller turrets. Thus allowing the axle all the way up and the bottom pin/eye of the shock to end up where a stock one would under compression. But the top eye is further away allowing for the longer shock closed length.

In practice most people will find a +2” shock fine and will not likely suffer any problems. Unless you are getting it airborne and landing hard using all of the shock travel to the bump stops. For normal use on and off road you are unlikely to get the axle to hit the bump stop. The general lack of flex from the front doesn’t help and coil bind or spring rate may simple not allow it to occur under normal conditions.

I am not familiar with the OME shocks. So I don’t know there lengths. But there are many ways to create a longer shock. Simple having a longer shaft will give a long extended length and more droop. But if the shock body has the same length stroke then it will have total travel as a stock shock. Ie the wheel will always be 2” lower. Either fully compressed or extended. A shock with a different length stroke however can give more travel.

So the OME shocks are 10mm longer fully closed?
I doubt that will be a problem at all, l am sure the standard Defender shocks are not fully compressed when the suspension hits the bump stops, there will be a little reserve in the travel.
Certainly as much as 10mm anyway.

Yeah I got the impression that he got it wrong , then tried to back track .. Landrover don’t seem to give a open or closed length to there standard shocks ..

And I’m sure he didn’t measure one ... lol