Anyone have any opinions on shock absorbers?
Truck: '96 Dakota, 2WD Reg. Cab. SWB V8 Auto, 10,000 miles
Problem: The truck dives under braking. Not a big deal except when
dragging the boat out to the lake. Braking hard causes the front end to
dive and the tail to rise. Trailer tongue goes from nose down to nose up
and then the boat pushes. The truck is tail light anyway and the trailer
helps in a big way to unload the rear tires. Rear tires lock-up (yeah,
don't tell me about rear ABS) and you better be happy with your current
direction and speed.
So: Maybe better shocks. The stock ones do not seem to have any
dampening on rebound: only on bounce do they dampen and they are free on
rebound. Well, when the rear end unloads under braking, that is all
rebound (the shocks are extending) and the shock (and springs) top out.
What about Monroe shocks? Their higher-end shocks are the Magnum-Gas LT
(or something) on sale for $20 and they have their Road-Sensing Magnum
Gas for $28; on sale from $35.
The Magnum Gas LT are known for a stiffer ride but they do dampen in
both directions. The "Road Sensing" are similar to the LT but they put a
small groove in the middle of the shock tube to allow fluid to escape
around the plunger to provide a soft ride on normal bumps and harsher
dampening near the ends of travel. That seems sorta clever (and,
apparently, patentable).
So that's all I know about shocks.
Anyone got any recommendations?
AND ANOTHER THING: One of my gear head friends says a couple of degrees
of positive caster will help give the front some anti-dive. You buying
it?
OH YEAH: Just how much of this silly truck is metric anyway? It seems on
every project I got to put my good tools down and go scrounge up the
motorcycle stuff.
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