For anyone wishing to upgrade their rear shocks, on my 1992 MiniCab, I installed a set of Munroe Max Air (MA803) air adjustable shocks. Thoe only problem was that the metal sleeves in the rubber shock bushings were sized for 1/2 inch shock bolts, and had to be resized (I think up to 13mm) to fit the metric studs on the truck. Since at the time, I didn't have a set of metric drill bits, I had to make due with a rat-tail file, but it worked, the shocks are on, and I like them. For me, this was a good modification, since most of the time I don't haver anything in the bed, so I bleed the air off to 20psi, but if I do want to jack up the ride height, all I have to do is add air to the system, allowing me to carry a pretty heavy load. Adjusting is easy - I just mounted the air valve on the lower back portion of the bed.
The stud should be 12mm and that is a bit smaller that 1/2” I believe. 13mm is not used as far as I know.
MichTrucks: That's weird. Maybe there's something strange about my truck, but when I ran a 1/2 inch drill bit through the sleeves, they still wouldn't slip over the shock mount studs, even though I cleaned them up with emrey cloth. - Thus the rat tail file business. Anyway they fit now, and I'm happy with the outcome. - - And thanks for the input. I appreciate any help I can get, since I'm new to this game.
Arty, I have been into these trucks for over 12 years now and i truly have the curse of gab about them.
MitchTrucks: This bugged me all last night thinking about it, so ,today I crawled under to re-check my measurements. The wrench size is 14mm, which equates to a 10mm threaded stem where the nut threads onto the shock stud, but the stud is only theaded in about 18mm, after which the shock stud itself increases to 13mm. I'm pretty sure this is to prevent the nut from squeezing the shock rubbers too much. - -Anyway - that's how it is on my MiniCab. - -Is that weird, or what?
Arty. No, that is certainly how the shock studs are made. It's just I thought they were standard sizes. I will remember to always check each one. i have a 2001 Suzuki DA63T and the large diameter on that end of the upper stud measures at 12.44mm. Yep, you can ignore every thing I say ;<)
Humm. Really, you drilled out the sleeve? I just installed a set of adjustable damping gas shocks on my 98 s110p dumper and just heated the bushing and pushed it out totally so just the rubber is on the stud. I figure that it won’t rust to the stud that way. Just my two cents and logic. Paco
Paco: For me anyway, if I had just pushed out the sleeve, it would have been too sloppy a fit on the shock stud.
