FearThe4Doors

....I call on the ford guys for racing knowledge.

I need to know your thoughts on the placement of rear shock absorbers on a street/strip car.. err.. truck actually.

Ok, i'm putting a rear axle from an older muscle car in my Dakota. The stock (truck) rear has brackets on the axle tubes so the shock mounts straight up and down. That also seems to be the case with most trucks. The car axle, and also in most cars, has the shocks angled inward at the top, and the bottoms mounted out by the leaf springs. I'll obviously be making custom mounts when the rear gets in, but why the difference?

Do trucks have them vertical because they need more up and down dampning to help control the back when its loaded? And cars have them angled to help more in corners when the car leans? Or is it only for clearance issues since cars are more cramped in the back?

Also, if i make new upper mounts so i can mount them at angles, how do i decide how far in to put the tops? Do I lift the frame of the truck so the suspension is hanging, then fully extend the shocks, and find a mounting point? Or let the truck sit on the ground, compress the shock half way, then fit?

Thanks again for any help!!