Wire coming out of rear shocks

[Gene King]

Hello. I have an 86 k10 that has one electric wire coming out of each rear shock absorber going forward towards the cab. Anyone know what this does? Google has no idea what I'm talking about. Thanks appreciate it

 

[77 K20]

A picture might help. You sure it is a wire and not an air line?

 

[Gene King]

Ohhhhh it is an air line lol. I forgot that was a thing for shocks. Interesting I'll have to see if I can find where they go to, thanks. One more quick question, any idea if something like this would be stock to the truck?

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[77 K20]

I don't think air shocks were ever stock. I had a '78 K15 that had air shocks when I bought it from the previous owner. The airlines went back to the rear bumper where they drilled in a schrader valve.

If yours is going up to the cab some shock companies made an in cab controller to change the air pressure. Maybe that was what was going on. This usually also had a small compressor under the hood.

 

[gotyourgoat]

Ohhhhh it is an air line lol. I forgot that was a thing for shocks. Interesting I'll have to see if I can find where they go to, thanks. One more quick question, any idea if something like this would be stock to the truck?

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No, not stock. You have some more work tracing back this install to make sure you don't have a parasitic draw from this helper system


Does this air shock system currently work?

 

[rpcraft]

You may want to consider replacing them with a new "non air" shock unless it has been sitting for some time without continuous use. If not the shocks are probably pretty old and worn out on one hand, but also air shocks were usually responsible for ripping the shock mounts out of the frames.

 

[DoubleDingo]

Air shocks, man I forgot all about those. My Jeep had them when I bought it. The rear leafs were shot and that was the PO's way of stopping the sagging. I put regular shocks on, and later went with new suspension

 

[Gene King]

Hey all, thanks for the replies. I followed them and they come together at a schrader valve under the floor of the cab. The valve is stuck, can't get a pressure read on it. Found one of my spring hangers rotted from the inside out at the same time, kinda sucks lol. Scraped out a pound of crap from the inside of it through it's new "breather holes" I made with a screwdriver.

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[shiftpro]

Hey all, thanks for the replies. I followed them and they come together at a schrader valve under the floor of the cab. The valve is stuck, can't get a pressure read on it. Found one of my spring hangers rotted from the inside out at the same time, kinda sucks lol. Scraped out a pound of crap from the inside of it through it's new "breather holes" I made with a screwdriver.

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Time for a shackle reverse kit.

 

[shiftpro]

A note on air shocks...
Using these to lift or hold a load up is just waiting for the shock mounts to break. Shock mounts are not and have never been designed to hold weight.
Yes we used them in the 70's to jack up our Trans Ams and Novas to clear the 5o series tires, and even though these cars rear ends didn't weigh much we still broke the shock mounts.

Air shocks were never known for having any decent dampening anyway.

 

[idahovette]

A note on air shocks...
Using these to lift or hold a load up is just waiting for the shock mounts to break. Shock mounts are not and have never been designed to hold weight.
Yes we used them in the 70's to jack up our Trans Ams and Novas to clear the 5o series tires, and even though these cars rear ends didn't weigh much we still broke the shock mounts.

Air shocks were never known for having any decent dampening anyway.

Nope just anti rub control.....til the damn air lines broke or got burned in two!!!

 

[77 K20]

Time for a shackle reverse kit.

ORD is now making beefed up stock style tension hangers. They allow the shackle to move a lot for a nicer ride.

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[Rusty Nail]

I ran air shocks to clear the rear tires in the '81 T/A. Schrader valve in the fuel filler.

 

[Raider L]

@ 77 K20,

Boy, those hangers look nice. I don't know anything about 4Wheelin' but those parts look good.

What is a reverse hanger? Is that for relocating the leaf spring on the inside of the frame so you can run bigger tires? I don't know. I think I must have been thinking about a drag racing mod.

 

[77 K20]

@ 77 K20,

Boy, those hangers look nice. I don't know anything about 4Wheelin' but those parts look good.

What is a reverse hanger? Is that for relocating the leaf spring on the inside of the frame so you can run bigger tires? I don't know. I think I must have been thinking about a drag racing mod.

I believe he was talking about a shackle flip- where instead of a tension style shackle it is a compression shackle.

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Here was a pic when I was installing the 2.5" shackle flip lift.

The stock shackle and rubber bushing does not allow free movement of the shackle- so you get a rougher ride and less articulation.

Also nice is the ability to run 56" springs instead of 52" springs. In general the longer the leaf spring the nicer it will ride. Newer trucks have 64" springs if I remember right.