Can I mount my shocks upside down?

[TerryMason]

I'm having problems with my shocks making contact with the coil buckets on my TJ when it's fully flexed out. I've got some Rubicon Express shocks that came with my 2 inch budget boost some years ago. Anyone know if it's ok to mount these upside down?

 

[JPNinPA]

Saw people do or and found this on Monroe website. Scroll down
http://www.monroe.com/support/FAQ#faq17

Actually seems like a good question for the shock manufacturer.

 

[69jeepcj]

Idk terry, I do know some shocks you can't or at least not supposed to. Something about the fluid heating up I think

 

[SteelHeadz]

My best suggestion is to call the manufacturers technical hotline. Some shock absorbers cannot be mounted upside down due to the design of its internal dampening valve in the piston. It voids it's ability to absorb the shock and the fluid stays on the wrong end of the piston without letting it bleed back to it's reservoir end . This also will cause it to blow the fluid out on the seal of the shaft. Most of the modern high performance shocks are built to be able to be mounted either way but that is usually noted on its specs. You might also look for a shock relocation bracket. It mounts on the original shock mount and has an offset away from the coil springs where the shock absorber mounts to. I dont know the manufacturer but i've seen several of them here on the local jeep rigs.

 

[TerryMason]

Thanks guys. I did some research and didn't find much about this specific shock, then I went and actually looked at the shock - there is a clearly labeled top with an arrow pointing to which side should be up. I'm betting that this shock is supposed to be mounted can down. The overall consensus from what I've read (including JPNinPA's great link) is that oil fillled shocks generally mount can down, and gas shocks don't matter too much.

SteelHeadz - I bought some of the relocation brackets, and that will work great on my driver side, but on the passenger side it will push the shock into the exhaust (the exhaust is about 1 inch behind the shocks). My thought is that if I can mount the shocks can up, then it would give me just enough spacing to clear the bucket, where the shock body is larger than just the rod.

I either need to move the exhaust, or do something with the shocks, and it looks like the shocks would be easier.