12" SAW v. 10" King/Fox

[WannaB-class5]

I am going to put coilovers on a link pin beam soon and there is a beam with Coilover towers that uses 10" fox/kings. Will a 12" SAW fit? Or should I just fab shock mounts after I put the beam on? All I really care is that I don't have too much up and bust a shock. If I lose down I am fine.

I guess collapsed and extended lengths would help me, does anyone know where I can get them for a fox and one for a SAW?

[baldeagle]

You should never bottom or fully extend a 10 in shoch with a beam front end if it is set up properly. I have a beam car that cycles 15 1/2 inches of usable travel with a 10 inch coil over and I only use about 8 3/4 inches of the shock. This is with 4 over Foddrill arms. With a 12 inch shock the only thing that you will have is taller shock towers. You will not be able to get any more travel due to the arc of the bottom pivot point.

[Kritter]

Fox
10.0 2.5 C/O REMOTE RESERVOIR
Ø2.5 X 14
29.43
19.50
9.93

Fox 10.0 2.0 C/O N/A
26.10
16.15
9.95

King 10 inch 2.50 resi
29.625
19.625

SAW 12 inch
31.5 ext
19.5 comp

[WannaB-class5]

Well the Fox is over 3" shorter extended but you get all 10" of travel. I think that would be the safest way to go for me. Is a 2.0 enough for a baja? I have 2.5 in the rear and Ihave never found a truck that a 2.0 will do.

Kritter thanks for the numbers that is exactly what I was looking for and baldeagle I ALWAYS love to hear real use situations. I was going to go with the 2 1/2 arms so I should be safe. I have not seen the 4" so I don't know if the shock mounting points are different....

[slimjim]

why is the saw shorter compressed? is there unused space at the top of the king body?

[Kritter]

why is the saw shorter compressed? is there unused space at the top of the king body?

shorter dead length...

could be from shorter end mounts, shorter rod guide, shorter piston, shorter bump cap...you name it...

[CHASE550]

Main reason the SAW is shorter is, the Externally threaded top cap, unlike the king and fox shocks that both have top caps that thread in side the shock body.

[WannaB-class5]

Does any of this change the performance of the shock? I am about to buy shocks and I would love to know!

[Kritter]

go with the king or the fox and you will be fine.

[phorensic]

Does any of this change the performance of the shock? I am about to buy shocks and I would love to know!

If you are referring to the body length as affecting the performance, then no. Unless you are referring to a bypass, which would mean that if you had a SAW and Fox of the same travel, the piston in the SAW would probably be higher or lower than the Fox, creating a tuning difference. I've heard talk around several pits of people getting custom bypass bodies made (custom bypass tube locations) to put the piston in the right spot. For most applications you don't even need to worry about it.

[WannaB-class5]

Perfect....and thanks. I got the info I need and will be going to Kartek soon!