Anyone with McGaughys Rear Shock Extenders

[91RS]

I'm looking for an installed picture of McGaughys 33070 rear shock extenders (I think this is the only one they offer so any of their drop kits would have come with these). They're the same from 01-19 so I figured I'd try here as well. I currently have Belltech extenders and they only dropped the shock down 3/4" so they're still much shorter than before the drop. Since I have Autoride I'd really love the shock not to be so much shorter. I have the Belltech 2/3 drop. I don't want to just arbitrary buy more parts. McGaughys said their extenders drop the shock about 2.5" so I'd like verification. If you happened to measure the length of your shock length before and after installation, that'd be even better information.

 

[05Single]

3/4” doesn’t doesn’t sound right for shock extenders . Most of not all brands should be one size and that’s around 2-3” drop for the brackets. Any lower and you buy lowering springs at that point. Are you sure yours is installed correctly ?

 

[91RS]

There's only one way to install them. I called Belltech and asked how much the shock extenders drop the shocks and they told me 2". They might move the shock BACK 2" to keep the shock more vertical (which is a good thing) but they definitely don't DROP it 2". I'm comparing side-by-side to my wife's not-yet-lowered Yukon Denali with the same suspension. The McGaughy's mounts appear to drop the shock down more but not move it as far back as the Belltech mounts. That may or may not be an improvement. I think the airbags are leaking now so new rear shocks may be in order either way and if I start brand new shocks off in this position it'll probably be fine.

 

[Big Mama]

I’ll try to remember to take a pic later. I have McGauphy shock extenders for a 2/3 drop 07 Denali and they’re at least 2 inches. Don’t forget to trim the bump stops or get shorter ones. The bracket moves the end down and out a little just bc of the angle of the shock but it’s not like an L shape.

 

[91RS]

That would be awesome, thanks.

I do have shorter bump stops already installed.

 

[05Single]

I have djm extenders on my 2/4 drop and they drop the shock more than 2”. At first I rode with one blown air shock in the back and the other going out. Put in new shocks and never saw a difference in ride height. It’s the springs that hold the weight. I never bottomed out in the shocks but I was slamming the frame pretty hard so I did the free travel mod (cut the bump stops)

 

[Big Mama]

Sorry had to get my grandsons I’ll take a pic tomorrow.

 

[Big Mama]

Not great pics but you get the idea

 

[iamdub]

I have a set of DJM extenders which are almost identical to the McG except for the color. I placed the center of the hole where the shock would originally mount exactly 12" from a wall. Keeping the end of the tape on the wall and swinging the "smart" end over the extended location hole, I measured right at 16". This tells me it's a 4" increase in travel. Seems pretty straightforward. Or am I missing something?

 

[91RS]

Thanks @Big Mama. It certainly appears that they drop the shock down more than the Belltech brackets. If it isn't too much trouble, could you measure how long the shock is from center of bolt hole to center of bolt hole? And also measure from the center of the hub to the 1/4 panel edge so I can compare the measurements accurately?

 

[Big Mama]

About 18 1/2 center bore to lip of quarter panel and 20 1/2 bolt hole to bolt hole on shock. Take note I didn’t turn the key for the shock to air up but I don’t think either would have changed much. Hope it helps. I actually got mine from Chris @iamdub

 

[91RS]

Interesting. Yours is supposed to be a 3" drop in the rear? My hub-to-fender measurement is 19.5" and the shock length is about 18" with the bags deflated since they're leaking. My wife's not-yet-lowered 2012 Yukon is 22.25" hub-to-fender and the shock length is 19" also with apparently leaking empty air bags. Either way it appears the McGaughys extenders lower the shock much more than the Belltech extenders.

 

[Big Mama]

I could see that my shocks were extended a little. I forgot that when I back down my driveway the compressor comes on. I’ll start it and go a few feet and remeasure hub to quarter to see any difference. My tire size is 305/40/22 which may make a little difference.

 

[91RS]

Measuring from the hub center to the fender lip takes the tire out of the equation. It’s much easier to compare that way instead of fender to ground measurements.

 

[Big Mama]

Good point. I measured again after going to the store on flat ground and got 18.

 

[91RS]

Interesting that yours appears to be so much lower than mine even though it’s supposed to be a 3” rear drop. You did say it was an 07 Denali, right?

Either way, I just ordered a set of the McGaughys brackets. Maybe it’ll make my rear shocks leak slower like they were before the drop and I can put that off a bit longer. I drove without the radio on the other day and that compressor was running quite a bit so I don’t want to burn it up. I’m sure I can sell the Belltech extenders for something. They would be much better for someone withOUT auto/mag ride since they can buy shorter shocks, the Belltech ones do move the shock further toward the rear.

 

[Big Mama]

You changed the actuator rods correct? If you did that and extended the shocks hopefully it’ll give your compressor a rest until a load is applied.

 

[91RS]

I did change them and the sensor readings are both within .1v of the original readings.

 

[Big Mama]

Yes 07 Denali it’ll be interesting to see what yours is. All I used out back was 3” springs and I used 2” spindles up front.

 

[91RS]

Since my kit is the Belltech kit and they use the same spring for the 3" and 4" drop and you just use the spacer under the spring to make it a 3" drop (which they say with Autoride is actually more like a 2.5" or 3.5") it is very possible the rear drop is slightly different.

I got the McGaughy's extenders the other day and I'm hoping to install them after work today. I also went ahead and ordered new rear shocks. One is already in but the other might be here today or Monday. On one hand I really want to try the extenders with my current shocks to see what happens but if the other new one does show up today I'll probably go ahead and replace them to save time doing it later.