modern front shocks - why do they have stems

[HiluxSurf SSR-G]

Hi,

I'm just curious why the front shocks of new model vehicles have stems in the lower portion. It's not only in the 2003 and up 4Runners but in other new vehicles as well. what does the stem do and why did they have to move the body from the lower mount?

If it is for safety reasons, what is protecting against?

If the lower stem is cut and/or reduced in length or the shock body is welded to the lower mount, can it be used on the 1996-2002 4Runner?

 

[Tyler James Inc]

I think it's as simple as this-
The engineers want the coilovers to mount higher on the frame vs lower down, and the spread between the upper and lower mount is greater than the shock is long. You wouldn't want to just use a longer shock- that would change everything- so they add the stem to supplement the spread difference.
Seems simple enough
I think I've seen where someone has cut out the stem and used that on a 3rd gen, but that seems pretty silly to me.

 

[HiluxSurf SSR-G]

good point!

by doing so, the frame where the lower mount is normally attached to is lowered, thereby lowering the CoG.
maybe that's one reason why the rear shock top mount was relocated outside of the frame and within the wheelwell, to clear the space inside of the ladder frame for more space for the body to lower the CoG and to utilize more space.

 

[Tyler James Inc]

The lower mount is on the LCA- not the frame. But yeah, I think they increased the distance between the UCA and LCA for more stability.
Along the same lines, the shocks being mounted outboard on the newer rigs is also primarily for stability- the further outboard the shocks are, the more effective and stable they become.
The F-150 was the first chassis that advertised having the shocks mounted outboard vs inboard- as far as I remember. I'm not saying Ford was the first manufacture to do so, it's just the first I remember. They made a pretty big deal about it when they went outboard with the rear shocks.