WTK: LMTV Shock absorber options

[coachgeo]

So I ordered some Monroe Magnum 65456 but they are way to short , are there two versions of these shocks? I measured the 65456 and extended its 26" but the Monroe chart is stating EXT is 32.88.


Edit - Never mind seems the one I opened was different then the other three / others fit perfectly / I will need to go to tractor store to get an insert for the shock eyelet bushing the are pretty big and even the lower bolt which is pretty big has slop in it . Looks like the first shock has been miss labeled

keep in mind..... bolts I think are different sizes. iffff I recall right it was like top and bottom are different..... or it was rear axle vs front axle.... maybe both..

 

[j_boucher]

keep in mind..... bolts I think are different sizes. iffff I recall right it was like top and bottom are different..... or it was rear axle vs front axle.... maybe both..

Yes there is a different in size the top for all 4 are the same ( a smaller Bolt ) and bottoms are all the same , with that I went to a farm store and got some 8 lift arm bushings 1/1/8 to 7/8 reduction part number 228CO006TSC for the shock eyelets and these are fine for the lower bolt size , for the upper bolt I picked up 4 Lift arm bushings 7/8 to 5/8 reduction part number 228C002TSC these fit perfectly inside the other bushing and reduce it perfectly for the upper smaller bolt .

So I don't have a press so what I did was throw the larger bushings in the freezer over night then pressed them in with my vise I did notice they may need a trim as they are barley to large and caused one side of the shock rubber to bulged a little , however when I tightened it down it evened out " I know this because I took a shock apart and noticed the rubber evened out" The smaller bushings for the top bolts slide perfectly into the larger .

Shocks are in but haven't taken it out for a drive yet I will be doing it later today

So here is what ordered in total

4 Monroe Magnum 65456
8 Lift Arm bushings - 228CO006TSC, fitted into the 65456 eyelets
4 Lift Arm bushings - 228C002TSC inserted into the upper eyelets "inside the 228CO006TSC" for the 4 upper bolts

 

[MatthewWBailey]

Did you ever install the 65456 ?

I just did

A Shocking thread, A1 Monroe 65456

Replaced the first front shock with Monroe 65456. Luckily, the Monroe compressed length is 1/8" shorter and extended length 3/8" longer than the originals. (Unless the old shocks are damaged). The passenger side old shock is super hard to compress while out of the truck (all my weight on it...

www.steelsoldiers.com

 

[Ronmar]

Found my notes from an off-line conversation I had on this subject. the person I had the discussion with pointed out some other possible options from Bulldog, Gabriel and Ford.

from my looking the Monroe, Gabriel and Ford all had the same specifications. The Bulldog was the same overall/extended length as the
LMTV originals, but had 1” more travel, so ~ 1” shorter compressed length… He was going to try the Bulldogs, but I never heard back how or even if that went…

65456	Monroe Shocks & Struts
85376	Gabriel
F6HT18045LA	OEM(think this is a ford P/N)
HD1215-0126	Bulldog HD

 

[goaway]

I just finished installing two Monroe 65456 on my front axle.

The highway ride had negligible improvement, the in town (bumpy city streets) had a definite improvement, and on forest roads there was a LARGE improvement. Town and forest road driving is much more comfortable with less bouncing, body roll, swaying, etc. Thanks Ronmar for posting the part numbers.

I have seen a few posts mentioning that someone bought a replacement shock absorber and when compressing it by hand, it felt softer. To the best of my knowledge, the OEM shocks are hydraulic without gas and the Monroe 65456 are hydraulic WITH gas. There is no comparison between with and without gas. Gas is far superior as it significantly reduces internal cavitation when the shock is under heavy load along with other benefits. The shock absorber reacts differently to different amounts of force, so a shock dyno would be needed for an accurate comparison between OEM and the Monroes’.


Shocks (NAPA): $14/EA. (Not a typo. Can be found on amazon for $12)

The shocks come with bushings that are approximately 1-1/16” ID by 2” deep. You can cut the bushings out of your old shocks and turn/grind them down. Or you can try to find bushings of the following dimensions:

Upper Sleeve- 5/8” ID, 1-1/16” OD. No washers or shims needed, it fits perfectly into the stock mount
Lower Sleeve - 7/8” ID, 1-1/16” OD. If you are a perfectionist, you will need a TBD amount of washers to get it evenly spaced front-rear. Otherwise just put it in and drive like the Taliban is chasing you.



A note for those with a 6x6 AO or A1- the rear axle shock lengths are:
35.8” Extended
22.12” Collapsed
13.68” Travel

So the 65456 are quite a bit shorter than the original 6x6 rear shocks and I have not found a suitable replacement for it yet.


Is it worth it to replace your shocks with the 65456? Absolutely, don’t hesitate.

 

[Reworked LMTV]

I just finished installing two Monroe 65456 on my front axle.

The highway ride had negligible improvement, the in town (bumpy city streets) had a definite improvement, and on forest roads there was a LARGE improvement. Town and forest road driving is much more comfortable with less bouncing, body roll, swaying, etc. Thanks Ronmar for posting the part numbers.

I have seen a few posts mentioning that someone bought a replacement shock absorber and when compressing it by hand, it felt softer. To the best of my knowledge, the OEM shocks are hydraulic without gas and the Monroe 65456 are hydraulic WITH gas. There is no comparison between with and without gas. Gas is far superior as it significantly reduces internal cavitation when the shock is under heavy load along with other benefits. The shock absorber reacts differently to different amounts of force, so a shock dyno would be needed for an accurate comparison between OEM and the Monroes’.


Shocks (NAPA): $14/EA. (Not a typo. Can be found on amazon for $12)

The shocks come with bushings that are approximately 1-1/16” ID by 2” deep. You can cut the bushings out of your old shocks and turn/grind them down. Or you can try to find bushings of the following dimensions:

Upper Sleeve- 5/8” ID, 1-1/16” OD. No washers or shims needed, it fits perfectly into the stock mount
Lower Sleeve - 7/8” ID, 1-1/16” OD. If you are a perfectionist, you will need a TBD amount of washers to get it evenly spaced front-rear. Otherwise just put it in and drive like the Taliban is chasing you.



A note for those with a 6x6 AO or A1- the rear axle shocks appear to be about 1-1.5” longer than the fronts in both extended and compressed length (this is a by eye measurement - not scientific.) You can still use the 65456 on the rear axles and will just loose a tiny bit of your travel. For $14/ea the ride improvement will outweigh the 1” of travel lost.


Is it worth it to replace your shocks with the 65456? Absolutely, don’t hesitate.

Do you have pictures of your new set up ?

 

[Reworked LMTV]

I just finished installing two Monroe 65456 on my front axle.

The highway ride had negligible improvement, the in town (bumpy city streets) had a definite improvement, and on forest roads there was a LARGE improvement. Town and forest road driving is much more comfortable with less bouncing, body roll, swaying, etc. Thanks Ronmar for posting the part numbers.

I have seen a few posts mentioning that someone bought a replacement shock absorber and when compressing it by hand, it felt softer. To the best of my knowledge, the OEM shocks are hydraulic without gas and the Monroe 65456 are hydraulic WITH gas. There is no comparison between with and without gas. Gas is far superior as it significantly reduces internal cavitation when the shock is under heavy load along with other benefits. The shock absorber reacts differently to different amounts of force, so a shock dyno would be needed for an accurate comparison between OEM and the Monroes’.


Shocks (NAPA): $14/EA. (Not a typo. Can be found on amazon for $12)

The shocks come with bushings that are approximately 1-1/16” ID by 2” deep. You can cut the bushings out of your old shocks and turn/grind them down. Or you can try to find bushings of the following dimensions:

Upper Sleeve- 5/8” ID, 1-1/16” OD. No washers or shims needed, it fits perfectly into the stock mount
Lower Sleeve - 7/8” ID, 1-1/16” OD. If you are a perfectionist, you will need a TBD amount of washers to get it evenly spaced front-rear. Otherwise just put it in and drive like the Taliban is chasing you.



A note for those with a 6x6 AO or A1- the rear axle shocks appear to be about 1-1.5” longer than the fronts in both extended and compressed length (this is a by eye measurement - not scientific.) You can still use the 65456 on the rear axles and will just loose a tiny bit of your travel. For $14/ea the ride improvement will outweigh the 1” of travel lost.


Is it worth it to replace your shocks with the 65456? Absolutely, don’t hesitate.

The part number Monroe 65456 refers to a Monroe Gas-Magnum 65 Shock Absorber, which is a heavy-duty shock designed for Class 6–8 trucks and commercial vehicles.

Here are the key details and specifications for this part:

Product Overview

• Series: Gas-Magnum 65 (Gas-charged for faster response and consistent control).
• Application: Heavy-duty suspension (often air spring or taper leaf suspensions).
• Key Feature: It features a large 1-3/4" bore and a 2-3/8" reserve tube to handle high mileage and severe use.

Technical Specifications

• Extended Length: 32.88 inches
• Compressed Length: 20.25 inches
• Travel Length (Stroke): 12.63 inches
• Mounting (Top & Bottom): Eyelet (Loop Bushing Mount) – 1" ID x 1-3/4" length.
• Gas Charged: Yes (Nitrogen)

Common Vehicle Fitments
This shock is generally used on the Front Suspension of medium-to-heavy-duty trucks, including:

• Sterling Truck: LT8500 and LT9500 (approx. 1999–200
• Sterling Truck: SC7000 and SC8000 Cargo
• Ford: LA8000F and similar heavy commercial models (approx. 1991–1997)

 

[Reworked LMTV]

The Monroe shock is now discontinued. All the other versions that are still available from manufactures are hydraulic, not gas. This is not necessarily bad, but it will likely be a softer ride.