More wheel travel in a smaller package

Spy Shots: New MetalCloak Jeep Wrangler JK Shocks

Posted May 31 2011 10:08 AM by John Cappa
Filed under: Editorials, Jeep Enthusiast Culture, John Cappa

Over the weekend while wheeling in Death Valley with some friends I got a first look at some MetalCloak prototype shocks. The idea is brilliant although somewhat complex.

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Basically there are six chambers. There are two small shocks facing up, two small shocks facing down, and two reservoirs. The shock body kind of floats in the middle since it's gas charged. What it does is allow a 14-inch travel shock in a space where typically only a 9 or 10 inch shock would fit. More wheel travel in a smaller space. True that the rectangle shock body is big but they seemed to fit fine on the front and rear of this lifted JK. Keep an eye out for these to hit the market. They are perfect for anyone trying to get more wheel travel while keeping lift heights low.

Reader Comments:

1. It looks to me as though they could accomplish the same thing in a much smaller package (in one of the dimensions, anyway) by using three tubes instead of four. The center one would be larger than the outer two, but the flatter package would likely fit in more, tighter applications. If you sized them properly (piston area of the single cylinder = the combined piston area of the dual, outer cylinders)one end wouldn't see more action than the other, assuming both ends were valved similarly. On the other hand, you could valve each end differently and possibly gain performance in multiple situations (slow vs. fast).

pbbelly - Posted May 31 2011 04:29 PM

2. That is an awesome setup and idea!

GeepYJ - Posted June 1 2011 07:59 AM

3. The shock has 6 tubes total, 4 slider tubes and 2 resi tubes. The shock body may appear large but in reality the actual circumference is the same as most attached style resi-shocks. More info to come...

MetalCloak - Posted July 7 2011 10:52 AM

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