Does anyone know how much travel there is in the shocks before bottoming out the shock and riding only on the spring?

When I first pur my car down on the ground from it's recent jack stand stance (it is now a 3.2 and has 5-lug suspension all around), The front end was lower than I had ever had it. The front end would still travel, so I figured I was good.

I drove it up and down our private road and the front would literally bounce.

Last night, I decided to raise the front end up. I raised it up about an inch to where it had been the last time I aligned it and the bouncy-ness went away.

Is this what happens when the front end is sitting on the rubber snubbers? It acted like there was no dampening and was only riding on the springs, but that can't be.

Is there any way I can measure the travel left without removing the dust shields and reinstalling the struts without them and measuring directly?


Hmmmmmm.....

I am not sure about checking without getting the shock piston out from under the dust sheilds. However, it only takes a minute to undo the top shock nut and lower the strut tube. Then push the snubber so it is down on the top of the strut tube and put a zip tie on the piston right over the snubber. Put it all back together and go for a spin. Come back and remove the shock nut again and pull down your strut, you can then see where the snubber is on the shock piston if you are bottoming out or not.

Well, that is kinda what I was thinking, however, I am also pondering the idea of running it for a short amount of time without the covers to do my tuning and then go back to using the dust covers when I work out a height that works for me.....

Any ideas? (I'm not talking long distances or long term)