Unraveling the Mystery of Unconventional Pickup Truck Shock Mounting

Pickup trucks often have staggered shocks, with one shock mounted in front of the rear axle and the other mounted behind it. This configuration helps to prevent axle hop and tramp, which can occur when leaf springs deform under hard acceleration or braking. The shocks resist the rotation of the axle, reducing the twisting of the springs. Additionally, the lateral spacing of the shocks relative to the wheels affects their motion ratio in roll, with outboard shocks providing better damping. However, the placement of shocks is limited by packaging constraints, and independent suspensions offer more consistent motion ratios in both vertical and roll motions.