FOX 981-35-402-L 3.5 Factory Race 5-Tube Bypass Piggyback Reservoir Shocks Left

Vehicle Fitment

• Universal - not vehicle-specific; engineered for custom off-road race builds including Trophy Trucks, prerunners, desert race vehicles, long-travel truck builds, and rock bouncers
• Verify mounting dimensions, travel clearance, bypass tube routing, and chassis compatibility before ordering

Fitment Notes

• Left-hand (driver-side) shock - suffix "-L" designates left orientation; order 981-35-402-R for right-hand companion shock
• Sold as a single shock - sold individually; order both -L and -R for a complete pair
• 5 bypass tube configuration; bypass tube adjusters are 3/4-inch Gen 3 clicker-style
• Piggyback reservoir design - reservoir mounts piggyback on the shock body
• Spring not included - smooth body design works with an external primary spring (leaf spring, coil spring, or torsion bar already on the chassis)
• Mounting hardware (washers, bushings, nuts) included

Features

• FOX 3.5 Factory Race Series External Bypass with 5-tube position-sensitive damping - allows oil to flow around the piston through bypass zones for a plush ride zone, ramping up to full damping at the ends of travel
• All-new Gen 3 clicker adjusters for 3/4-inch bypass tubes - 25% greater adjustment range over the previous generation, with fewer parts for improved durability and serviceability
• Color-coded adjuster housings for compression, rebound, and gold (free bleed) valves for fast, easy identification on the trail or at the race pit
• Rotating body cap design allows bypass tubes and piggyback reservoir to be repositioned to clear chassis obstacles without disassembly
• Dual-coated steel body with proprietary FOX Grey Cerakote® ceramic coating over zinc-plated basecoat for best-in-class corrosion resistance and durability
• 17-4 H900 stainless steel 1.0-inch piston rod - twice the strength of conventional high-carbon steel, highly resistant to rock debris damage
• Viton main seals and urethane wiper seals for premium heat resistance, low friction, and long service life under extreme conditions
• Fully rebuildable, re-valvable, and serviceable for race-level maintenance and long-term ownership

Specifications

• Part Number: 981-35-402-L (Left-Hand)
• Series: FOX Factory Race Series
• Type: External Bypass - Smooth Body with Piggyback Reservoir
• Body Diameter: 3.5 inches
• Piston Rod Diameter: 1.0 inch
• Piston Rod Material: 17-4 H900 Stainless Steel
• Travel: 16.0 inches
• Extended Length: 42.43 inches
• Collapsed Length: 26.43 inches
• Bypass Configuration: 5-Tube External Bypass
• Bypass Tube Diameter: 3/4 inch
• Adjuster: Gen 3 Clicker (Compression, Rebound, Free Bleed)
• Reservoir Size: 3.0 x 16.0 inches (Piggyback)
• Main Seal: Viton
• Wiper Seal: Urethane
• Mounting Size: 5/8 x 1.500 inches
• Bearing: COM-12T
• Body Finish: FOX Grey Cerakote® over Zinc-Plated Basecoat
• Orientation: Left-Hand (Driver Side)
• Quantity: 1 shock per unit

Included Components

• 1x FOX 3.5 Factory Race Series External Bypass Piggyback Shock - Left-Hand
• 1x Black anodized billet aluminum piggyback reservoir clamp
• 1x Hardware kit (washers, bushings, and nuts)

Product Description

The FOX 981-35-402-L is the left-hand unit of FOX's 3.5 Factory Race Series External Bypass Piggyback shock with 16 inches of travel. This is a purpose-built race shock for serious off-road builds - Trophy Trucks, full-size prerunners, desert racers, and long-travel custom rigs that demand maximum damping control, heat capacity, and durability under sustained high-speed abuse. The 5-tube external bypass design creates multiple zones of position-sensitive damping: oil freely flows around the main piston through bypass ports during mid-stroke for a plush, compliant ride, then closes off as the shock approaches full compression or rebound, delivering progressive resistance to prevent harsh bottom-outs and top-outs.

The Gen 3 clicker adjusters provide 25% more range than previous generations and include independent compression, rebound, and free bleed circuits - all color-coded for fast identification at the pit. The rotating body cap allows the bypass tubes and piggyback reservoir to be repositioned around the shock body to clear chassis obstacles without any disassembly. The 1.0-inch 17-4 H900 stainless steel shaft, Viton seals, and Cerakote-over-zinc-plated dual-coat finish deliver race-grade durability in the harshest desert and rock environments. Note: the companion right-hand shock is sold separately as FOX 981-35-402-R.