mounting shocks

[jerry]

I need some help getting the rear shocks mounted. The lower mount should not be the problem as you can see. the upper mount is the problem, i am not sure how to lay out the tubes that the shock will *mount to.
Would one of you smart guy be so kind as to paint something up..

[jerry]

better pic of lower mount

[bdkw1]

Rotate the tabs around the tube until the shock is mounted as low as possible. Where they are at right now, you will have a poor motion ratio when bottomed. This will also help get the top down closer to the other tubes.

[yummi]

Please forgive my ignorance, and lord knows, don’t do this till the smart one’s chime in. *That is not me. *

I say put a third brace on the lower “A” arms about mid point, rotate the tab on the third, newly installed brace on the lower “A” arm (That seems smart bdkw1). *(Looking at the rear shot, the new cross brace may not be required as it might get the shock beyond 90 degrees at full compression?). *

Then run a cross brace at approximately 45 degrees from the rear most vertical tube to the horizontal cross member that appears to be 12” from the rear most bar. *The shock mount point would then intersect at the approximate mid point of that newly mounted 45 degree cross member? * Seems that way it would all be braced together and allow for possible front to rear mounting alignment so optimal placement could be reached? *

Again, WAIT FOR THE SMART ONES! *I am just throwing this out as an idea. *

Smart ones, feel free to pounce on me and toss me back into my hole. *This thing here -->> should say "I am" - Not "I am with."

[Bugpac]

well first of, you need to compress your shock, set the car down till its 2, 3 4" off the ground, and see were the shock actually needs to be mounted....the numbers are your choice, if it was me, i would go no less than 3" so the shock bottoms and not the chassis...

[masterfabr]

IMO those tabs are not substantial enough.Too thin. Start with that then follow the smart paint guys.

[Bugpac]

I disagree, as long as the bolt stays tight i think them tabs are adequate...

[masterfabr]

And when the bolt gets loose for any reason it will quickly pound out. Strength is not the issue.

[K-fab]

You might want to consider a rear hoop setup similar to this:




Or something similar to this:



If at all possible tie the two loops together or triangulate them to something inboard.


Here are the same hoops in the pic above, but with the bracing installed.




The idea is to tie the forces that the shocks will put into the hoops and direct them towards each other.

I also agree w/bdkw1. *Rotate those mounting tabs (which are fine if they're 1/8") around the tube 90 degrees inwards. *Just make sure you can still get the bolt in and out. *Tends to make you swear when realize you can't get the bolt into the hole.

Locate your upper mount by compressing the shocks fully (full bump) and leaving at minimum 2" of ground clearance under the rear end of the car (with the wheels on the suspension. *I'd go 3".

Once you find more or less where the full bump upper shock mounting point is extend the shocks fully (charge them to about 75 psi w/air) and see what you end up with for axle/cv angles at full extension.

Hopefully full extension won't put the cvs past working angle. *If it is, drop the chassis to the point where they don't bind. *Measure how far you had to compress the shock to keep the cv from binding and get someone to make you a spacer for the inside of your rear shocks.

You might also be able to move the location of the mount around and find a spot that works. *There will be a small window of location for the upper mount that will hopefully work. *It may be hard to find, so don't get frustrated.

[bdkw1]

The rear hoops like the rear of the pilot in K-fabs post would work well if you put in a lower diagonal to connect them to the frame down here.



If you look at the oddy pic, it has one too under the rear of the hoop. It really doesn't matter if it hits under the front or rear of the hoop. Without this that cross tube would crack eventually.