Topic: rear shock hanging

[yotacrawler4]

well i just got the rear suspension kit and i was wondering if have to make a whole new shock mounting deal for the top of the shock or can i just weld the old mounts to a plate and weld that to the tube that runs in between the frame.? hopefully that what i can do.

[FIREBALL]

That's pretty much what i've done in the past. Or sometimes i'll use the mounting studs that come with the shocks.

[BigMike]

Hey, you should watch the way you mount them to the axle housing. I hate how I did mine, and I've always wanted to redue mine...

TacoRunner did a good job with his, and if he catches this post, I'm sure he could post up a pic or two.

Here's what I'm talking about:

[FIREBALL]

Good point Mike. Let the shock rotate on the stud instead of flexing on the bushing, so it doesn't limit travel.

[seanc]

make sure both mounts are double-shear. just welding a bolt on just doesn't cut it long term. i have seen to many failures on the trail.

[BigMike]

Ok here you go.

It's hard to see, but this is how I setup my rear shocks and I do not like it:



And this is how TacoRunner did his. I really like this much better:

[Hyena]

Here is mine.  Don't mount them directly to the front of the axle. it will hit on somany rocks.  My shock is dented cuzz i did that.  When i put the new axles under it i mounted them in almost same place, but about 4 inches higher.  Just used a piece of 2x2 and cut one wall off of it.  The i took the bolt that comes with the shocks and cut the big threads off.  Then i welded that side the 2x2 and welded it to the top of the axle like so.  It hasn't hit another rock yet.  they have done about 10 trips with no failures.  And i welded them on with a lincoln SP 100 that was turned up all the way.  So it didn't get as much penetraion as i liked.  But it is still holding up

[BigMike]

All this talk about this is giving me the itch... I just might have to change mine before the Round Up

[Hyena]

DO IT TO IT!

[mr4x42u]

right,,you want it to piviot,,you could bust off the end of your shock and that would suck..I have eyes at both ends  ans so far the shacks are happy and no bind..

[yotacrawler4 [OP]]

big mike can u make a better pic for me i cant really understand what u mean by the pivoting thing and all that its sounds like a good idea i just dont understand what u mean kinda?

[BigMike]

umm,

Well, if the shock is mounted like mine, then as the axle articulates, the differential is moving either clockwise or counterclockwise, right? However, the shock is mounted and will maintain approx. it's original angle, give or take a bit of movement.

But if you mount the shock with the lower shock bolt "in-line" with the differential, then as the axle articulates, then so must the lower shock bolt, but since the shock doesn't move with the differential like that, the bushing will have to get squeezed inorder for the axle to articulate.

And this squeezing of the busing is putting more pressure against the axle's articulation, or in other words, the more  you flex, the more the shock is saying "no to flex" and the shock is working against the axle when it flexes.

But if you have the shock mounted such that it's on a bolt that runs perpendicular to the differential, then as the axle flexes, the bolt simply rotates inside of the bushing and there is no conflict at all.

In my drawing below, the red line represents where the shock wants the bushing to go, and the green line is what the articulation is doing to the axle. So the two are working against each other, and the more you articulate, the more disagreeing forces you will have. Note how the red line is horizontal in all three positions from full clockwise flex, zero flex, and counterclockwise flex.