[darkstar]

I'm guessing this broke from improper mounting. It happened when I was cycling the suspension in the garage (as shown in the fitting larger tires thread). So, the mounts are easy to modify to take some of the tension off the shock, but now I need a shock.

anyone have a bilstein 7100 12" short body (preferably 360/80 valving) that they want to sell pretty cheap and get to me by thursday??? so I can take this thing wheeling already? I hate to spend $200 on a new shock that I know I will only use for a half a season.

 

[mongosd2]

just buy a replacement shaft from e-shocks...like 20 bucks and about 20 mins to replace it

http://www.eshocks.com/bil_ORpi.asp?Sub_Index=Q9&Manf=Bilstein&SubChar=Q

 

[darkstar]

awesome, I didn't even think of that... what else do I need to replace it?

I'm not sure where I could go to have it recharged after I did put it back together. There's nothing like that around here.

 

[darkstar]

here's a modified shock mount, just mocked up right now

 

[darkstar]

and I'm guessing this is the reason it broke in the first place. I'll need to grind the tab down a bit to get some more misalignment out of the heim joint.

I guess these 6 year old rovertym lower mounts were made without any thought at all to what I am doing with them now :evil:

 

[mongosd2]

i'd replace all the seals...do you have any racetracks around, or check with a speed shop...good luck with the mount...I may have something tom help you, but I won't be home until late today

 

[darkstar]

here is the new shock mount. problem solved. wish I had seen this as an issue before the shaft broke.

 

[abraded]

From the angles it looks like you may also be bottoming the shock body out against the inside of the upper mount/spring before full compression. That could be limiting the angle on the upper half of the shock as well. Hard to tell from just the pics, but it does look tight.

--S

 

[darkstar]

That's a very good point. I don't think it ever actually touched (I don't see any marks on the shock body), but it had to have been damn close. Now with the lower mounts moved towards the rear a bit I think it should clear. I'm going to try to wrap a big-ass ratchet strap around the axle and frame and see if I can compress it completely without the wheel mounted so I can really take a look. Anything that interferes at this time will have to be taken care of with bumpstops. I don't really want to invest the time and materials to move the shocks behind the springs at this point, and I'm not ready totally rebuild the front end for coilovers yet. This winter that will happen... and what I'm looking forward to the most is the compact packaging that goes along with coilovers.

 

[darkstar]

From the angles it looks like you may also be bottoming the shock body out against the inside of the upper mount/spring before full compression. That could be limiting the angle on the upper half of the shock as well. Hard to tell from just the pics, but it does look tight.

--S

I guess my last post was just wishful thinking on my part. The shock body does touch before full compression. Looks like I'll have make some modifications to the shock towers also. I'm thinking I'll make them a couple of inches shorter and move the shock mount towards the rear of the tower from the center. Any interference that remains will have to be taken care of with bumpstops. I mean it this time.

 

[cptyarderho]

Is there a way to move the shock outside the spring? I think somee RRCs were this way? As the travel increases the angles inside the spring are only going to get worse.

 

[darkstar]

There's always a way... Not the way the RRC had it though (it was in front of the axle). I would have to make new upper shock mounts to go inside the wheel well, mounted on the outside of the frame rail, as well as new lowers to go behind the spring perch. The shocks would have to be angled towards the back of the truck (the opposite of the way they are mounted in the rear). It would be a bit of work that I would like to avoid if possible.

 

[pendy]

Quit Fffing around and make them external

 

[Discosaurus]

Are you going to switch to coil-overs on the front soon ??

I have a few pic's of D90's with shocks outside the coil if you wanrt to see them. Doesn't look like to tough a mount to fab and I think Disco 1's have the same frame holes that are used as bolting points for the mount...

 

[darkstar]

I'm planning on coilovers this winter, along with tubing the front.

 

[Jtisdale]

awesome, I didn't even think of that... what else do I need to replace it?

I'm not sure where I could go to have it recharged after I did put it back together. There's nothing like that around here.

You can get it recharged at most any place that sells and works on dirt bikes, four wheelers, ect (Honda, Yamaha, Polaris, KTM dealers, ect)

 

[darkstar]

Quit Fffing around and make them external

sez you. I did a quick slice and dice on one of the shock towers with the plasma, and it looks like this will work. the combo of mounting the top eye further back and a couple inches lower keeps it clear both on full compression and full extension (or as much extension as this radius arm suspension will allow). I guess it remains to be seen how it works at full extension on the trail. we'll find out in a couple of days.

if I was going to keep this setup for a while I would build new upper mounts out of tubing, but since this is temporary I'll clean them up, reinforce them a bit and call it good.

 

[Buckon37s]

Shocks are over-rated. Just dump them and save the weight.

 

[muskyman]

alex

did you fix that shock yet?

I broke a couple of the shafts banging them on rocks

I have the oil and some seals but no shafts right now, order up a shaft and you could have it in a day from e-shocks and we can rebuild it.

If your past that point I understand I am often late to the party...but I often need to be sent home as well:evil:

Thom