Shock Mount Help

[DuggerCJ]

I am doing a restore on a 75 CJ-5. It had a homemade SOA when I started. I am now putting it back togther. Th top shock mount was already on the frame.

However the lower mount was not in place.

The upper mount is not directly above the lower plate where the lower mount should be. Should it be? And.....Where on the lower plate should I weld the lower mount?

any feedback will help.

[spk454]

the factory mount is on the spring plate. you can use a factory spring plate flipped upside down and on the other side or weld mounts to the tube. some of the aftermarket spring plates also have studs on them to accomodate the shock mount, they are beefier than the factory ones. factory ones look like this...
http://shopping.jeep4x4center.com/popup.asp?number=5363439

[John Strenk]

Nice brace between the frame. Add that yourself?

If it was mine, I'd figure out how far the springs would flex. Then pick a shock with enough travel. Yo may find out you made need a longer shock body which will mean a different mounting both top and bottom.

You can use an 84 of later CJ shock mount that bolts to the frame to allow the shock to be mounted a little higher or evn some off a F-150.
Then you can figure out were to weld a lower mount on. 84 and later mounted directy to the axle. The axle was wider in 84 also making it easier what width are yours?
.

Now if I just needed something cheap to get running i would probably do what spw454 recomends but then you would be limited in how far you cna flex before the shocks bind up. Possibly stock lengthe or a little less.

[DuggerCJ]

thanx John. The brace was on the Jeep when I bought it. They PO had also boxed in the frame.

For longer shocks, they will not mount to the standard shock mount like the one in the pic?

Another user suggested using 2"x1/8" pc of square steel, cutting into shape of a bracket, drilling hole...etc. And welding it to the axle tube. Is this also a problem with longer travel shock?

Scott

[Bigjeep65]

Several companies like MORE and RE sell Do It Yourself shock tabs that will weld onto the axle tube. It is easier with a wide track axle, but it is also do-able on the narrow track axles.

As mentioned above, changing the upper mount as well would allow a longer travel shock, and thus more suspension travel (more flex).

From the picture, it appears you have the factory upper shock mount used pre-'82 models.

The shock mount diameter I believe is the same.

[jayhawkclint]

I'd recommend a set of weld-on shock mounts. Here is the link:
http://www.quadratec.com/products/92000_000.htm

I also did this on my '70. Note that your shocks mount to the rear of the axle on the '72-'75 models, but otherwise should be the same as pictured below. (Look off to the right side of the pic just past the u-bolt.) For your particular application being SOA, this will also allow you to run a slightly longer shock compared to using a stock spring plate flipped upside-down.

[John Strenk]

Originally Posted by DuggerCJ

thanx John. The brace was on the Jeep when I bought it. They PO had also boxed in the frame.

For longer shocks, they will not mount to the standard shock mount like the one in the pic?

Another user suggested using 2"x1/8" pc of square steel, cutting into shape of a bracket, drilling hole...etc. And welding it to the axle tube. Is this also a problem with longer travel shock?

Scott

Yes it will but the longer shock has a longer body so if you put it in the present location, you will bottom out the sock sooner than with the original shock (Shorter Body) . But if you use the stock length tube then you won't travel as far.

So to use the right length shock you will have to mount the ends farther apart.

[dirtbagofva]

i saw some where that you can bolt on Ford shock mount on the frame to add more length to the shock travle (extending the upper mount). What you need to do is measure full droop and full compresion and get a shock that can travle a bit further.

[Bigjeep65]

In his picture, he is SOA (read as not stock). I can't find a reference to his shock length above so:

In order to maximize the suspension travel, the shock must travel the full range of the suspension motion.

A shorter bodied shock will have a shorter piston length, and total travel will be less than a "longer" shock.

To determine what he needs for his setup, he would need to measure from mounting point to mounting point in the compressed suspension position and again in the extended suspension position. He would then want a shock that would collapse/extend to those measurements.

If a shock could not be found with the range need, then moving the upper shock mount farther away from the lower shock mount would allow for a longer shock with more travel.

Both the newer CJ's ('82 - '86) front shock towers and the Ford F-250 shock towers would give this option.

Cliff notes

Shock body = 10" long, maximum length of shock fully extended = ~20"
Shock body = 14" long, maximum length of shock fully extended = ~28"

Longer shocks allow more more suspension travel, when the shock is the limiting factor.

[slacker92104]

Originally Posted by dirtbagofva

i saw some where that you can bolt on Ford shock mount on the frame to add more length to the shock travle (extending the upper mount). What you need to do is measure full droop and full compresion and get a shock that can travle a bit further.

Look for a set of late model f-250 shock towers. They are very tall and fit well. You can get them from the dealer for about $15 each.