Rear shock mount options

[coopdog123]

Heres the rundown. C-notch plates are in the process of going in. I had intended on retaining a small portion of the factory support plate on the outside of the frame rail, only the 5 inches or so that the shock mounts are riveted to.



However, the rust between the plate and fame was awfull, that cheap steel plate just desintegrated, even even behind the part that is held snug against the frame with the shock mount rivets.



So in my mind there are two ways to handle the problem and still retain the factory shock mounts on the axle.



A: Just bolt the upper shock mounts to the frame without any support plate on the outside. I assume the frame by itself is plenty strong in that area correct?



B: Build a simple cross member which bolts to the the stock shock mount holes. Im only considering this because it would eleminate the sheerig force problem/flexing of stock brackets, if there is in fact such an issue.



Is this all pointless considering how innefective the shocks are in the crazy position they are put in on a lowered truck?

 

[brettplaisance]

I like the idea of a crossmember because then you can put the upper mounts where you want them.

 

[coopdog123]

I like the idea of a crossmember because then you can put the upper mounts where you want them.

Well thats the thing if i retain the stock axle brackets, i can really only mount the shocks at one angle. The only way i could see possibly changing the angle would be to put a hiem joint on the axle side of the shock but im not sure how much it would help only moving the top of the shock outward 30 degrees or so

 

[brettplaisance]

Couldn't you retain the angle and move them closer to the axle?

 

[coopdog123]

could move them closer but not sure how short of a shock i can run before i don't have enough travel.

 

[Jamie V]

Coop, every F series pickup of those years have the upper shock mount bolted to the frame there with no extra support plate. And if you put a cross member there you will be hooking it to the frame in roughly the same place as the shock mounts so if the frame is strong enough for one it should be strong enough for either.

 

[coopdog123]

Cool, thanks Jamie

 

[brettplaisance]

What shocks are you running?

 

[coopdog123]

What shocks are you running?

bilsteins, but looks like im gonna have to find something shorter now

 

[brettplaisance]

I have the silver nitro drop shocks for the c notch. I figured they would be the shortest belltech offered

 

[coopdog123]

Ill most likely go with Qa1's if they've got one short enough. I need some adjustability