Front shock mount idea

[Keeper]

Okay I finally got my hands on some P&J front shocks. Now comes the fun of trying to figure out how/where to mount them. So I spent some time looking at things, remembering all the threads on here about where not to mount them, or more to the point, where folks do not like to see them mounted.

So I got to thinking, how about this?

Instead of mounting them to the radius rods, or the spring perch. Why not make a bracket and bolt the directly to the axle bat wings?

Here is what I am talking about: Obviously a much heavier mount would be made. Use some 1/4 or 3/8 steel and make a u channel bracket, a couple 3/8 g8 bolts to hold it to the wing. I thought about welding it to the bat wing, but would rather have it removable.

I have very little room in the front:

Upper mount would be made with some 3/8 plate.

So lets hear some pros/cons/warnings.

 

[Rick]

Okay I finally got my hands on some P&J front shocks. Now comes the fun of trying to figure out how/where to mount them. So I spent some time looking at things, remembering all the threads on here about where not to mount them, or more to the point, where folks do not like to see them mounted.

So I got to thinking, how about this?

Instead of mounting them to the radius rods, or the spring perch. Why not make a bracket and bolt the directly to the axle bat wings?

Here is what I am talking about: Obviously a much heavier mount would be made. Use some 1/4 or 3/8 steel and make a u channel bracket, a couple 3/8 g8 bolts to hold it to the wing. I thought about welding it to the bat wing, but would rather have it removable.

I have very little room in the front:

Upper mount would be made with some 3/8 plate.

So lets hear some pros/cons/warnings.

First those are the same shocks i have good choice.Now are they valved to work upside down?The way they are sitting now there upside down.But as for positioning that looks good to me.Maybe a bracket with double shear would work better but i dont see a problem with the way they are now.Did you jump on the frame up front to make sure they dont hit anything?

 

[Keeper]

First those are the same shocks i have good choice.Now are they valved to work upside down?The way they are sitting now there upside down.

But as for positioning that looks good to me.Maybe a bracket with double shear would work better but i dont see a problem with the way they are now.Did you jump on the frame up front to make sure they dont hit anything?

Thanks for pointing that out I was thinking about that on the walk with the dogs. I picked up the shocks at a swap meet yesterday for $20 ea!

I have not jumped on anything yet but that is a good point, I will make sure I do that before making anything up.

 

[Keeper]

So to continue on with this.

I took Rick's advice about the double sheer and mounting them the correct direction!! This did two things. Strengthened any bracket, and solved any clearance issues I was having:

This is a "trial run" and any final bracket will be a little cleaner.

I think I will continue along this path, unless there are some super objections as to why its a bad idea!

I will hold off on drill any holes in the axle until everything it finalized.

 

[Rick]

So to continue on with this.

I took Rick's advice about the double sheer and mounting them the correct direction!! This did two things. Strengthened any bracket, and solved any clearance issues I was having:

This is a "trial run" and any final bracket will be a little cleaner.

I think I will continue along this path, unless there are some super objections as to why its a bad idea!

I will hold off on drill any holes in the axle until everything it finalized.

I like that alot.Good job.

 

[Corley]

Looks good, sort of buries some of the bulk too. You are quick!

 

[seawolf]

PSI used to sell this back in the 70's. I never used one, don't know how well it works.

 

[seawolf]

Here's more from PSI.

 

[Keeper]

Thanks thats pretty cool and I thought I was the first one....HAHAHAHA Glad to know it will work.

I will pick up some steel tomorrow, all I had was some scraps and I was a little short on the one there.

I had the laptop in the garage while I was working...lol

 

[Youngster]

Wow, I haven't seen a PSI add for years. They had some awesome stuff. It was the "Hot rod" side of Antique auto in Rosemead Cal. I believe.

Ron

 

[Keeper]

So I was thinking of 3/16 for this. Think that will be enough? From all the shock mounts I have seen it seems 1/8 is common, but figured that might be a small for way I am setting it up.

 

[Rick]

So I was thinking of 3/16 for this. Think that will be enough? From all the shock mounts I have seen it seems 1/8 is common, but figured that might be a small for way I am setting it up.

I think 3/16 would be over kill but it wouldn't hurt anything.

 

[Paulski]

I'm not a shock expert, but I have heard the straighter the shock is vertically, the better it works. I remember reading some place that the shocks loses most of its ability to absorb if mounted more then 15 degrees. I dont know what angle you were planing on mounting them, but your pic shows them at about a 45 degree angle. Maybe someone with more knowledge on shocks could chime in?

 

[Keeper]

I'm not a shock expert, but I have heard the straighter the shock is vertically, the better it works. I remember reading some place that the shocks loses most of its ability to absorb if mounted more then 15 degrees. I dont know what angle you were planing on mounting them, but your pic shows them at about a 45 degree angle. Maybe someone with more knowledge on shocks could chime in?

Thanks, I will have to do some digging to find out the angles.

 

[Rick]

Thanks, I will have to do some digging to find out the angles.

Ask Ted he would know.Ron from Ron Pope will know also.

 

[fordsbyjay]

It looks to me that there would be an interference problem when the suspension compresses. To avoid that the shock angle would have to be so great it would have little effect on actually absorbing any shock. Btw, there is already a shock mount out there that goes right on the side of the leaf spring shackle which looks like it would be an inch or two from where you are fixed right now. I would think that it would also be a bolt on deal as well. As far a double shear mount, in a car as light as these I think a decent single sheer mount would work. I know all the neigh sayers are going to freak out with that statement but I have a Griggs racing rear suspension in my 64 Falcon and it is single shear and all the suspensions that Griggs made and raced for the last many many years where always single shear and worked just fine.

 

[butch27]

I like it. T buckets are all about doing it YOUR way and for the amature ? engineer in all of us. LOL

 

[Corley]

Tons of tubular shocks out there in stock confiuration that are mounted in single shear. As for the angle, tubular shocks can take a lot of angle and still perform well, however you have to figure that the shocking effect will be dimminished by the angle just because of leverage, not because the shock doesn't work that way. I'd think anything up to about 45 degrees and the shock won't have any appreciable degradation in it's shocking ability, but at 45 degrees leverage will mean the shock will be half as effective as at 90 degrees. JMHO,

Corley

 

[Ted Brown]

That angle should be fine on your car. it is light and really does not need full (straight up and down) shocking...

 

[Keeper]

Thanks for all the replies.

What I would like is to have that front mount inline with the rad shell. Would help blend it in a bit.

I will check that angle when I flip the shocks and finalize the lower mount.

As for the double shear, I think I will stick with it Just one of those piece of mind things.

As for the interference, when I made that 2nd mount all the interference issues went away. Its clear all the way around, even when jumping on the frame.