Ford shock towers for the rear?

[dsmd58]

Anyone try to bolt up the ford shock towers for the rear of our rigs? the factory frame locations, are ruined and since i cant find an inboard kit for the suburban, im looking for other options...

who thinks this can work?

 

[BoondocK5]

I did it. I had to add a piece of "L" channel, basically boxing the frame right there. then cut holes in the floor.

 

[SiredbyFire]

I did it to, but i didnt come through the floor. my driver side rear broke. i just stopped it short of the floor and cutoff the excess.

 

[dsmd58]

Can either of you post up or email me a pic? also do you have the exact ford part# you used? any help is appreciated!

 

[howdiy]

I just booger welded a piece of 3/8" plate to my frame with the stock shock mount mounted to it. Essentially the same thing

It goes into the floor though.



DIY4X may be able to make you one for your suburban

http://diy4x.com/cart/index.php?route=product/product&path=24&product_id=118

 

[dsmd58]

Got the part number, ordered two for the rear. Do you think it requires welding or will bolting it up with at least three grade 8 bolts work fine?

 

[rob h]

here are some of another style

These were made up to weld on top of the frame rail and weld up the stock hole. For both front and rear to both use 14 inch travel shocks. The same shock will be ran all the way around. Plasma cut 1/2 plate and tapped them for the rear stock studs, for what i needed they are 2.00 from the bottom for the fronts and 1.375 for the rears. With the body lift i have 3 inches on top the rail to spare. Prob will grind angles all the way around and weld them fully. My frame is plated in the rear with 3/8 plate to give it some strength. These were done to use rancho 9000 adjustables in the 14 inch travel , they will give me 6 inch up and 8 down travel.

pics.......

 

[dsmd58]

Got the towers today. man they are beefy!

Im just wondering if I should angle them the same way the factory ones were angled. I also just bought the ORD traction bar, so Im wondering if it is even necessary to angle them (since wrap shouldnt be a problem with the traction bar).

Do you guys have any advice, should I go as close to straight up and down as possible?

 

[1TUNK5]

i fabbed up a tube mount/crossmember to stiffen up the frame and mount the shocks inboard straight above the axle, like the old dodge trucks were! then ill mount them on the axle just inside the spring pad.

 

[BadassBlaze]

i fabbed up a tube mount/crossmember to stiffen up the frame and mount the shocks inboard straight above the axle, like the old dodge trucks were! then ill mount them on the axle just inside the spring pad.

cut some fuel line hose and put around all those lines to help keep vibration from destroying them

 

[1TUNK5]

i will be!! havent gotten that far yet? but thanks for reminding me about it....

 

[Fred_M1010]

i fabbed up a tube mount/crossmember to stiffen up the frame and mount the shocks inboard straight above the axle, like the old dodge trucks were! then ill mount them on the axle just inside the spring pad.

I would recommend placing the lower mounts a little in front of or behind the axle, to help prevent axle-wrap.

 

[1TUNK5]

i have the ruffstuff antiwrap sprig pads and im gunna try it this way first and see how it works! i dont wanna be wacking the rocks any more with my shocks!!

 

[Avery4jc]

I have ford towers in the rear.

 

[dsmd58]

thanks! that was what I was looking for. Do you think I can use the towers, but mock them up to mount in the similar style of the OE mounts? at an angle? are there pros or cons?

 

[Avery4jc]

If you want to mount them at an angle you probably want to go with the cast superduty towers since they will allow the top to swivel without hitting the sides of the mount (like the stamped towers would).
The Ford number for the cast towers is F81Z18183AA

 

[Blue85]

The reason for angle in the stock mounts is that the axle moves forward and back as the spring compresses. The shock bushings can twist around the bolts/sleeves to compensate for this. If you turn the shock mounts perpendicular to the way they are supposed to be (like in pictures of Avery's rear suspension above), then all of that movement has to happen by squishing the shock eye bushings. Once you limit them out, you will bend stuff. When the suspension is really flexy, the axle does move side to side a little during articulation, so there is no way to avoid this problem entirely while still using stock-type bushings to mount the shocks, but the factory arrangement has the bolts at good angles to account for some of this movement at the top and some at the bottom (not that the factory suspension can move much).

That being said, many of us use the Ford shock towers in the front without any issues, but the lower mount is still in the correct orientation.

 

[Avery4jc]

The reason for angle in the stock mounts is that the axle moves forward and back as the spring compresses. The shock bushings can twist around the bolts/sleeves to compensate for this. If you turn the shock mounts perpendicular to the way they are supposed to be (like in pictures of Avery's rear suspension above), then all of that movement has to happen by squishing the shock eye bushings. Once you limit them out, you will bend stuff.

Good point, I've cycled my rear suspension up and down and it does squish the bushings a bit but this is still something to keep in mind/check when mounting them like this.