Suggestions on how to get rid of low shock hanger?

[Backcountryislife]

My rear axle shock mounts hand stupidly low... trying to figure out how to relocate them up a bit.

current setup:

http://image.4wheeloffroad.com/f/8991752+w750+st0/131_0607_11_z+hummer_h3+rear_suspension.jpg


There have been a few products that help this, but none are still made.

This is what I'd like... but no longer made:

http://www.okoffroad.com/gifs/stuff/susp-uboltplate-5.jpg


this would be my 2nd choice... but again, no longer made:

http://i778.photobucket.com/albums/yy69/portager/IMG_6309.jpg


I wouldn't mind doing a SOA, but not sure what kind if $$ it would be, and who to have do it... or if I want to do that for this vehicle.

Looking for any suggestions, can't find anything that works for this or the Colorado (same rear axle setup).

This low point drives me nuts, gotta do something to get rid of it!!

[Chris]

Look into a unbolt flip kit Kaleb. Moves the bottom plate above the axle where the shock mounts, obviously wouldn't work with stock shocks.

[scout man]

I simply welded tabs onto my axle to bolt the bottom of the shock at the midline of the axle itself. Would solve the shock hanging low, although the Ubolt plate would still hang down there.

I also like the look of the first option, and I would be willing to bet I could make you one. However, I wouldnt be able to do it until mid july because I am headed out of town for work for a few weeks.

[Backcountryislife]

Look into a unbolt flip kit Kaleb. Moves the bottom plate above the axle where the shock mounts, obviously wouldn't work with stock shocks.


I've looked for u bolt flip kits... nothing for this thing or the CO/ Canyon because you have to deal with the shock mount. The two above are all I can find after 4 days of searching.


Not willing to weld to the axle, just because I plan on selling this thing next year & getting a more serious rig, so I don't want to dig into it with anything permanent/ hacked like that.

I'm in NO hurry, and would be very interested in having a reproduction made (as would a few other H3 guys I know that are looking) so very interested in that option.

I really like how that one looks like a rock would slide down the leaf... right over that plate... and gone. Very little hard angle to hold you up, that seems like a good setup.

Some folks didn't like the cantilevered shock bolt, but there's no rotational force on a shock, and it's out of the way enough that it's much less likely to take a hit. (carry an EZ out & spare bolt with you on trail if it concerns you too much ;)

[Backcountryislife]

Right now I have shocks that are limiting downtravel, and the uptravel goes into my wheel-wells, so I'm thinking that if I re-positioned that hanger plate to right below the axle, or between that small block & the coils (different bolt system would be required obviously) that it would solve both issues. Uptravel may or may not be stopped before hitting the plastic, and down would increase about 2", or the springs would limit

[Brody]

Anyone of the fabricators on here can make a plate for you with the same basic 5 hole patter. Then pretty much use anyone's standard shock mount brackets welded to the top side. Ballistic, Sky, Datin, RuffStuff, A to Z, etc, etc, etc, all offer a wide variety of ready made, weld on, shock tabs for just about any application you can thing of. Swap them out when you sell it.

Coilover & Shock Tabs (http://www.ballisticfabrication.com/Coilover-Shock-Tabs_c_197.html)

RuffStuff has a wide selection and also some shock tabs designed to be welded on the mounting plate:

Shock Brackets & Shock Tabs - RuffStuff Specialties (http://www.ruffstuffspecialties.com/catalog/shockbracketstabs.html)

http://www.datinfab.com/tabsmountsandgussets.aspx

Weld-on Shock Tabs - Sky's Off-road Design (http://www.sky-manufacturing.com/new/detaproduct.php?id=83)

[Backcountryislife]

I don't want just a plate though... I want the bolts to be above the surface. That one that looks like just a plate has the u bolts recessed.

http://i1137.photobucket.com/albums/n514/laoochoa/SANY0559.jpg

That design is pretty overkill imo, and still leaves the shock as the low point, despite it being a bit higher... I want the shock out of the way completely. (above the plane of the springs, and the same for the U bolts.

That first design is ideally what I would like to get made. I would think you could weld a shock mount tab to the side of that & make it work.

[xaza]

If you do a nice clean fab on it there will be no need to change it out when you sell it, use it as a selling point!

[Brody]

I was talking about the plate, then using any of the styles of weld on shock mounts that would work mounted above the plate. Same place the existing shocks are mounted, but simply on top.

I also liked the design of the plate that you said was no longer made.

As another suggestion:

You may be able to simply use the Synery Suspension Jeep upper shock relocation brackets:

http://www.eadoffroad.com/poly-performance-ppm-8070-synergy-jeep-jk-rear-upper-shock-mount-kit

and just bolt them on to the existing plate. Just throwing stuff out there. Here is what they look like:

[dannanw]

^ beat me to it, as shocks don't er shouldn't be the main loading part (aka don't hold alot of weight).

[Cr33p3r]

Least expesnsive and easiest way to move teh lower shocks up would be weld a set of new brackets on like in the link;

Axle tube shock tabs (flat bottom) (http://www.ballisticfabrication.com/Axle-tube-shock-tabs-flat-bottom_p_1446.html)

[Andrew]

How to get rid of them? Plasma cutter. ;)

[Backcountryislife]

Least expesnsive and easiest way to move teh lower shocks up would be weld a set of new brackets on like in the link;

Axle tube shock tabs (flat bottom) (http://www.ballisticfabrication.com/Axle-tube-shock-tabs-flat-bottom_p_1446.html)


yeah... but the plate would still be there, and the bolts... I also want to get rid of that.

I think I'll see if I can get someone to reproduce that 1st unit I showed... that would do what I want.

[SCRubicon]

Something like these maybe?

WAR1770 - Warrior Products - Leaf Spring U-Bolt Skid Plate Rear Pair For All Dana 44 Axles : Tellico 4x4

(http://www.tellico4x4.com/product_info.php/products_id/16380)CE-9031B - Currie Enterprises - Heavy Duty U-Bolt Skid Plates for 2.5 Inch Wide Springs : Tellico 4x4 (http://www.tellico4x4.com/product_info.php/products_id/39463)

CE-9031 - Currie Enterprises - Heavy Duty U-Bolt Skid Plates for 2 Inch Wide Springs : Tellico 4x4 (http://www.tellico4x4.com/product_info.php/products_id/39465)

[Backcountryislife]

Those aren't exactly what I'm looking for (they still hang down & the shock is still the low point), but one could weld another nut on top of that one, and raise the shock attachment, and at least solve one issue.

I'll see if I can get that other one made... but if not (for a reasonable price) I'll pick one of those up & have someone who doesn't pigeon SH** his welds help me out!

[Java]

If it was me I'd buy or have Pete make me some flat plates to replace the stock ones and weld mounts on like Steve said. You'd save $$ on fab and down the road it would take you about an hour or two with an angle grinder to get rid of the mounts, spray the axle black and bolt the stock plates back on for resale. Or just leave the mounts there and put the stock stuff back, noone would probably notice them. Just my 2c!

[Backcountryislife]

Flat plates just leave me with new things to hang up on though... the U bolts. That & a flip kit would be ok, but I can't find any for this setup for some reason. (probably just not looking in the right places though.)


A flat plate, flip kit, and shock mount on top of the plate... would serve EXACTLY the purpose i'm looking for (Smooth, and shock not being hit)

[Java]

doesn't look like you have a completely easy flip, you'd have to do something about the bumpstop. I did the flat plate / shock mount in my old Jeep with a Scout 44 rear, I just cut the ubolts off flush at the nuts, never got hung up. I had a 79 Scout way back with a similar deal and broke a front shock mount off the plate, so I took it as a learning experience for the Jeep.

[Java]

A flat plate, flip kit, and shock mount on top of the plate

that looks completely doable to me. from the pic I think you could ubolt the bumpstop, fab a flat plate with a mount on it to fit over the bumpstop mount, notch the bumpstop round plate and bolt it all back on. but I'm not a fabricator, and it's late... :lmao: I'll be interested to see what you do!!

[Backcountryislife]

FYI, that setup isn't exactly what I have, there's a bumpstop "extender" which I actually need because I hit my fenders, so I used that pic since it would show what I wanted to do. This is what I currently have.

http://lh5.ggpht.com/pnkcockrell/SJ4E0SYlugI/AAAAAAAAgFU/S4oDE9FkN8E/s800/DSC07715_edited.jpg


Same basic thing except for the box that raises the bumpstop plate a bit.


I think I could put a plate on top of the existing stop plate, and somehow cover the bolts so they don't tear up the urethane stop, and a flip would be doable.

[Popsgarage]

Use a Deaver spring under kit from RuffStuff Specialties. Kind think this may be the direction you're going.

Deaver Long Travel Spring Under WIY Kit - RuffStuff Specialties (http://www.ruffstuffspecialties.com/catalog/DEAV-WIY.html)

http://www.ruffstuffspecialties.com/catalog/graphics/00000001/8.8%20spring%20over%20complete.jpg

Then weld a stud to the side of the new bottom plate for the shocks. Or get a flat shock mount kinda like this one. Weld them to the sides of the bottom of the SU kit and call if good.

Paired Flat mount Shock Bracket - RuffStuff Specialties (http://www.ruffstuffspecialties.com/catalog/SBRKT-FLT.html)

http://www.ruffstuffspecialties.com/catalog/graphics/00000001/fltbrkt.jpg

[Backcountryislife]

You'd have to do some significant modding to the top of that to make it work, but it's pretty close.

Kind of odd that they have the shape that wraps around the bottom of the spring... yet they still put the U bolts along the bottom of the springs as well compared to the other, that has the ends stop along side the spring so nothing else needs to go under it.

[Brody]

FYI:

No one on this forum who does any kind of fabrication does bird s*** welds or booger welds. If you contract with anyone on this forum who fabricates, you will get professional results.

The fabricators on this forum do fabrication for a living. Bad work doesn't generate good business. Kinda like someone in your company doing bad drywall work. Same same.

[Backcountryislife]

FYI:

No one on this forum who does any kind of fabrication does bird s*** welds or booger welds. If you contract with anyone on this forum who fabricates, you will get professional results.

The fabricators on this forum do fabrication for a living. Bad work doesn't generate good business. Kinda like someone in your company doing bad drywall work. Same same.


Oh... Pete, I was referring to MY awesome style of Pigeon sh***ing, er, I mean welding...:D not to anyone else!!

[AccordRanger]

I have the same issue with my Exploder. Next time I am at a junk yard Im going to grab some extra mounts and see what I can do. I will post up when I do.