Results 1 to 9 of 9

Thread: broken shock

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    tom price the pilbra, west aust
    Posts
    680
    Total Downloaded
    0

    broken shock

    my 95 tdi disco keeps breaking the right rear shock during offroading sessions, admittedly i go for the hard stuff but it has broken five in the last 12 months. seems quite excessive to me. I thought that it was worn bushes letting to much movement under the car but after replacing all the bushes under the car, not just shock bushes but front and rear everything, fitting new springs and shocks allround it did another one yesterday and it didnt even seem that excessive the track i was driving,just mildly rocky creek beds and mildly rocky dirt, rocky climbs up in the pilbra all done slowly in low range, I drive my car with mechanical sympathy and fuel consumption in mind all the time. the last 4 were broken on the mundaring powerline track, all the suspension is standard height etc, new britpart springs, shocks are standard boge, I have replaced the right rear top shock mount even though the old one looked fine compared to others and the bottom mount isnt bent or broken in any way visible to the eye, everything else seems straight as it all should be under there.
    Any ideas anyone?
    thanks
    ade

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Location
    caparra near wingham on the mid north coast nsw
    Posts
    47
    Total Downloaded
    0

    Wrong size rubbers.

    Had the same problem with mine, ended up being the bottom shock rubbers were to big. I bought them on ebay they were lovells I think, rang the supplier
    he told me they had trouble with the rubbers but the manufacture had corrected this. Told him I was not happy so he sent a set of Ultima shocks out and had no trouble since.
    Cheers Mick

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 1970
    Location
    NSW far north coast
    Posts
    17,285
    Total Downloaded
    0
    Pretty common, age old problem snapping the top eyes off. (I'm assuming this is where yours are breaking ?)

    It's a combination of the upper mount sitting at the wrong angle (have a close look at it, someone once made a taper shim kit to space it out at a better angle, don't know if they are still available ?) and most all aftermarket shockies using a much smaller eye (and therefore bush) compared to the old OE ones.

    If still stock suspension and an aftermarket damper, try and only use rubber or a very soft urethane in the top bush.
    Most urethane bushes are too hard so there isn't enough give at maximum droop and couple that with a top eye that is often only marginally welded to the shaft at best, so 'snap' and off it goes.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 1970
    Location
    NSW far north coast
    Posts
    17,285
    Total Downloaded
    0
    Pretty common, age old problem snapping the top eyes off. (I'm assuming this is where yours are breaking ?)

    It's a combination of the upper mount sitting at the wrong angle (have a close look at it, someone once made a taper shim kit to space it out at a better angle, don't know if they are still available ?) and most all aftermarket shockies using a much smaller eye (and therefore bush) compared to the old OE ones.

    If still stock suspension and an aftermarket damper, try and only use rubber or a very soft urethane in the top bush.
    Most urethane bushes are too hard so there isn't enough give at maximum droop and couple that with a top eye that is often only marginally welded to the shaft at best, so 'snap' and off it goes.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    tom price the pilbra, west aust
    Posts
    680
    Total Downloaded
    0
    any other ideas, anyone know where or if the shims are still available, how can the top mount be at the wrong angle? why doesnt the left one keep breaking, both top mounts look to be at the same angle, the rubber bushes in there dont seem to big, no problems fitting the shocks due to rubbers. how have others fixed this problem
    thanks

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 1970
    Location
    Avoca Beach
    Posts
    14,169
    Total Downloaded
    0
    I know this is probably a remote possibility but I broke a RH rear once on my RRC .

    What I did was to add another tapered washer which came with the new shock to the inside of the shaft, as I did not notice that it already had a washer covered in crud.

    The washers should also be tapered side towards the shock

    Regards Philip A

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    tom price the pilbra, west aust
    Posts
    680
    Total Downloaded
    0
    The washers should also be tapered side towards the shock

    is this referring to the tapered washers at the top mount of the shock?
    what orientation should the bottom rubbers and cup washers be?

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jan 1970
    Location
    Bathurst NSW
    Posts
    14,445
    Total Downloaded
    0
    I havent had issues breaking the shocks, i am using Old Man Emu shocks with 2in lifted King Springs but I did have an issue with the cheap metal washers and the rubber bushes supplied with the shocks pulling over the nut and then the bushes falling off. Fixed that by using heavy steel washers and some generic rubber bushes from repco.
    <a href=https://the4wdzone.com.au/wp-content/uploads/logo.png target=_blank>https://the4wdzone.com.au/wp-content/uploads/logo.png</a>
    The 4wd Zone/Opposite Lock Bathurst
    263 Stewart Street, Bathurst, NSW
    http://www.the4wdzone.com.au/
    Discounts for AULRO members, just shoot me a PM before you purchase.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jan 1970
    Location
    Avoca Beach
    Posts
    14,169
    Total Downloaded
    0
    is this referring to the tapered washers at the top mount of the shock?
    what orientation should the bottom rubbers and cup washers be?
    The top.

    If yours has got the integral top washer on the bottom mount , most specialists cold chisel it off .
    Then the bottom washers are fitted so that the lips face inwards towards each other, the function being to centralise the shaft in the hole.

    I always fit the outer washers with the lips facing inwards towards each other and have had no problems, but I have seen some installations with them pointed the other way , which would probably give more ability to accommodate twisting in the shock.

    Regards Philip A

Bookmarks

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Search AULRO.com ONLY!
Search All the Web!