My solution to a broken rear axle shock stud...

So, got around to installing the set of Bilstein 5100's I've had for over a year. Bought from a forum user who had them for a ZJ w/4.5" lift, new & never installed. The collapsed/extended measurements fit what I needed, & was a deal I couldn't pass up. I wanted to overhaul the rear suspension, before I put them in, & finally got all the parts & ambition to get it all done.

When I go to take off the old shocks, driver side comes off (& I realize this is a welded in 5/8's bolt, that the PO did), then the passenger side axle stud immediately snapped off, where the threads meet the non-threaded part.

I'm thinking to drill it out to accept a 5/8's bolt (like the driver side) but before I started all that, for some reason, I decided to mount the shock on the driver side, & come to find out the shock eye has a metal sleeve... ok... press it out with the bench vise? Nope, would not budge. Did a little research, & came across a statement made by a Bilstein rep, something to tune of it being difficult to remove with common garage tools, & they have a special tool for installing/removing the bushings/sleeves... blah.. blah.. Also, find out the only difference between the XJ & ZJ applications, is the sleeve.

At this point, everything else is done, but 1) I've been at this overhaul on the rockee for longer than I wanted to 2) I've got a broken shock stud 2.a) I drill it out to 5/8's AND keep trying to get the sleeve out of the shock eye, possibly damaging the shock and/or the bushing, OR 3) leave the shock alone, & tackle my first official welding project on the rig by modifying the axle mounts.

...I opted for option 3



^240V, .030 fluxcore

Figured I'd mount it like it's mounted a ZJ. The bolt needed to fit the shock eye was a 15/32. Local Home Depot didn't have it, nor across the street at Lowes. F THIS! Went to the junk yard, waited 5 minutes & paid $5 for the bolts off a ZJ. Thought about going to buy some material, but then I realized I've got something I could use...



Cut it up...



Drilled it out to 5/8's...







Bent, trimmed & drilled the 15/32 holes...



Trimmed the studs...





Burned it in...







What I ended up with...



I am also going to add some tabs on the sides of the bracket to the axle bracket for bracing. I was trying to get better pictures of the welds, but the camera sucks. I'd love to hear feedback from more experienced welders. I'm 75% confident I got good penetration, but it was hard to tell. For those that are familiar with the Hobart 190, I had the voltage at 6, wire speed at 3-4.

I want to run with this until I swap this axle out, or until it breaks. I have another 8.25 I'm freshening up, & will do something different with the mounting on that one. For now, I have a little more welding experience & I got my shocks mounted.

Creative fab work.

You're probably going to trash the bushing though. From what I understand the lower shock mount is normally front-to-back since the shock rotates around that axis during flex. Since yours is now fixed, it won't rotate but crush into the bushing / bolt every time.

I simply cut the and grind the remainder of the shock stud flat, drill a hole through, and install a bolt that fits the shock bushing.

The bushing should be fine, the rear axle only travels up and down and with either orientation of the bolt, there is only extremely limited bushing rotation, on the order of a few degrees.

That's an interesting fix. nice work

SolarBell said:

Creative fab work.

You're probably going to trash the bushing though. From what I understand the lower shock mount is normally front-to-back since the shock rotates around that axis during flex. Since yours is now fixed, it won't rotate but crush into the bushing / bolt every time.

Click to expand...

Thanks. I am concerned about the longevity of the bushing/shock mounted in this orientation, but I'm hoping it won't be a problem. I figured with the upper mount in the original position, so as the suspension cycles, the upper will still let the shock pivot accordingly... :dunno:

Tim_MN said:

I simply cut the and grind the remainder of the shock stud flat, drill a hole through, and install a bolt that fits the shock bushing.

The bushing should be fine, the rear axle only travels up and down and with either orientation of the bolt, there is only extremely limited bushing rotation, on the order of a few degrees.

Click to expand...

I was going to do that initially, but after about 2 weeks of fighting with rusted bolts, seized bushing sleeves, broken weld nuts, not able to mount the shocks, & finally not finding the 15/32" x 4" bolt locally (even though I only went to HD & Lowes... probably could've found it at Fastenal or something of the sort) I just didn't have the ambition to drive around hoping to find it & drill out the axle bolts/studs. Patience nearly depleted, the idea dawned on me as I was leaving Lowes... "I have some scrap, I have a welder, I know this shock is set up to work on a ZJ so I'll go to the junk yard & get the bolts from a ZJ". It felt to be an easier/quicker solution.

bluejeepkid said:

That's an interesting fix. nice work

Click to expand...

Thanks!