Shock Mounting Questions

[whooprunner]

Whoops I meant to say second pic in the 1st post!

 

[Larrythedog]

I just read through this thread and I'm questioning all the suggestions to mount perpendicular to the axle. Mounting perpindicular is the right way to go for crawling especially if your supsension is going to be experienceing a lot of side to side articulation type forces on the shock.

I'm assuming that since this question was posted in the JeepSpeed Prerunner section that the intended use of this XJ is for high speed desert type terrain. This terrain exhibits a lot less articulation forces on the suspension and more symmetrical up and down forces that are parallel with the link/control arms pivot. Since most of the articulation type side to side forces are limited by a sway bar and the terrain, most of the shocks pivoting movement will be parallel with where the control arm/ link mounts to the unibody. This is why on most JeepSpeeds have a lower shock mount similar to the first picture that shows parallel to the axle.

If you look at all other high speed desert type vehicles you'll notice the mount is always parallel to the control arm/link's main pivot point. Since an A arm pivots perpendicular to the side of the axle, the shocks is mounted perpendicular as well. Since a rear link of a vehicle pivots parallel to the rear axle, the shock is mounted parallel to the axle. The same goes for XJ's since the control arms pivot parallel to the axle ( for the most part... Yeah the suspension like to swing to the side), the shocks should be mounted parallel as well.

My 2 err... 5 cents worth.

-Randy

well said

 

[Larrythedog]

I haven’t started my build yet but I have done a ton of research on this issue and I can say that all of the completive JeepSpeeds I have looked at are done like this. The top is a T&J or some type of homemade copy. Both top and bottom mount are parallel to the axle.

 

[JeepFreak21]

well said

Yeah, I probably should have posted this somewhere else, but I figured... it's not quite Ad Fab, but not exactly bolt-on, I'm ordering "race shocks", the JeepSpeed guys know their sh!t, and we have this awesome new forum...

I'm really trying to make this rig dual purpose, so after careful consideration, I think the more versatile way of mounting them is perpendicular to the axle. I see now why the hardcore racers do it the way the do though.

Thanks for the input!
Billy

 

[Goatman]

As long as there's enough available movement in the rod end, it doesn't matter which way the shock is mounted. Everyone should be checking that there is adequate deflection to not bind the shock mount in any potential position of the axle, and if it doesn't bind then it's OK. Either way of mounting is OK.

I'd be more concerned with the strength of the mount than which way it's positioned.

 

[JeepFreak21]

I'd be more concerned with the strength of the mount than which way it's positioned.

Yeah, I am definitely concerned about that! I think once I get the new shocks, I'll make my mount double sheer.
Billy