Rear ground clearance without SOA

[Byrd91]

It seems like the biggest problem with my Explorer right now is that I get hung up on the rear shock mounts. I've seen the U-bolt skid plates, but they don't do anything for actual clearance. I was thinking of trying to cut and flip the plate so the angled part of the shock mount points up instead of down, and pointing the u-bolts up, but I don't know how do attach the u-bolts the the axle if they're pointing up. I have seen like 1 time on another vehicle were the u-bolts open (and bolted) on the axle side. It seems like there was a special bracket in that situation. Does anyone know what I'm talking about and/or know which vehicle this would be.

 

[Byrd91]

Ok, I found some info:

http://www.off-road.com/jeep/tech/susp/ubolt.html

http://www.sierrajeep.com/u-bolt.htm#top

Does anyone know the tube diameter of a D44. Would those dodge mounts work on our 3 1/4 in axle tube.

 

[Robert]

Is yours a 2-door or 4-door? On the 2-doors with the shackel lift, you can remove 3 of the 4 shock mount pads to bring them up 1 1/2" farther from the ground.

 

[Byrd91]

I wish it was 2 door in this case. But unfortunately its 4.

 

[Byrd91]

Ok, today I noticed a half ton chevy truck, like late 90s with a SOA but with the ubolts facing downward and the same type of things as the early dodge setup. Does anyone know the axle size of a half ton chevy?

 

[Ray Lobato]

I have a set of custom made shock mount skid plates that have the shock mount placed up higher than original, but you could take your stock shock mounts and turn them over, then weld a plate to the bottom with a hole for the spring bolt(in the middle). Then you would put them on the reverse side and that will pick up he shock about 2" higher. This makes thempoint up instead of pointing down like they do in stock position. I think Ray Hutchinson (one of the other moderators) has done this on his truck. Might want to send him a message.

 

[emc99]

Robert,

You said this low shock situation could be helped for a 2dr. I've got a 99sport. What kind of shackle lift are you talking about and how will it help?

 

[Byrd91]

I think you could actually do it without a shackle lift, but on your rear spring there is a block between the spring and the ubolt plate/shock mount because Ford probably wanted to use all the same length shocks so they put that block in there to make the shock the same length as that of a 4 door with the multileaf pack. You can take that block out and move the ubolt plate right up the the spring, but your shock would be compressed a little. If you have warrior shackles the length would be about right.

By the way. I've found that most fullsize chevys do have the ubolt facing down with a SOA, so they have that same type of plate what we would need if the ubolts faced up. Does anyone know the axle tube size of a fullsize chevy.

 

[BoatsRcool]

yeah my Ground clearenc in the rear is killin me too.

 

[Robert]

Originally posted by emc99
Robert,

You said this low shock situation could be helped for a 2dr. I've got a 99sport. What kind of shackle lift are you talking about and how will it help?

Basically what Byrd91 said was correct. To elaborate on it, I have shackels that are 3" longer than stock. This put my rear axle down 1.5" which extended my shock by that amount. I removed 3 of the 4 plates at the bottom of the leaf which put my shocks back to the factory length. It gives them more room to expand when the suspension drops. You can't remove the 4 the pad due to the edges of the spring perch. The leaf won't sit evenly on the perch with all four pads removed. I tried that first.

 

[emc99]

Thanks for clearing that up for me. I've seen that block before and couldn't think of a purpose for it. Now I know. Im saving up for a spring mod of 265 75 16s and TT/war and new shocks. If I pull out that block when I put in the shackles and shocks I should be about even again. Maybe by then one of you will have figured out how to flip these shock brackets and I'll do that too. Thanks for the info.

 

[SteveVB]

Dyna Trac has the plates your looking for

Im going to do the same thing with my SUA set up.
Dyna Trac(the axle makers in CA, check the back of any $wd mag for their phone number) can make the plates for you. You have to call and ask though because they dont list them on their web site.
Basically a plate with a milled groove for a square u-bolt to run perpendicular to the spring. I havent purchased any yet but was quoted $25 a plate for them, about half as much as having a local machine shop make some up for me. The u- bolts you could get any where for about 12-15 a piece. I thought about running the stock shock mounts flipped and cut out a cradle for the axle, or welding new shock mounts to the axle. MORE off-road has some weld on mounts that woiuld do the job nicely- but I have to check clearances with the sway bar.
If you need urls and such post and I try and dig them up later, or try google search on MORE, and Dyna Trac

The tube size on the 8.8 is 3.25"

Have Fun

 

[Byrd91]

Steve,
That plate that you're mentioning is for the bottom of the spring right, with the u-bolts pointing up. Do they have anything for the top of the axle like on a chevy (except its the bottom of the axle because its SOA). I'd was thinking I could use my stock shockmount and plate cut a little , and flipped upward, but then what about the top, thats my main concern.

 

[SteveVB]

Yes I believe they do have one, or at least can make one. They cater to the Jeep crowd, but on the phone he was willing to work with me, plus more than a few Jeepers run 8.8s.

I wish I had a pic. But anyway- yes, the plate goes under the spring and it has two grooves that the U-bolts ride in, the square u-bolts run up to a saddle plate on top of the axle. I have a 3/4 ton Chevy with the saddle plate your thinking of, Ill try and get the measurements on it tomorrow to see if it would work for the top plate, I have a feeling the Chevy axle is a larger diameter though, but Ill check.

I thought about using the stock mount also, by flipping it upside down and welding a spring perch to the "new " bottom(was the top or part that went against the spring). I need to measure though because I think that will make the plate on top of the axle too big and it might hit the bump stop or frame and limit up travel.

My latest Idea is to just use a saddle plate (fabbed from a piece of box tubing) and add a shock mount to the axle as low as possible without removing ground clearance. Having the shock low will help with axle wrap and allow a long shock to be used to get the max up and down travel. Im planning on using some revolver or swing shackles(see the revolver type shackle thread) so I want to run as long a shock as possible.

 

[Byrd91]

So I can get everything from dynatrac except U-bolts?? That would be great if you could get me the tube measurement off your axle. Are the 3/4 ton and half ton the same rear axle, I could find that out I guess. I'm getting more and more optimistic about this.

 

[SteveVB]

Yes, Im sure you could get a whole kit from Dyna Trac, I would bet its about 150 or so, with the u-bolts and such. I was going to get the plates from them, and source everything local, making my own saddle top plate from some tube, and the u-bolts at the local spring shop.

Ill check on the chevy axle- no the 1/2 and 3/4 are not the same, but the saddle may be. Some one will know the Dana 44 tube size, I think its 3" but Im not sure, but the dodge plates in the Jeep article may work.

Ill post some more info tomorrow after aI go out and measure.

 

[emc99]

If Dyna Trac would make a whole kit maybe we should try to get a group buy together for it? I'm sure alot of X owners don't like their shocks and Ubolts hanging down and may not even know they could do something about it. I would certainly like to fix the situation on my X (though Id like to see some pics before I buy).

 

[Yomie]

Hey robert, were you able to use your stock u-bolts with that set up? and did you just go out and buy another bolt for the center of the spring?

 

[Robert]

Yes, I used the stock U-bolts, but I did cut off 1 1/2" from the ends. I did replace the center bolt since I had to use my air-grinder to cut the original ones off since I couldn't get anything to grip the stock bolts. I just ran up to Checker Auto Parts and bought a bolt that was about the same diameter, but 1 1/2" shorter than the original ones. All it does is hold the pads to the leaf or in the case of the 4-doors the leafs together. The U-bolt will hold the axle to the spring perch, clamping the pads in between.

 

[Yomie]

Cool, i found my saturday afternoon project! I was just making sure the stock u-bolts had enough thread on them to be reused!