SOA Shock Mounts--DIY kinda easy-

[Turdle]

I got my truck with SOA already performed. The builder used front mount shocks and tabs off the sway bar mounts. This probably would be good enough for light trail duty, but mine had worn out the rubber and become noisy. I needed some new SOA shock mounts

OK, I don't know a lot but I do know this had to be fixed. I preferred to use the stock upper mounting points which are further inboard

The problem is the lower shock brackets were facing straight up, so using the old ones as a pattern I made a pair with off set holes so it would mount at an angle aligning with the upper mount.

I used what I had laying around, but you should be able to find the materials.




I had this piece of 1.5" x 3" rectangle tube laying around. I do remeber going to the steel place looking for square tubing for ideas. When asked what I wated he pointed to this chunk on the ground and said I could just take it. That was a year ago, and I forgot now what I was wanting it for.

Using the old bracket as a guide I marked and drilled the holes. I held the bracket at an angle to get the off set and then flipped it straight over to make a mirror image of the first.

I already had the holes drilled when I decided to start taking pictures. I used a step drill bit chucked into my drill press. Step bits have way less kick back when drilling through sheet metal. I find them to be a lot quicker and safer.

Here's the drilled tube

Then to the chop saw to cut the angles

After the angles were cut, I chopped the remaining piece in half leaving 2 brackets

Then the chop saw again to cut off the outer edge of the tube

Then I used the angle grinder to round off the corners a bit

one rounded one not

Rounded off

Then I took a file to them to make sure the holes and edges were nice and clean. Next came the blasting cabinet. I blasted them with coal slag mixed with aluminum oxide

Then in the booth for a coat of White silver vein.

Now I went about pressing the new bushings and the Dog Bones into the shocks. Note the new off set drilled brackets compared to the straight drilled ones

I put it all together and now I have rear shocks in the rear of my truck, with the lower mounts pointed the correct angle.

 

[cmhaah06]

Great how to. Simple yet effective. Sticky?

 

[rookieshooter]

Works for me. Great job.
I think the way you have them leaning in will stabilize the ride better also. If you lean them too much past 80 deg. they really start loosing their compression and rebound strength.

 

[410Fortune]

DUDE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My BII so needs this, using the sway bar U bolts is a great idea... they look a LITTLE vaulnerable on the trail...perhaps some simple plate/shape/skid on the bottom in case you do smack a rock with them? (you will)


my BII has the crappiest rear shock mounts, I cut the mounts off the old 7.5 with a torch, then ground them down, then eyeballed them into place, tack welded... then arc welded. Ugly ugly and the pass side is off by about 1.5"
I have wheeled like this forever, but blown up two Rancho 9000's on that side and its noisy. I also smack the crap out of them on rocks... the BII still has the one front/one rear setup which I will keep, fights axle wrap a bit... but I am going to steal this one!!

Thanks Jon! nice work!
get this, my wife bought me a blast cabinet and a powder coat setup for x mas I CAN DO THAT!!!

why coal slag and aluminum oxide? just curious, I am a total newb to blasting media