Whats wrong with this shock mount? (picture)
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 969
Likes: 1
From: NJ
Whats wrong with this shock mount? (picture)
Notice how the bottom shock mount is pointing up too much and does not align with the upper shock bracket. Driver's side on the other hand was perfect.
Anybody seen this before? Is my only route now to hammer the shock mount out and see what happened? -Which most likely means unbolting everything and taking the trailing arm out
Is it possible that the mount didnt go in straight as per the groove? Seems unlikely....
Anybody seen this before? Is my only route now to hammer the shock mount out and see what happened? -Which most likely means unbolting everything and taking the trailing arm out
Is it possible that the mount didnt go in straight as per the groove? Seems unlikely....
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 969
Likes: 1
From: NJ
Brand new parts. Bags were labeled "R" and "L". Driver's side is aligned perfect. Maybe the vendor labeled their bags wrong and I missed it......
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 969
Likes: 1
From: NJ
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 3,079
Likes: 315
2024 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
Hard to tell from your picture. As far as I know, the shock mounts can only go in one way. When you lower the car and load the suspension, everything should straighten out. I was told not to tighten/torque the mounts or shocks without the weight of the car on the tires...to prevent locking in just such a situation.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 969
Likes: 1
From: NJ
On a second though, this couldnt have been the incorrect side.
My guess is I went a little too crazy with the sledge and hammered the shock mount in rotated about a half inch off. This would mean that I either stripped the shock mount or the trailing arm..... hopefully the shock mount....
My guess is I went a little too crazy with the sledge and hammered the shock mount in rotated about a half inch off. This would mean that I either stripped the shock mount or the trailing arm..... hopefully the shock mount....
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 2,503
Likes: 33
From: McGrady NC
St. Jude Donor '15-'16
I would make sure that the adjustable strut rod wasn't pulling in too much and causing the trailing arm to be crooked. Loosen it up and see if things don't start lining up better.
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Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 969
Likes: 1
From: NJ
Hey, thanks for the suggestion. Unfortunately I tried that already.... it looks like I'll have to try and back the mount out of the trailing arm and see whats going on.... a job I wish I could do without
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 24,160
Likes: 78
Nope, it just looks that way because your suspension is at full droop. The hub travels in an arc not straight up and down. There should be enough give in the shock bushing to muscle it in. If not, just jack the hub up until the mount is level (or closer to level enough).
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 969
Likes: 1
From: NJ
Ill take more pics tomorrow. The reason why Im so sure this side is out of whack is because I can see the driver's side. Both sides trailing arms are at same height, the shock mount points about an inch higher on the passenger side. I'll play with it more tomorrow. Maybe a new day will shine dome light on the situation.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,287
Likes: 4,375
From: Westminster Maryland
Hi r,
Doesn't the bottom of the round holes in the spindle carrier 'ears' have a flat area that matches a flat area on the lower shock mount?
It's true you do need a right and left mount, but perhaps you defeated that flat area if you really banged on it with your hammer to install it.
It looks to me as though the lower shock mount remains just about parallel with the floor as the t-arm travels through it's motion.
Regards,
Alan
You can see the lower outer edge of the ears are flat, but there's also a matching 'flat' in the hole.
Doesn't the bottom of the round holes in the spindle carrier 'ears' have a flat area that matches a flat area on the lower shock mount?
It's true you do need a right and left mount, but perhaps you defeated that flat area if you really banged on it with your hammer to install it.
It looks to me as though the lower shock mount remains just about parallel with the floor as the t-arm travels through it's motion.
Regards,
Alan
You can see the lower outer edge of the ears are flat, but there's also a matching 'flat' in the hole.
Last edited by Alan 71; Aug 16, 2013 at 07:57 AM.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 969
Likes: 1
From: NJ
Hi r,
Doesn't the bottom of the round holes in the spindle carrier 'ears' have a flat area that matches a flat area on the lower shock mount?
It's true you do need a right and left mount, but perhaps you defeated that flat area if you really banged on it with your hammer to install it.
It looks to me as though the lower shock mount remains just about parallel with the floor as the t-arm travels through it's motion.
Regards,
Alan
Doesn't the bottom of the round holes in the spindle carrier 'ears' have a flat area that matches a flat area on the lower shock mount?
It's true you do need a right and left mount, but perhaps you defeated that flat area if you really banged on it with your hammer to install it.
It looks to me as though the lower shock mount remains just about parallel with the floor as the t-arm travels through it's motion.
Regards,
Alan
That is what I am afraid of - the possibility that I damaged the flat area. We'll see this weekend.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 969
Likes: 1
From: NJ
Unfortunately, this is what I suspected. See the flattened out thread on the shock mount? I guess I went overboard with the hammering.
New shock mount in the mail.
Just wait til I post the pics of the removal process........ what a headache that was.
New shock mount in the mail.
Just wait til I post the pics of the removal process........ what a headache that was.
Pro
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 672
Likes: 0
From: Chesapeake Virginia
here'a a little tip for the future, get a standard nut that will fit the threaded portion, screw it on till it sits even with the end of the bolt, this will give you something to hit and won't damage the threads.
so what did you find when you got it out, was it the wrong side or did you install it incorrectly.
so what did you find when you got it out, was it the wrong side or did you install it incorrectly.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 969
Likes: 1
From: NJ
here'a a little tip for the future, get a standard nut that will fit the threaded portion, screw it on till it sits even with the end of the bolt, this will give you something to hit and won't damage the threads.
so what did you find when you got it out, was it the wrong side or did you install it incorrectly.
so what did you find when you got it out, was it the wrong side or did you install it incorrectly.
I'm assuming your tip is for the removal process right? This is my second time around with these and both times hammering on a nut (or shock mount removal "tool") did nothing. Check out post #64... this is what I had to do with the old ones
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-g...project-4.html
This time it was even more of a pain because I did not want to destroy the brand new strut rods, Ill post pictures later.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 8,918
Likes: 27
From: New Hill NC
Pretty obvious from that last picture than you installed it wrong. It is cocked and is not fitting the flat spot. Next time situate it correctly before you hammer it in. Hopefully the flat is not damaged too much.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 969
Likes: 1
From: NJ
Yep, what happened is I had it seated right but then the hammering must have rotated it. Both the hub fork and the shock mount were brand new parts and the fit was extremely tight. When I get this new one I will definitely file it a bit to have it go in easier.
I don't think I've ever seen that before. From the looks of things, you had it misaligned from the start. It didn't twist as you banged it in.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 969
Likes: 1
From: NJ
What I meant is at the start of the hammering it probably bounced a little, landing misaligned and me not paying attention. And yes...... I though Ill either break the hammer or my arm. The driver's side went in straight and needed almost as much force as this one. Lesson learned...