NOT impressed!

[JR]

Front shock mount!! Unbelievable!

 

[DavidC]

And this is on ?

 

[sag2]

Is the shock seized up? Used to see it once in a while on lifted Jeeps with OEM shocks. Easy fix, grind clean and weld back on.

 

[JR]

On my 14. Shock isn't seized. The weld was cold as all get out. Poor QC. Sag yes, easy fix but not acceptable in my book. Doesn't give me a warm fuzzy about the important ones!

 

[AEdelheit]

While the weld is far from ideal the issue likely has more to do with what looks like a shock spacer that in there, I have seen this before and if that spacer is too long the shock will bottom out before the bump stop and puts a tremendous amount of stress into the mount. As we have been talking about get the correct length shocks and ditch the spacer!

 

[DavidC]

Rusting frames, now shock mounts what next.

 

[Regcabguy]

On my 14. Shock isn't seized. The weld was cold as all get out. Poor QC. Sag yes, easy fix but not acceptable in my book. Doesn't give me a warm fuzzy about the important ones!

Rust belt?

 

[JR]

While the weld is far from ideal the issue likely has more to do with what looks like a shock spacer that in there, I have seen this before and if that spacer is too long the shock will bottom out before the bump stop and puts a tremendous amount of stress into the mount. As we have been talking about get the correct length shocks and ditch the spacer!

Woaahhh.....


I feel like a complete idiot. I have looked at that spacer and questioned why the heck they would do that without ever questioning wether or not it was an add on from the previous owner.
Makes total sense. I am seeing the light!

Thank you AEdelheit!

 

[JR]

Shock is removed, busted parts cleaned up. I don't have time to weld it tonight but will finish it up tomorrow. Does anyone know the thickness of the axle tubes? 3/16ish? I'm thinking some 3/32 7018 will do me well.

 

[AEdelheit]

Woaahhh.....


I feel like a complete idiot. I have looked at that spacer and questioned why the heck they would do that without ever questioning wether or not it was an add on from the previous owner.
Makes total sense. I am seeing the light!

Thank you AEdelheit!

Glad to help, Im guessing there is a spacer above the coil but often times the shock spacer is still too long for the coil spacer or if the coil spacer was removed then it would definitely cause the mount to tear off!

 

[JR]

Glad to help, Im guessing there is a spacer above the coil but often times the shock spacer is still too long for the coil spacer or if the coil spacer was removed then it would definitely cause the mount to tear off!

Coil spacers gone! I got rid of those POS when I first got the rig! Here's your sign!

I may actually get a decent ride out of this

 

[JR]

Rust belt?

What makes you think that?

 

[Rob S]

what does the other side look like? Looks like you are doing a great job!

 

[Ozymandias]

That weld looked like it was repaired once before. Pre-owner maybe?

It just looked horrible, not like from a welding robot. I just checked the welds on my axle and they are perfectly smooth all around.

 

[crazy jerry]

theres some serious under carriage rust . my 25yo dakota wasnt even near that bad. most definatly appears someone tried reparing it before, with no clue how to weld

 

[jgillott]

Wow JR. I'm sorry to see this. I hope my issues didn't become contagious.

 

[JR]

Driver's side doesn't look much better but the mount is in one piece as it wraps around the axle. Of course it's much easier to judge a weld once it's been ripped apart...
I'm going to wash the mud off the bottom side tomorrow and get a better feel.

I highly doubt this was a previous repair but anything is possible. I've put 80+% of the miles on this truck, currently at 120kish. I absolutely guarantee my miles have been harder than the original owner garage queen sunny day miles.

If this bubblegum weld held up longer than the factory weld it ain't sayin' much for the factory weld

 

[Ozymandias]

It could be possible that he haven't had the Shock spacers in from the beginning and ripped of the mount like you did now.

 

[JR]

To be clear, the original owner added a leveling kit to the truck. After a tow or two I immediately removed the coil spacers from the equation. Most of my miles are towing/hauling and I hated the leveling kit immediately.

Where I failed is not realizing the spacers at the bottom of the shocks were part of the leveling kit, and I've spent the last 95,000+ miles riding around with OE height coil springs and a 2" spacer stuffed under the shock. You'd think I'd have known the difference, and I should have. But in fairness I owned a 98 for the previous 12+ years..... You could say I was used to an impossibly rough ride

I completely own this one. It's all on me. I'm just glad it was a "non critical" weld that broke and not something really serious. I'll have it all together tomorrow night.

 

[JR]

I've got these on the way to replace the most definitely worn out shocks.

Thanks to AEdelheit for the help.


http://www.cjcoffroad.com/Fox-Dodge-Ram-2500-2-Performance-Series-IFP-Front-p/980-24-677.htm