Custom rear shock mounts

[THE_OWL]

What have you guys done for custom shock mounts in the rear of the XJ?
Not cross-enterprises but similar. My sway bar is gone and my exhaust is side exit.
I want to put them at more of an angle and allow for more travel.
Any pics or links?
thanks!
\\hoot

[eric91xj]

i have'nt relocated mine but i've seen a few people cut off the stock ones and weld up new mounts so the shock eye bolts up right on even with the middle of the axle tube instead of hanging like 3 inches down like the stock mounts, also seen people cut the stock mounts shorter use the piece the cut off, weld it on the upper part of the mount and mount the shocks that way,

eric

[Bender]

The new axle mount.

http://community.webshots.com/photo/64838123/71467800zkBzBO

And the upper shock mount

http://community.webshots.com/photo/64838123/71467817sixSpP

http://community.webshots.com/photo/64838123/71467807cnOlfb

I have this setup so my shocks are about 1/8" from bottoming out at full stuff and they give about 3" more droop compared to the stock setup and the same shocks.

[THE_OWL]

sweet, wanna fab me one of those shock bars? :D
I dont have access to a welder :S

[Casper]

Bender, what lift are you using.?And sitting normal on flat surface, how much piston shaft is out, ( from shock to upper stop)? Can you tell me what and if there is an angle to be aware of when fabricating the new upper shock mounts on the shock bar?

[Casper]

My son has a friend that just purchased a use XJ with a 6" to 7" lift (??). His existing shocks are new, and he is showing 5" of piston out of the shock, and so he has 5" for compression. And so he marked it and took the shock off of the lower mount and fully extended the shock. He has 5" more of piston in the shock. So I guess he has 5" to extend as well. Does this mean he as 10" of travel, or do they measure and determine the travel lenght in another way???? Any help with this would be greatly appreciated. He is hoping not to have to buy new shocks..........

Thanks,
Casper

[ChuckD]

Take the extended legnth - the compressed legnth = travel

[Ted Z]

Here is the one i made a couple months ago... Very similar

http://www.tougherthandirt.com/images/8-8-01.jpg

http://www.tougherthandirt.com/images/8-8-02.jpg

[marcusguy]

Rear travel is a little more complicated to figure out than the front. It's because of the angle of the shock. With an angle on it, the shock will move less than the axle. For example, if your shock is at a 45* angle to the travel of the axle (factory is less, it is just easy to make a point with 45*), and you compress the axle 5 inches, the shock will only move 3 inches (I rounded). If the shock is strait up and down (like the front) then it is a 1:1 shock travel VS. axle travel ratio. The angle of the rear shock complicates things (plus the fact that the angle changes as it cycles. I have 7" between my axle and bumpstop and 5 inches of shaft showing, but when I cycle the rear suspension to the bumpstop, the shock isn't bottomed out yet.

You can try to do the math and figure out the rear travel and where your shock needs to be mounted for the most travel, but the only way to really get it right is to take all the springs off except the main leaf and then you can bottom out the back and droop it to see where your shock should be.

Good Luck

Marcus

Those mounts look really good! I'm trying to do something similar and I appreciate the pictures tons!

[XJWheelie]

Bender

On your rear dif, do you have some sort of skid plating on the front? Is it built up in any way, or is that just the normal axle?

Thanks,
Robert

[xj4rocks]

Ted Z - how about a bigger pic? Did you mount the cross member to the underside of the uniframe rail? or what?

thanks.

[lobsterdmb]

I would also be interested in this since when installing my lift last weekend I broke all 4 top shock bolts. Unfortunately I have no access to a welder. Is there anyone who makes something like this and sells it?

[Ted Z]

me

[lobsterdmb]

price for one?

[FJH97XJ]

My question is why did you mount the axle mounts on the back & not the front?

[Ted Z]

um......usual place..... does it matter??