Converting stud-style to eye-style

Fergie · May 26, 2003

I see that companies make a conversion to do this, and it seems like a good idea. However, I dont want to buy new shocks because mine are almost brand new. So, has anyone converted the actual stud mount on the shock into an eye mount, like the lower mount on the rear shocks? Is this even possible(I know it is 'possible' but I mean feasible)? Hope that makes sense, if not I will try to clarify.

Fergie

Eagle · May 26, 2003

Are you talking about the bar pin on the top of the rear shocks, or the stud on the top of the fronts?

4ward · May 26, 2003

Well you could do this, but you'd have to make pieces for the shock and the upper shock mount. I'd say by the time you're done screwing around with it, ya woulda been better off getting new shocks and eye conversion pieces. I'm not saying don't do it, I'm just saying take into account the amount of time and fab work you're gonna have to do and weigh it against selling your shocks and buying the required parts.

Sean

Fergie · May 26, 2003

Eagle said:
Are you talking about the bar pin on the top of the rear shocks, or the stud on the top of the fronts?

I am referring to the front-upper shock mount.

Eagle · May 26, 2003

Hmmm...

I've never seen a kit to convert this type to an eye ... don't even see how it could be done, short of cutting an eye off an old shock and welding it onto a new one.

What's the advantage? I don't see any point to doing it.

woody · May 26, 2003

Ahhh good MODIFIED TECH stuff

I know exactly why...to 'lengthen' the droop stroke. I have 'long' Rancho 9009s, that would be perfect if I had OEM axle BP mounts...(yuk) but on my new setup, the lower bar-pin mounts got pruned off the axle and the shock mounts to the outside of the LCAs. The shocks have to travel in an f-r arc rather than straight up/down, on mine it is way beyond what the OEM stud-top style can handle. The bushings max out and this can't do the bushings or inner fender metal any favors...an eye-top setup is required. Plus with my newfound droop, these shocks lack about 3-4" of effective length.

I have a set of 'long' double-eye shocks, so all I need is the upper mounts, but I suppose someone 'handy' could whip something up with some threaded rod/'u' channel for the top mounts, and some pieces of tube with weld-bungs that thread onto the studs on the shock/plis another piece of tube for the 'eye' with bushing to convert the shocks. I love my 9009s but I am not married to them enough to spend all that time/$$ converting them to my needs.

Like always...lots of pieces to the puzzle to connect when ya mod beyond OEM style setups. Have fun and good luck.

burntkat · May 26, 2003

Fergie said:
I am referring to the front-upper shock mount.

A bolt, a nut, a couple sway bushings, and some quality time with a welder.

VERY easy. But you'll have to do some simple measurements to make sure you use the right length shock.

Eagle · May 26, 2003

Woody --

http://www.rubiconexpress.com/dynamic/mainpage.asp?folderid=227

Scroll to bottom. These will do what you need, but don't convert from a post mount to an eye.

woody · May 26, 2003

LOL Thanks Eagle...

Nope, no convertin for me...too much like extra work, plus I already have new shox that should be the right length.

EricsXJ · May 26, 2003

From the link Eagle posted -

This is their adapter bracket $25. When I first saw this on a jeep, it looked very similar to the top part of the RE swaybar discos. Has anyone used their disco parts the way this adapter bracket is used? Or is it even possible?

Barger · May 27, 2003

I was looking at my RE discos and had the same thought. :idea:
the shock eyes fit in them correctly. The bolts are a little larger nothing a drill won't fix.
Barger
:roll:

ZPD · May 27, 2003

Here is another idea

I have Bilstein 5100 shocks which have eyes on both ends. But due to compressed lengths, I couldn't afford to have the standard eye/stud conversion because they took up too much room in the vertical direction. So I made this little guy one afternoon. I welded two 1/2" nuts on the 7/8" bolt. It works great!

burntkat · May 27, 2003

Re: Here is another idea

ZPD said:
So I made this little guy one afternoon. I welded two 1/2" nuts on the 7/8" bolt. It works great!

... and that's EXACTLY what I was talking about, and where I got the idea.

Wasn't sure if the bushings were required. After posting earlier and thinking, it seems they wouldn't be.

ZPD · May 27, 2003

Re: Re: Here is another idea

burntkat said:
... and that's EXACTLY what I was talking about, and where I got the idea.

Wasn't sure if the bushings were required. After posting earlier and thinking, it seems they wouldn't be.

You don't need bushings around the 7/8" bolt as long as you have a bushing in the shock eye. but I am pretty sure that is what you meant.

Matt · May 27, 2003

I did the chop and weld stuff - I used a 3/8" SAE bolt welded to the end of the rod - I then threaded a 3/8" female rod end onto the bolt (aka modified thread pitch stud

) I then built a bracket for the rod end to go into...

Been working fine for the last 4 years...

Matt

Matt · May 27, 2003

Re: Re: Re: Here is another idea

ZPD said:
You don't need bushings around the 7/8" bolt as long as you have a bushing in the shock eye. but I am pretty sure that is what you meant.

Are you sure that is a 7/8" bolt??? The standard shock eye uses a 5/8" bore bushing - shouldered allen head bolts ~3" long and a USS 1/2" threaded shank works great...

A standard 5/8" bolt works well also...

Matt

ZPD · May 28, 2003

Re: Re: Re: Re: Here is another idea

Matt said:
Are you sure that is a 7/8" bolt??? The standard shock eye uses a 5/8" bore bushing - shouldered allen head bolts ~3" long and a USS 1/2" threaded shank works great...

A standard 5/8" bolt works well also...

Matt

I think you may be confused. The 7/8" bolt goes vertical into the fender mount hole. A 1/2" bolt goes through the bushing of the shock and into the two 1/2" nuts welded to the 7/8" bolt. This puts your shock a little closer to the tire but it is a negligible amount.

XJguy · May 28, 2003

While on this topic, would TJ shocks work on a lifted XJ?

XJguy

Matt · May 28, 2003

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Here is another idea

ZPD said:
I think you may be confused. The 7/8" bolt goes vertical into the fender mount hole. A 1/2" bolt goes through the bushing of the shock and into the two 1/2" nuts welded to the 7/8" bolt. This puts your shock a little closer to the tire but it is a negligible amount.

I gotcha - I used a 5/8" bolt there too and just cranked it down - hasn't moved in 4 years - are you using the metal sleaves inside the shock bushings or just the poly bushings alone - I just run the poly with a bolt in it - the sleave would account for the smaller bolt size

To make sure I understand how yours is set up - the 7/8" bolt goes into the fender - the 1/2" nuts welded to the head of that bolt receive the bolt that goes through the main eye of the shock (you are just running this bolt in single shear, correct?) You just ues shocks with an eye on the top (mine were like that originally - RS9012's with the top eye cut off)

The placement toward the tire is a good thing as under full flex my old OEM mounted shocks would have the rod contact the frame just barely - I have since move the mounts out with my extra width front end...

Matt

ChuckD · May 28, 2003

XJguy said:
While on this topic, would TJ shocks work on a lifted XJ?

XJguy

I think they can work, when lifting and matching shocks with the lift, if the compressed lenghth and extended lenght is what you need then they should work fine. I know the botom mount is exactly the same.

Converting stud-style to eye-style

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