Stone Damaged Shocks

Submitted: Sunday, Jan 14, 2007 at 21:22

ThreadID: 41213 Views:2184 Replies:4 FollowUps:9

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Member - Hughesy (SA)

Well just got back from another trip to William Creek "for a night out" and I completly stuffed one of the rear shocks which is only 8 months and 5000km old.

On all my old 75 series utes I used to zip tie conveyor belt to the top half of the shock tower to act as a cushion/deflector of rocks and this worked a treat. I did the same with the shocks on the 100series but the top half would continue to spin around, leaving the rubber at the side or rear - rendering it useless. I tried tightening the shock (within reason) but after about 50km it would spin around again.

Well now a rock has hit that hard its split the shock right at the base ie the dint (5mm depth) has caused a split near the base....oil leaks out......bouncy ride the rest of the way home.

Has anyone else had this?? I know you can get those covers from ARB to protect the shock but I'd rather make something myself.

What has anyone else done?? Any nifty ideas to protect them??

By the way Neville (and wife) the new owners of the William Creek pub are extremely nice people and a great improvement over the arrogant John that used to run the show. Definately pop in and say g'day if your travelling thru.

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Reply By: Diver1 - Sunday, Jan 14, 2007 at 21:38

Reply By: Red One - Sunday, Jan 14, 2007 at 21:50

Sunday, Jan 14, 2007 at 21:50

Go to a refrigerant wholesaler and buy some Armaflex. It is used to insulate refrigerant pipes and comes in all different sizes. Wrap it around the shocks with some cable ties and away you go.

Cheers

AnswerID: 215321

Follow Up By: Member - Hughesy (SA) - Sunday, Jan 14, 2007 at 22:06

Sunday, Jan 14, 2007 at 22:06

Thanks Red One, how thick is this stuff??? Does it come in "sheets". I know a few fridgies so will hit them up.

FollowupID: 475605

Follow Up By: Blaze - Monday, Jan 15, 2007 at 09:55

Monday, Jan 15, 2007 at 09:55

Hi Hughesy, I also tried the Armaflex and it worked a trreat, had to modify it slightly though. When first fitted it was snug fitted to the shocks and hindered the cooling. I then put it on with some aluminium 6mm square posts in 4 places around the shock to keep air between the guard and the shock, this helped with the cooling and protected the shocks. I now have a Stainless plate mounted to the chassis just in front of the shocks and this works well also.

FollowupID: 475661

Follow Up By: Member - Hughesy (SA) - Monday, Jan 15, 2007 at 11:48

Monday, Jan 15, 2007 at 11:48

Thanks Blaze, I'll give it a go. Jeez the old rocks also hammer the craap out of the bottom retaining bolt. Had to file the things back into a reasonable shape so that I could get an open ended spanner onto them - no chance of using a ring spanner.

FollowupID: 475689

Follow Up By: Member - Andrew W (SA) - Monday, Jan 15, 2007 at 19:01

Monday, Jan 15, 2007 at 19:01

Hey Blaze,

I'd like to see a pic of the stainless plate arrangement ... sounds like a good solution.

FollowupID: 475773

Follow Up By: Member - Hughesy (SA) - Tuesday, Jan 16, 2007 at 00:07

Tuesday, Jan 16, 2007 at 00:07

Yeah Blaze I'll double that. The hard thing is trying to get something that wil protect the shock no matter what load you have on (ie how much of the bottom half isn't protected by the top half.) I've seen a picture of the ARB ones that mount on the lower control arm - but don't like that idea as its set a fott or so in front of the shock and various in protection depending on what position the rear diff is in.

Just spoke to the distributor of the shock I have now and he said that they now have a HD shock or 46mm (currently 41mm) that has the extra stone guard protection welded onto the bottom of the shock.....just like the original Toyota shocks.

You'd think the after market boys would use their brains and copy what Toyota already did.....for good reason.

Have you had any probs Andrew...?

FollowupID: 475857

Follow Up By: Member - Andrew W (SA) - Tuesday, Jan 16, 2007 at 08:21

Tuesday, Jan 16, 2007 at 08:21

I've not had any problem and my shocks are much heavier gauge steel than the original Tojo ones - they weigh about 2x as much. They have a rubber sock arrangement, one of which got trashed and has been replaced. I think that was a big rock when rock crawling. It is something that I am watching.

FollowupID: 475882