Front Lower Shock Mount Destruction - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

elks · 08-24-2022, 11:36 PM

My 72 Balzer K5 has about 6” lift and on the front I am running a dual shock mount kit from Skyjacker… like the setup but for some reason the factory lower spring mounts
Keep breaking (2 broke in last 10 years, and currently I have one more stressed and ready to break).

So 2 questions…

1. Does anyone make the factory shock mount for the axle tube? I will need a duplicate of the foxtrot to keep the dual shock kit!

2. If not a factory what else have you replaced them with?

Surely I am not the only one that has had this issue… Someday I want to rebuild the entire thing top to bottom but for now 2 kids at home, dogs, wife, chickens, and more are consuming my time…

elks · 08-24-2022, 11:43 PM

Oh and I am not opposed to going to a single shock that is built really well and spending money on it as long as I don’t keep breaking the lower tabs off…

Anyone know about these mounting tabs from ruff stuff? They tend to have good heavy parts, but looking at the setup I will have to eliminate the dual shock set up and go to a single, but I could buy a good Resevoir shock or performance shock?

**DeadheadNM** · 08-25-2022, 04:21 PM

Moved - should not evolve into a WTB post.

**Richard** · 08-27-2022, 05:38 PM

Most of the dual shock lower mounts just use the stock dual shear lower tabs with a longer bolt and a spacer between the shocks. Adding another tab to the axle on the outside of the addon shock will put both shocks in a double shear mount and make it stronger. Look at places like RuffStuff for mounting tabs to modify.

Edit: No doubt a nice single King or Fox reservoir shock could be better. May require some tuning to get it where you want though. Bummer your post got moved into this place. Re-reading the original post I can see no fishing for people to sell you parts.

**kwmech** · 08-28-2022, 08:42 PM

https://www.amazon.com/Weld-Front-Lo.../dp/B072YWZD8Y

If you are breaking the mounts, a few thing would contribute. Weak mounts to begin with. Improperly welded. OR wrong shocks either topping or bottoming out. Anyways these mounts are pretty beefy--made out of 1/4 plate. I actually used a pair of these on a Toyota I'm building at the moment

**HO455** · 08-31-2022, 02:39 PM

Help us help you by providing some photos of your shock mounts.

**kwmech** · 09-01-2022, 12:26 AM

Who me?

**HO455** · 09-06-2022, 08:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kwmech

Who me?

No I wanted the OP to post some.

**Richard** · 09-20-2022, 02:29 AM

The lower mount breaking has to do with the additional shock. It is added on with just a spacer. The add-on outboard shock creates a twisting stress on the lower mount causing it to break. Oddly later GM did the 4x4's lower shock mounts the same way when a quad shock option was ordered. Used the Oem quad brackets on my last 72. What made me think of this thread again is I just came across the extra set of GM quad shock brackets I purchased.

**kwmech** · 09-21-2022, 10:51 AM

The stock mounts are more than capable of supporting a quad shock set-up if the correct shocks are installed and you're not jumping the vehicle or doing real extreme wheelin'. Got a 30 year old suburban with quads on it and there is no damage to the mounting system

08-24-2022, 11:36 PM	#1
elks Registered User Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: NW, Colorado Posts: 285	Front Lower Shock Mount Destruction My 72 Balzer K5 has about 6” lift and on the front I am running a dual shock mount kit from Skyjacker… like the setup but for some reason the factory lower spring mounts Keep breaking (2 broke in last 10 years, and currently I have one more stressed and ready to break). So 2 questions… 1. Does anyone make the factory shock mount for the axle tube? I will need a duplicate of the foxtrot to keep the dual shock kit! 2. If not a factory what else have you replaced them with? Surely I am not the only one that has had this issue… Someday I want to rebuild the entire thing top to bottom but for now 2 kids at home, dogs, wife, chickens, and more are consuming my time… __________________ Confidence is the feeling we have before we fully comprehend the situation

08-24-2022, 11:43 PM	#2
elks Registered User Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: NW, Colorado Posts: 285	Re: Front Lower Shock Mount Destruction Oh and I am not opposed to going to a single shock that is built really well and spending money on it as long as I don’t keep breaking the lower tabs off… Anyone know about these mounting tabs from ruff stuff? They tend to have good heavy parts, but looking at the setup I will have to eliminate the dual shock set up and go to a single, but I could buy a good Resevoir shock or performance shock? __________________ Confidence is the feeling we have before we fully comprehend the situation

08-25-2022, 04:21 PM	#3
DeadheadNM Carpe manana Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Eau Claire, WI Posts: 12,449	Re: Front Lower Shock Mount Destruction Moved - should not evolve into a WTB post. __________________ 1972 K5 CST Highlander Blazer: http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=708547 1972 K20 Cheyenne Super: http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=528308 Members met: ORANGBLAZ, 2003 silverado, MikeCofield, BB72CHEVKT, Duncan&Son, Sameyrasmea72, THENEWMEXICAN, HotRod C/10, brianthelion02, Sport/Truck, ryanroo, michael bustamante, Dirt's72, Already Gone, WestButteTruck, 57taskforce, Moreyel, painterljp, AASmedic, SoCoC10, Lumaestas, carbuff382, Chevyland

08-27-2022, 05:38 PM	#4
Richard Senior Member Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: Southern California Posts: 2,889	Re: Front Lower Shock Mount Destruction Most of the dual shock lower mounts just use the stock dual shear lower tabs with a longer bolt and a spacer between the shocks. Adding another tab to the axle on the outside of the addon shock will put both shocks in a double shear mount and make it stronger. Look at places like RuffStuff for mounting tabs to modify. Edit: No doubt a nice single King or Fox reservoir shock could be better. May require some tuning to get it where you want though. Bummer your post got moved into this place. Re-reading the original post I can see no fishing for people to sell you parts. __________________ Richard 1972 K10 Custom Deluxe SWB Fleetside My build https://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/...d.php?t=800746 Last edited by Richard; 08-28-2022 at 03:45 AM. Reason: Added

08-28-2022, 08:42 PM	#5
kwmech Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Colfax-California Posts: 8,641	Re: Front Lower Shock Mount Destruction https://www.amazon.com/Weld-Front-Lo.../dp/B072YWZD8Y If you are breaking the mounts, a few thing would contribute. Weak mounts to begin with. Improperly welded. OR wrong shocks either topping or bottoming out. Anyways these mounts are pretty beefy--made out of 1/4 plate. I actually used a pair of these on a Toyota I'm building at the moment Attached Images Last edited by kwmech; 08-28-2022 at 08:48 PM.

08-31-2022, 02:39 PM	#6
HO455 Post Whore Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Portland Oregon Posts: 11,382	Re: Front Lower Shock Mount Destruction Help us help you by providing some photos of your shock mounts. __________________ Thanks to Bob and Jeanie and everyone else at Superior Performance for all their great help. RIP Bob Parks. 1967 Burban (the WMB),1988 S10 Blazer (the Stink10 II),1969 GTO (the Goat), 1970 Javelin, 1952 F2 Ford OHC six 4X4, 29 Model A, 72 Firebird (the DBP Bird). 85 Alfa Romeo If it breaks I didn't want it in the first place The WMB repair thread http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=698377

09-01-2022, 12:26 AM	#7
kwmech Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Colfax-California Posts: 8,641	Re: Front Lower Shock Mount Destruction Who me?

09-20-2022, 02:29 AM	#9
Richard Senior Member Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: Southern California Posts: 2,889	Re: Front Lower Shock Mount Destruction The lower mount breaking has to do with the additional shock. It is added on with just a spacer. The add-on outboard shock creates a twisting stress on the lower mount causing it to break. Oddly later GM did the 4x4's lower shock mounts the same way when a quad shock option was ordered. Used the Oem quad brackets on my last 72. What made me think of this thread again is I just came across the extra set of GM quad shock brackets I purchased. __________________ Richard 1972 K10 Custom Deluxe SWB Fleetside My build https://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/...d.php?t=800746

09-21-2022, 10:51 AM	#10
kwmech Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Colfax-California Posts: 8,641	Re: Front Lower Shock Mount Destruction The stock mounts are more than capable of supporting a quad shock set-up if the correct shocks are installed and you're not jumping the vehicle or doing real extreme wheelin'. Got a 30 year old suburban with quads on it and there is no damage to the mounting system

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