Suspenders

So I get to fit my new springs and shocks to the Squirrel and having removed the rear shocks find, instead of the ususal U shaped bracket with a hole in it (for the lower shock mount), I have two 'cups' ... i've never seen that before. Further investigation show the axels are 2012 ....



Also when I put the shock on the top mount the lower spike misses the hole by about 30mm. I can get it in but the top buish is under stress ..... almost like the shock mount is at the wrong angle ? or the 'cups' are in the wrong place ?

Any advice gratefully recieved.

miktdish said:

So I get to fit my new springs and shocks to the Squirrel and having removed the rear shocks find, instead of the ususal U shaped bracket with a hole in it (for the lower shock mount), I have two 'cups' ... i've never seen that before. Further investigation show the axels are 2012 ....

View attachment 232258

Also when I put the shock on the top mount the lower spike misses the hole by about 30mm. I can get it in but the top buish is under stress ..... almost like the shock mount is at the wrong angle ? or the 'cups' are in the wrong place ?

Any advice gratefully recieved.

View attachment 232259

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Didn’t they start to mount the cups to the axle with later vehicles? Something like late TD5 rings a bell (it could have been earlier but I’m not sure). I think some people just knock the cups off with a chisel and use the new ones supplied with the shocks.

As for the shocks not lining up, I think that’s quite normal. Mine are out by around 1”, so almost as much as yours, and so was the Puma I built up. I think it’s down to a stack up of tolerances from the chassis bolt holes, to the mounts, to the shocks, and finally the bracket position on the axle. I find it much easier to get the bottom bush in place and the nut started, then sort the top bush out. I use poly bush though.

Cheers @mick 1986 , that'll be me crawling about under the first TD5 I see

miktdish said:

Cheers @mick 1986 , that'll be me crawling about under the first TD5 I see

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To be honest, I would knock them off if I were you. They will end up rotting away anyway, so replacing them each time the shocks are done is probably best.

Rear end sorted ... started on the front.



The 'white' is anit rust treatment which turns a gark grey black when drry. I sprayed on some black sating and fitted the front back together with +2" Terrafima Medium weight springs (Lights on the back).
Also fitted spring retainers and the new shocks.
The backs are easier as I needed spring compressors for the front and learn't some new swear words tightening the bottom shock nut ....



Good to go now, have ordered some new callipers and disk guards etc.
I'll leave the wheels off so I can get in and clean up/de-rust a bit more.

miktdish said:

View attachment 233590

Rear end sorted ... started on the front.

View attachment 233591

The 'white' is anit rust treatment which turns a gark grey black when drry. I sprayed on some black sating and fitted the front back together with +2" Terrafima Medium weight springs (Lights on the back).
Also fitted spring retainers and the new shocks.
The backs are easier as I needed spring compressors for the front and learn't some new swear words tightening the bottom shock nut ....

View attachment 233592

Good to go now, have ordered some new callipers and disk guards etc.
I'll leave the wheels off so I can get in and clean up/de-rust a bit more.

Click to expand...

Looking good. What rust treatment did you use?

bluedog333 said:

Looking good. What rust treatment did you use?

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I think it was KURUST, or possibly FE-123. They are both pretty similar a water based solution of Tannic and Phosphoric acid.