Broken shock mount

BobW · 09-16-2009, 11:49 AM

Checking under the RV yesterday I found a shock mount cracked at it's attachment point. Not to sure what I'm going to do, but, looking at it, I can see that there is an unused mounting hole on each side of the bracket. If I just switch the bracket to the other side, I could get by without any welding. Anyone know what will happen when I remove this bracket? The axel is on top of the spring. so I think jacking under the spring will work.

billr · 09-16-2009, 09:28 PM

Is it broke off on the bottom spring plate or the top mount where its welded to the frame (and I use the term welded very loosely!)

Either way, jacking under the axle or spring will change nothing for replacing the shock. You need to lift the trailer at the frame. The shock may not have that much compression in it, you may be able to pull it without jacking and compress by hand to install.

Bill

bstark · 09-16-2009, 10:47 PM

Bill; he's got, what sounds to me to be the same clamp plate with 2 "ears" on it for the lower shock mounting and removing and swapping it for one from the other side would then allow him to use the 'other' ear for the shock mounting without having to go get another plate or weld repair. I performed that same operation on my trailer last fall on the way to Yuma.

I hooked mine up to the truck and jacked the frame as jacking the axle inboard of the spring clamping plate could bend the axle. I borrowed another jack to use in concert with my big air jack to alter jack the wheel up and then removed the wheel and released the jack to allow the axle & spring to drop down to relieve any weight from that axle end. The complication with this repair is the center point air suspension has to have the weight of the trailer off it on that side by lifting the thing as much as you safely can by the frame or it will simply keep rotating weight towards the axle you attempt to take apart.

**wingnut60** · 09-17-2009, 11:02 AM

A word of caution on reusing the axle u-bolts--most, if not all, spring/axle shops will NEVER reuse a u-bolt. They supposedly stretch the first time in use, and do not re-tighten correctly in re-use. Just a thought.
Joe

BobW · 09-17-2009, 11:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bstark

same clamp plate with 2 "ears" on it for the lower shock mounting and removing and swapping it for one from the other side

Correct. It's the lower shock mounting bracket with two ears. Now I need to get a jack that will handle all this weight.

billr · 09-17-2009, 08:23 PM

Bob, What Joe said....new ubolts are a must. They are cheap to buy at any spring shop.

To pull the plate off, you have to follow Bruce's advise on jacking. Unless you have the Level up...then just need a small bottle jack on the spring pack when you pull the plate.

When I changed a broken leaf, I used some timbers and two 20ton bottle jacks to lift at the frame for and aft of the wheels. To un-weight the springs.

Bill