Rear race shocks?

[logr]

I have been considering Bilstien Race shocks for the rear of my S13, the kind with 1/2in rod ends on them. I have some Z32 uprights. The top could be made pretty easily and use a pull type pin, I would guess.

I have an idea for the bottom though that I haven't seen before and wondered if anyone else had or what you think about it. I thinking of cutting the top off the bushing hole, remove the bushing, drill though the outer half and into the inner part of the upright. It would leave me with a 1/2 in bolt or pin, whichever I choose, to mount the shock to. It would put the bottom of the shock in the original location and race shocks are relatively cheap with correct lengths for both S13's and S14's.

Thoughts?

[Matt93SE]

What are you running currently?
you might try to look for for a shock that can be inserted into a stock/z32 housing or a broken-down aftermarket coilover with the proper fittings on it.

[jmauld]

What's your idea for the bottom? I've been considering this and think the top would be easy as long as you can access the upper plate from the wheel well. I've been considering putting a cage in the S14, but that would make accessing the upper shock mount extremely difficult.

[logr]

Not wanting the "proper" fittings. Real race shocks with ball ends would be much better in my opinion.
What I'm thinking; pic would help but.......Think big alum hole where the Z32 shock mounts. Now cut it in to horizontally half way up. Now you would have a shock mount with an open top. All you would need to do is drill in through the alum(in towards the outside of the car) and tap the inner part or use a pin and you have a shock mount that has support on both sides and open at the top for the shock. Make sense? It is kind of hard to describe.

[racepar1]

Why don't you make a bracket, that looks and attaches just like the stock z-32 lower shock bracket, but screws into the bottom of your race shock just like a rod eye??? Seems like the simplest and most logical solution to me...

[Def]

Why don't you make a bracket, that looks and attaches just like the stock z-32 lower shock bracket, but screws into the bottom of your race shock just like a rod eye??? Seems like the simplest and most logical solution to me...

This.

Or if you're that hard up to go single shear - just make something that bolts/welds around the stock Z32 shock bushing and mounts the shock just fore or aft of where it would if it were using the Z32 bushing, and just use a 1/2" bolt.

[jmauld]

How big is the single shear issue since this shock isn't a strut?

[Def]

Single shear is more just about loading things. It creates shear and bending in the male part - think heavy weight on the end of a long suspended board/plank type loading.

[jmauld]

So it needs a spherical bearing on that end?

[Def]

So it needs a spherical bearing on that end?

Not sure what you're asking, but you could make it work with the 1/2" rod end(rod end = spherical bearing with a shank if you're familiar with the term).

I think I'd just do what racepar suggested and make a 42mm wide bracket with a 12mm hole in it welded to a 1/2" shank that will screw into the shock.

[Matt93SE]

But would a 1/2" shank be sturdy enough in single shear? double shear, sure..... But for single shear? There's going to be quite a bit of force on the rears since that bolt will be supporting the weight of the car in the back, and even more under acceleration.

[ecugrad]

But would a 1/2" shank be sturdy enough in single shear? double shear, sure..... But for single shear? There's going to be quite a bit of force on the rears since that bolt will be supporting the weight of the car in the back, and even more under acceleration.

Isn't that the orientation of the stock S14 shocks? Seems to work there but its a 3/4" (roughly) shank.

[logr]

The shock bolt on S cars is actually quite huge and in steel. That is why I am doing what I suggested if I go with race shocks. My way has both sides of the bolt supported and is not reallly hard to do. A cutoff tool of some sort, a drill and a tap is all it would take to make the mount super strong. It also puts the shock in the exact same position.

[Matt93SE]

After I thought about it a few minutes, I finally see what you're describing. That shouldn't be an issue, I don't think.