Suspension and Chassis Questions about your suspension? Need chassis advice?

Shock and Awe

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Old 02-11-2009, 11:51 AM
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Car: 1982 Pontiac Trans Am
Engine: Chevy 350 Vortec Roller
Transmission: Turbo 350
Axle/Gears: Moser 4.11
Shock and Awe

I recently bought myself a Moser 12 bolt and was taking out the GM 7.75" 9 bolt that I had gotten from an 88 GTA Trans Am a year or so back so that we could install the new rearend when we noticed what's in this picture. The shock had ripped a piece out of the body inside the car and out of the frame work inside the hub. Has anyone else ever encountered this.
Attached Thumbnails Shock and Awe-mvc-001s.jpg  
Old 02-11-2009, 07:11 PM
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Re: Shock and Awe

its pretty common.
Old 02-12-2009, 12:07 AM
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Re: Shock and Awe

Yeah, that ain't normal. When I swapped my shocks, the hole was only like 0.5" across... not 1.5" across. lol

I have never seen that happen before. Would you just weld in a new piece of metal and redrill the hole? It makes me wonder if I should try and do something to strengthen that area.

Mike
Old 02-12-2009, 02:40 PM
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Re: Shock and Awe

Not overly comon on a car that does not appear to have a lot of rot/rust, but otherwise, fairly comon for these cars and their age. It's only very thin sheetmetal and with the load the shock has placed on it these past 17+ years it tore.

Weld a piece back in that covers a good distance out and around the hole. Drill a new hole for the shock to mount and go on with it. - This is why it is so important to brace everything if you switch to coil-overs.
Old 02-12-2009, 03:16 PM
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Re: Shock and Awe

But if the hole isn't in the exact same spot, won't it alter the suspension characteristics?
Old 02-12-2009, 04:07 PM
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Re: Shock and Awe

No. Shocks aren't all that picky about the placement. Within a 1/4" and you'll be fine.

sofakingdom mentioned this as being pretty common back in the day (in his old posts)...
Old 02-12-2009, 11:01 PM
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Re: Shock and Awe

I've had that happen on two of my 3rd gens. And seen it on a few that I've scrapped out. To prevent that from happening on my 88, I welded a thick washer over the hole for each shock.
Old 02-13-2009, 07:51 AM
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Re: Shock and Awe

Usually happens when coilovers are used and no reinforcement welded in
Old 02-13-2009, 12:51 PM
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Car: 1982 Pontiac Trans Am
Engine: Chevy 350 Vortec Roller
Transmission: Turbo 350
Axle/Gears: Moser 4.11
Re: Shock and Awe

This was done by a regular shock. It ripped a piece out on the underside in front of the coil spring too. I'm probably going to cut a piece out of anther 3rd gen f body and weld on top of it on both sides and weld a piece of thicker sheet metal on the inside.
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