• Welcome to ClassicBroncos! - You are currently viewing the forums as a GUEST. To take advantage of all the site features, please take a moment to register. It's fast, simple and absolutely free. So please join our community today!
    If you have problems registering or can't log into your account, please contact Admin.

Reinstallation of Duff shock mount

jerry

Contributor
Sr. Member
Joined
Jan 28, 2002
Messages
693
Loc.
Bakersfield, CA
Greetings, all:

It's been a long time since I've been back on here. My '70 (302, 3 on the tree) has been sitting in the garage for the past 4 years or so, awaiting more time and money to restore it. Neither has really materialized, so I've decided to just throw in the towel, put it back together the best that I can with the parts that I have, and put it up for sale.

In preparation for this, I'm starting to reassemble the suspension on it, and have a question regarding this. Now, I realize that the title on this thread is much less intriguing that those of you with more talent and time that I have are working on, but I hope you'll still be willing to give me a hand.

The Bronco has a James Duff front dual shock setup (the "hoop"), installed by the PO. I'm in the process of reinstalling the hoop, having removed it when I did my power steering conversion a while back.

The problem (and I apologize for not articulating better) - there's hole in the frame for the rearmost hole that holds the bracket for the clutch pedal linkage. The hole is much smaller than the bolts used to hold the hoop in place and, to make matters worse, is offset (meaning I can't just get in there with the right side bit and enlarge the hole to get the bolt through).

Here's a pic:
http://img299.imageshack.us/img299/3914/jerryshockhoopmount.jpg

Does anybody have any ideas for resolving it? The ideas that I had include:

* Wallow out the hole, slowly and carefully, with a drill bit

* Install the hoop and bracket with the smaller sized bolt, then have someone tack weld the bracket to the frame back there.

This board has been a great resource to me in the past, and I want to thank you guys in advance for your help with this.

Jerry
 
Last edited:

brewchief

Sr. Member
Joined
Feb 11, 2007
Messages
871
My duff hoops have been mounted with the smaller bolts for about 15-16 years, I bought those hoops when they first came out, no issues.
 
OP
OP
jerry

jerry

Contributor
Sr. Member
Joined
Jan 28, 2002
Messages
693
Loc.
Bakersfield, CA
I doubt this will ever be read... But I have some good news: I officially denounce my previous, blasphemous post about selling my Bronco. :)

Talking it over with the wife, she thinks it would be a great father-son project, and has no problems with me getting it running and using it as my daily driver / weekend fun machine.

Cheers!
 

gnpenning

Contributor
Bronco Slave
Joined
Dec 26, 2011
Messages
2,187
Loc.
I have more questions than answers.
Good wife you may want to keep her.

I'm a little confused. Did you say the PO had this installed and you removed it? Other than the P/S has anything changed? I have never used one but could you have it on the wrong side?
 
OP
OP
jerry

jerry

Contributor
Sr. Member
Joined
Jan 28, 2002
Messages
693
Loc.
Bakersfield, CA
She's a great wife. I'd take her over the Bronco any day. :)

Here's a little more detail, and what I believe the potential cause to be:

The previous owner only bolted the shock hoops to the frame (no welding) and the upper mount for the coil. Through flexing or the bolts being a little loose, the upper tab that secures the hoop to the coil mount fractured off.

In my ignorance, I took the hoop off and took it to a shop, asking them to weld it back on. In doing so, it ended up a little skewed, so now when in position on the frame, the hole in that tab doesn't line up.

I'm actually going to have to sit down and think about what I really need to do here. If I want to run two shocks up front (which I probably do), then I'm going to have to change things around. Without fully thinking things through (see previous ignorance comment, lol), I did the F150 tie rod over conversion, which now interferes with the front shock mounting tab.

All along these lines - I'm going to tear apart the front end completely, in order to replace the bushings... In doing so, would be nice to swap my D30 for a D44. If anybody knows of a lead for one in or around the Bakersfield, CA area please keep me in mind.


Good wife you may want to keep her.

I'm a little confused. Did you say the PO had this installed and you removed it? Other than the P/S has anything changed? I have never used one but could you have it on the wrong side?
 

70_Steve

Old Guy
Joined
Dec 13, 2002
Messages
8,317
If I want to run two shocks up front (which I probably do), then I'm going to have to change things around.
How are you planning on using your Bronco, such that you would want/need to run two shocks up front?
 

bronconut73

Bronco Guru
Joined
Aug 7, 2012
Messages
9,916
Some cheap F-250 shock mounts from BC or WH would fix things right up. They "can" be bolted on so no need to weld (but I would later anyway). Run a single high quality shock (ie RS 9000, Bilstein, etc...). Fixes alot of issues and you won't have to deal with the hoop or having to buy the two additional shocks that you probably really don't need anyway.
 
OP
OP
jerry

jerry

Contributor
Sr. Member
Joined
Jan 28, 2002
Messages
693
Loc.
Bakersfield, CA
Hey guys,

First, thanks to everyone for chiming in on this. Appreciate the help.

My goal at this point is to have a daily driver that handles well and I could take trips in with the family, but would still do a decent job off-road.

With the previous setup - I enjoyed the body roll control afforded by the twin shock setup, but it was a little too stiff in general. (It was running the Duff shocks.)

I do have the F250 mounts sitting on a shelf, and had considered doing that... Or, maybe I just run the hoops with one shock for a while, to see how that feels?

The more comfortable I can make the truck, the more my wife won't mind riding in it... But it needs to look good too. :)
 
Top