Suzuki Club UK

I want to import some Bilstein shocks from the US but until I do that I need shocks fitted to get the SJ through the MOT and I can’t afford the Bilsteins just yet.

So I came up with possibly the best or stupidest idea I have ever had, however after some research Koni actually do this for customers in Australia and I couldn’t find anything saying that it will fail in the MOT manual http://www.motuk.co.uk/manual_270.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I started by trying to re-use the crap adapter bar I had ( I think it’s the reason my standard shock mounts sheared off and had to weld in some new ones) but I couldn't get my shocks into the position/height I wanted without needing to cut up the floor in the rear bed because of the pin type mounts on the Astra shocks, But I worked out if they had eye mounts on top instead of the pins I could use the original shock mounts and end up with 4.5” of bump and 5” of droop travel on the shocks, That should be enough to not restrict travel on the rear with the YJs I think.

So out came the angle grinder and I chopped of the pin on one shock and welded on an eye as a trial: They are nitrogen filled shocks so I took it slow as to not get the shaft too hot and welded it with them fully extended so that no heat got near the main shock body!

The end result, some cheap shocks that fit perfectly, aren’t at a stupid angle (so they can work efficiently) and you don’t need an adapter bar.

I will post up some pics tomorrow.

pics

Nice work Scott

spot on work,

nitrogen is used because it is relatively uneffected by temperature and is inert, so the heat from welding shouldnt have caused u many major problems anyway

Cheers ill be honest I didn't really know if it was or wasn't, I can't remember much from.science in school that was a long time ago just figured that I didn't really want to get a pressurized gas shock too hot always better to be safe than sorry eh

Nice work there scottie

hehe that is a good point, unfortunatly have to deal with nitrogen most days for tyres and hydraulic accumulators, not bad stuff.

the idea on the shocky is inspired though top work.

Cheers

so what do you do for work then?

Which shocks are these Scottie?

Are you still running them? I have a feeling i'm going to have to replace my shocks with something a bit longer.

Cheers
Jordi

They are Kyb excel-g twin tube gas shocks part number is 343047. I would imagine if you emailed Kyb they'd have a shock of simular specs that have eyes top and bottom?