IRS upper shock mount - Permanent fix

[Sox]

Originally Posted by fpgt001

sweet mate whats the process? i'd like to put up some pics of my cars but there to large and im computer illiterate...

For now I'll just add you to the end of the queue, but if your mounts are rattling and clunking like an old fishing vessel, then I might be able to bump you up the list if no one else objects.

I've made another thread about a new version of these, and also a better height adjustable version, so this list may change over time.
http://www.fordforums.com.au/showthread.php?t=11384818

Received -
1 - Brooksby88 x 1
2 - T3man x 2
3 - tkfd x 1
4 - Stonepony x 1
5 - sk8xr8 x 1
6 - BOTTLEDUP x 1
7 - PEUTY x 1
8 - Shambles x 1

Next lot of 4 -
From the list below, these people seemed urgent -
1 - AU-Billy x 1
2 - tangld1 x 1
3 - dc_todd x 1
4 - Stagg x 1

Still needed -
1 - Ride x 1
2 - PROBLM x 1
3 - TS50 x 1
4 - DaveTE x 1
5 - Myts50 x 1
6 - T3-TS50 x 1
7 - AU-Billy x 1
8 - tangld1 x 1
9 - MrEL x 1
10 - FTE217 x 1
11 - Stagg x 1
12 - dc_todd x 1
13 - Paull x 1
14 - fpgt001 x 1

[fpgt001]

they are dude it sounds terrible, they need fixing asap i dont mind paying extra, though dont paint them i'll do that myself can i contact you through email id like to show you car

[mif73]

Hey Sox,
good work on the IRS upper strut mount fix.

My AU fairlane needs a pair now and was looking at replacing them with good second hand ones for now ($130 pair vs $250 each quoted by various ford dealers in Mel).

Just wanted to know how your mod is holding up (Time/Km travelled since mod).

I was thinking about getting my old ones after they are replaced and adapting say a late commodore front strut top rubber/housing as it looks similar to the construction of the rubber inside the AU upper mount.

Would need spacers,housing etc and some cutting/welding, but would like to make it so that the commo style can be replaced from inside the boot if needed at a later stage.
I do have a mig, small lathe and mill and will try this at a later date.

What do you think?

PS: does anyone know where I can get a new upper strut mount for less than $250 each?

Cheers.

[fpgt001]

Hi mate have you done the lowerable shocky mounts yet?

[tasauxr6vct]

Hey i am keen for some if you are still doing, this is my first post but ive had every problem that other au1 owners have, cracked firewall needing custom plate, bent pedal box etc.

My car swerves all over the place going left and right the faster you go the worse it is especislly with higher winds. Its not as bad when turning arou d corners though or low speed. My local ford quoted me $250 each and they dont stock them :/ also they said they e never heard of irs having this problem i laughed.

And none on ebay, pedders prob have but be a rip i reckon.

[mif73]

Hey guys,
I have been looking further into this.
I even emailed superpro (fulcrum suspension), and they are willing to assess my old mounts to check feasibility of remoulding the aluminium boss to the mount in polyurethane perhaps.

I did pick up a pair of second hand mounts this week from a wrecker for 130 bucks who said they were in good condition, but when i got them home and pushed and pulled lightly on the alum boss, i found it would move up and down, although the rubber has not collapsed so i may be able to reinforce the mount up top with a fat rubber ring of sorts that will sit between the valley of the mount and the top hat once it is tightened flush to the alum boss this will pull the boss up and offer more rigidity to resist axial movement but still allow the radial movement it requires.

Will try to add pics of the alum boss removed from mount and pics of inside the mount and pic of rubber reinforcement ring later on.

PS. You can check condition of mount by levering top hat up and down with a screw driver.
You can also fold down your seats, pull back the trim and go for a drive and sneak a pic on a straight bumpy road, the top hat should not move up and down.

PS. Have discovered a lot of mechs and suspension places are not familiar with au irs as they were not the volume seller.
Also ford dealers are not familiar with the short boss on the replacement parts that require washers under the nut.


Cheers, Andrew.

[Sox]

I have 5 or 6 pairs that I'm doing over the next week or so lads.

The way I've made these removes all movement from the rubber body, because the rubber body is removed.
The guts are totally remade and fitted with 2 old school poly bushes which are still in my own XR8 must have well over 10k now with no wear at all.

[mif73]

You are right Sox,
your mod removes the shearing forces and replaces that with a majority compressive force (up and down.) and a tiny shearing force (side to side).

Have you noticed if any of the faulty mounts you collect have failed at the bottom of the boss, or is it always just the top side that fails?

I dont think the rubber moulding holding the mount plate to the tube fails, but would be kinda hard to weld to with that in the way...

[Sox]

I haven't looked at the later ones, as I just tear them down as soon as I get them, but what I did find earlier on was the aluminium sleeve would just flog around in the rubber.

I never saw a brand new unit, but I'm guessing it was vulcanised together, and with age the aluminium just tore away from the rubber, allowing it to slide up and down and gradually wear the rubber away.

[tasauxr6vct]

Cheers, ill post a pic tomorrow and let you guys be the judge but it must be the upper shock mount as sway bar links were stuffed replaced them did nothing apart feel like car was raised at rear end, then found out wheel bearings were gone, still didnt fix the problem .

I took the bolt off the shock mount with wrench and vice grips, came off both fairly easy.. but not sure what im looking at, rubber isnt cracked like front ones, and when i push car down the mounts just move up and down the bolt and if i push down on the rh side the mount moves up and down the bolt (with nut and washer off) and the lh side mount will move on and reallign on a slight angle, and vice versa on other side

Cheers

[Ford muscle73]

Hey sox are you still doing this? Id pm you but i need to make at least 5 posts before im allowed to :/

[Sox]

Originally Posted by Ford muscle73

Hey sox are you still doing this? Id pm you but i need to make at least 5 posts before im allowed to :/

Yep, sure am, but I'm snowed under with work and toys at the moment.

I am part way through a run, which is mostly allocated, and will then start on another run as old mounts come in.

[Ford muscle73]

No worries mate, could you let me know when youre doing another set?

[auxlr8]

Hi mate, just wondering if you have any more for sale at the moment? Cheers

[Sox]

I'm still part way through a batch, I'm hoping to have some free time to knock this lot over next week.

[auxlr8]

Sounds great mate. Put me down for a regular height set if that's ok. Thankyou

[como13]

Originally Posted by Sox

I'm still part way through a batch, I'm hoping to have some free time to knock this lot over next week.

Hi Sox, I have a spare set that needs doing can you pm me with contact details so I can send them to you . Thanks

[auxlr8]

Hi mate, just wondering how you went with a set? Also what's the bsb and acc no? Cheers

[Sox]

That spare time I was hoping for didn't appear.

I have a few spots over the next 2 weeks I might be able to squeeze them in.

Sorry guys, they are coming.

[auxlr8]

Hi mate, just wondering if your any further forward with the mounts? Mine are fully flogged out now I've changed to new springs and shocks. Been trying everywhere to find some. Can't find them aftermarket and spoke to my local ford dealer today, they don't have any and all they could locate was one right hand mount which is basically useless without the other and they want $350 for it. Even if I could find another one and believe me I've tried they are still going to fail in less than 30 k unlike your improved design which from what I've read actually lasts and is a permanent fix. Cheers mate, thanx.

[Sox]

Originally Posted by auxlr8

Hi mate, just wondering if your any further forward with the mounts? Mine are fully flogged out now I've changed to new springs and shocks. Been trying everywhere to find some. Can't find them aftermarket and spoke to my local ford dealer today, they don't have any and all they could locate was one right hand mount which is basically useless without the other and they want $350 for it. Even if I could find another one and believe me I've tried they are still going to fail in less than 30 k unlike your improved design which from what I've read actually lasts and is a permanent fix. Cheers mate, thanx.

Sorry mate, still been flat out, but you caught me on a good day.

I'm doing the run today, can hopefully have them completed later this afternoon.

[peterljohnson55]

Is this an engineer-certified and Roads Authority (RMS in NSW) approved modification?

[Sox]

Originally Posted by peterljohnson55

Is this an engineer-certified and Roads Authority (RMS in NSW) approved modification?

No it isn't.

However I ran it by a local vehicle engineer, showed photos and discussed.
He said nothing was needed.

[Sox]

Originally Posted by Sox

No it isn't.

However I ran it by a local vehicle engineer, showed photos and discussed.
He said nothing was needed.

This is on hold for the moment, I've just had a brief discussion with a vehicle certifier, and things may have changed.

[auxlr8]

Hope your mounts go well again soon mate. I managed to find a pair at bayford, coburg and there as rare as hens teeth. Series 2 style for $451 a pair delivered. If anyone is interested/desperate they still have 2 more pairs available.

[BLU-220]

Originally Posted by auxlr8

Series 2 style for $451 a pair delivered. If anyone is interested/desperate they still have 2 more pairs available.

yeah i was going to drop into bayfords and grab a pair but for that price i'll just get a pair off sox when i got the cash, at least that way i don't have to worry about them falling apart.

cheers dean

[Professor Farnsworth]

i've bought two pairs in the past for that Ford price. Still have an old pair sitting around but one is worn.

[sjako]

Hi, I have been keeping an eye on this post in relation to the mounts, they sound good, any luck with the vehicle certifier, I may need some soon and factory stock is running low.

Cheers Steve

[Sox]

It doesn't look good.
I've spoken to a couple of signatories, both of which feel they're more than fine off the record, but technically speaking they would most likely need certification.
Both of which also feel they'd pass with flying colours.

The only hiccup is the cost would be approx $4000.

So I have to say it's unlikely I'll go down this road, unless demand became very high and then the price would also have to increase significantly.

The other gamble I could face is that no sooner would I go through the process of certification, another suspension mob has probably done a similar thing, reducing my potential and already fairly small market.

[mif73]

Hi Sox.
Its a shame about the certification, yours are most likely better and safer than a failed factory part which is getting harder to find.

Have you looked at possibly adapting/modding a non irs upper mount? I think they still bolt up to the 4 mounting holes in the body.

Good luck with that, it seems that even old worn mounts are still too good to throw out now as good ones are rare as.