S7 Rear Shocker Concern

[Pintogogo]

I have just purchased new shockers for my S7 as the old ones both had the rubber bush in the top eye separate from the metal eye, leaving the bush bolted to the mounting and the shocker eye floating half on the bush and against the fiberglass rear arch causing a Knock on both sides.

 

The shockers currently run from the bracket at the back of the drum brake to the rear top corner of the wheel arch at an angle of approx. 50deg. This is the original set up but I don't want the bushes on the new shockers to separate from the shocker again so 2 questions :-

 

(i)Would it be better to mount the shocker in a vertical plane straight up above bottom mount

 

(ii)If mounted in original position, what can be done to prevent 'pivoting forces' ripping the rubber bush from top eye, short of not bolting up tight

 

Thanks in advance for help

Harry

[Guest 2b cruising]

Recommendations from gaz state the rear shocks are best effective when placed in a straight line in direction of travel.

Vertical is best.

Edited May 28, 2016 by 2b cruising

[cb750]

The shocker needs to compress in the direction that the swinging arm moves to protect the bushes (rose joints would overcome the problem). What I did was to bolt up the lower mount, extend the shock to the top mount height and held it then moved the swinging arm through the the limits of the suspension travel and watched what happened to the the top bush. It was surprising how much lateral movement was produced. I put the top mount on a strong bracket midway of the movement. Bolt up the shocker when the car is at the normal ride height. This will minimise damage to the bush.

[biksz]

Just change to coil overs done with then it's what I did

[cb750]

I used the method I gave above when I changed my original coilovers. The original builder/owner had mounted the top in the wrong place and the bushes were destroyed because of the twisting action produced when the swinging arms moved.