[Fortress04]

Possible dumb question, but how safe is it for someone to mount coilover shocks on the stock mounts for the shocks?

 

[Lonnie P]

I'm assuming you are referring to the upper mount?
This is the way the UMI true coil over kit is designed.
I've been running mine for over 2 years now with 850# springs.
Just had it apart & everything looks fine.

 

[manbearpig]

I'm guessing he means the lower mount. Stock control arms are not made to support the weight of the vehicle from the shock mounting points.

 

[Fortress04]

I probably should be more specific. The rear of the vehicle for the single bolt bottom and double bolt top, how safe would it be to put a set of coilovers there?

 

[bk2life]

I probably should be more specific.

yeah, it helps to at least have any idea what youre asking about

The rear of the vehicle for the single bolt bottom and double bolt top,

what areyou doign with the leaf springs?

how safe would it be to put a set of coilovers there?

itd be fine for a short time, its not really made to support the weight of the vehicle, but, why, is the real question here. Remember your first sentence "I probably should be more specific..." that would really help here. Explain what you are wanting to do, and why. That way, we know what youre wanting and then can give ideas

 

[Fortress04]

I planned on doing a similar thing my stepdad has done with his past couple mini trucks, even using some of the same parts and resources. He originally had a 7.5 when he got his first s10, stripped it, ditched the entire rear suspension setup and got a Corvette IRS. He blew it up way beyond repair, then put a Grand National 9 inch in it. He fabricated his own 4 link kit for it and has had it running for a few years. He did the same thing with his second one too. The difference I'm thinking of and what his has, he put a cross member directly above his rear end and made new mounting points for his coilovers.

I plan on getting a kit for it instead of fabricating it all from scratch instead and ditching the leaf springs.

I'm wondering if it would be safe to just use the stock mounts instead of making new ones, but as you just said, it'd be fine for a short time. About how long would you consider to be a short time?

I do plan on keeping the 7.5 at least for right now as I haven't even upgraded the powertrain in it yet. Too much power in a vehicle or driver not made or trained for it can cause a disaster. Whenever I decide to change it, it shouldn't be hard to make the new axel work.

 

[manbearpig]

I'm not sure how you plan on using the lower mount without a leaf spring. I don't see that being possible. Why not just do it right?

 

[bk2life]

....... and ditching the leaf springs.

Why not just do it right?

im getting the idea, you cant weld or fabricate. Adding a coilover mount kit to the vehicle is a very easy thing and it is 100% made to do what youre needing.
even if you somehow used the upper mounts, without leafs there is no lower mount. plus the coilovers would be angled, giving wierd push pull action unlike the stright up lift of the leafs.
Now that you have provided more info, No, No it wont work for what you are wanting to do.

 

[Fortress04]

im getting the idea, you cant weld or fabricate.

I actually do know how to weld and fabricate, I helped my stepdad with both of his that we made and welded... Though my perception isn't the best. At times I overlook the simplest things. I didn't realize that the lower mount was connected to the leaf spring and not the axel even though this will be my third time doing this. Seeing that now makes my initial statement needed