Gentlemen,

So while I was changing the front hubs on my 2000 Expy 4wd, I figured it was the perfect time to install those Bilstein shocks I ordered a while ago. The removal and installation was no problem, but I made a bothersome discovery - the upper shock mount on the passenger side is rusting out. The hole has rusted out to nearly twice its original size and the metal is going.

I'm thinking I could get a shop to weld a plate over top of the mount.

So question 1 is - is there any reason not to weld to this? (Like a frame.)

Question 2 is - if I open up the old mount so that the shock rubber pushes up against the new metal plate, now the shocks are at ever so slightly different extensions on a flat road - any problem with that?

Question 3 is - if instead of opening up the shock mount I leave it and weld a plate on top, then I'll have twice the metal thickess betwen the upper and lower rubbers on the shock shaft. On these Bilsteins, I already had to use a clamp to compress them just to get the nut on 'cause they leave zero extra thread on the shaft. It's just going to be worse with two thicknesses of metal - -

Thanks.