Hi all,

It seems I have the same problem as the OP in this older thread, where the lower rear shock mount has spun around the axle tube:

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/9...erch-spun.html

This is a 2001 F350 4x4 Diesel long-bed. The shock length (bolt to bolt) on the driver's side is 25.5", and 23" on the passenger side (unloaded and level). The shock doesn't seem to be damaged. My question is on the locating pin mentioned in the previous post. If I peer into the u-bolt bracket, I can see some sort of pin. Does this pin actually attach to the bracket, or is it just to line it up? In other words, can the bracket have spun as far as to lengthen the shock 2 1/2" without breaking anything? It looks like the axle tube itself hasn't moved, at least the brake calipers seem to be in the same location on both sides, and the u-bolts to the leaf springs seems fine.

Cheers,
Chris.

 

If the shock mount is just held on by u-bolts, just loosen them and take the lower mount off and take a look at it. There's a chance that you had a loose mount and it allowed it to rotate past the pin, or maybe something broke.

You won't hurt anything by putting the mount back to the proper location and tightening up the u-bolts. Welding the mount in place is another option.

 

So I unbolted the shock mount and confirmed that it is centered on the "puck" (the alignment pin on the axle). Nothing seems to be twisted or broken. The passenger side shock (bolt center to bolt center, unloaded) is 23", the driver's side is 25.5". The front of the lower shock bracket is very nearly contacting the sway bar.

All I can think of is that the axle housing has spun, but looking at the brake lines and the alignement of the brake calipers, I really find that difficult to believe. Perhaps the "stagger" is intentional to stop wheel-hop or some such? Can anyone out there confirm whether their rear lower shock brackets are even side-to-side, or if one side is lower?

The reason I am digging into my rear suspension is that I had a bit of a scare coming down a steep dirt road the other day. I was crawling along in low range, and the rear end just wanted to get away from me on a corner. I had just unloaded, and still had my RS9000's at max, so I have dialed them back. I'm hoping that was all it was, but it was a very unpleasant feeling! I thought maybe with one side longer the shock might have been getting to max extension and lifting a wheel. The shocks are listed as 30.75" though, and I don't feel like I was on enough of a slope or bouncing enough to hit 5 inches of travel...



Cheers,
Chris.