so while I was under bus looking at exhaust I saw this
yup that is 1/2 plate bent
and looky at the top mounts,cracked and broken and flopping in the wind
soaked with pb blaster...wasn't coming loose
so I started to cut it off
shock off
buggered,cracked and the thru shaft welded with bubble gum...more cutting to do
this had been welded
any ways atleast 3 times
hole in frame is wallered out but it is still nice and flat!
So I will make new mounts and replace shocks this weekend
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now why did it shear off the mounts you ask???
distance between the centers of the mounts was 17 inches
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space between bump stops and frame is 2-3/4 inch plus about an inch of compression...so that means the lower mount can move up about 3-3/4 inches
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so 17.00 - 3.75 = 13.25 compressed shock length(close enuf)
now when I compressed shock that was mounted guess what??????
16.75 inches
so back to last wanderings of a mental state.....what kind of idiot mechanic does this crap??? not once but 3 times atleast....now I now the "clunking" I have heard and the bone jarring ride might have had a reason behind it...not to mention State Troopers who inspected the bus for safety,since it was a school bus...
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argh!!!!!!!!!!
So at lunch I started to widdle on some steel...
oh and the shocks I got are 13.25 compressed and 21.25 extended with the 3/4dia bushings so I will have up and down travel now