[crewsy]

Hey guys,

Just received my ford F250 front upper shock mounts for my sierra.
Had a search around and found some info on fish plating the chassis where the front shock tower gets welded on, but would still like opinions from others who have done it.
What thickness plate did you use?
What width?
What length?

I've also seen two different ways of making them.. either like this:
>==>
or like this:
<==>

Are there any benefits to the way they are cut?

If anyone has tips on welding them that would be great too. I have a Cigweld 175 gas mig at home to use now

Any info would be great.

Cheers

[mnemonix]

I can't help with your fishplating, but I'm curious about the f250 shock towers.

Won't the excessive angle of the towers foul with the tyres as they tuck into the guards? (they lean away from the chassis rail towards the wheel).

[crewsy]

mnemonix wrote:

I can't help with your fishplating, but I'm curious about the f250 shock towers.

Won't the excessive angle of the towers foul with the tyres as they tuck into the guards? (they lean away from the chassis rail towards the wheel).

I hope not, but theres heaps of guys who use them without any hassles. Seen them being used with standard wide track axles and rims with a decent offset.

Heres some decent pics of the setup:
http://www.zukiworld.com/month_050104/i ... c01541.jpg

http://www.zukiworld.com/month_050104/i ... c01551.jpg

Doesn't look like they'll sit very far out.

[Hybrid]

Check the link below. Government doc that covers fish plating. I haven't read it in a while but I think it basically says to use the same thickness of steel for the plating as the chassis. I don't see any difference in benefit cutting it either way you've shown it. It's probably more a matter of mounting preference. If you needed the front head of the plate hard up against another fitting or cross member it would be easier to do it the first way for instance.

http://www.infrastructure.gov.au/roads/ ... _sec_2.pdf

EDIT: Sorry that's not the link that talks about thickness. I think it was in a hot rodding doc I saw the thickness discussion. Try googling that.

[crewsy]

Hybrid wrote:

Check the link below. Government doc that covers fish plating. I haven't read it in a while but I think it basically says to use the same thickness of steel for the plating as the chassis. I don't see any difference in benefit cutting it either way you've shown it. It's probably more a matter of mounting preference. If you needed the front head of the plate hard up against another fitting or cross member it would be easier to do it the first way for instance.

http://www.infrastructure.gov.au/roads/ ... _sec_2.pdf

EDIT: Sorry that's not the link that talks about thickness. I think it was in a hot rodding doc I saw the thickness discussion. Try googling that.

Thanks for that mate. I was thinking about using either 3 or 4mm plate and just do it like this |==> as most others seem to be done like that for this application anyway.

[skyman]

I used 1/4" plate for mine, a little over kill but I had a friend cut them out so I couldn't complain.

The reasons for the angles is to add more length to the weld, rather than a short vertical weld. The idea is to get as much weld as possible on the plates.

Be wary he Zook frame is very thin, I had an experienced welder come do mine, and some other welding that was technical, he blew through the frame on his first bead, after that he had no problem.

as for the lean and the fouling with the ford towers, ,I have had no issues, and you won't with normal backspaced wheels. However, you will want to put them as high as possible in the wheel well and even go as far a beating the fender well up to make more room.

The higher you can mount the ford towers, the more uptravel you will have which is crucial to a good ride. A good rule of thumb if you are wanting to travel at speed off road, is 3-4
" of uptravel.

If you have any questions about the ford towers, feel free to ask. Since they are only $12.50 and very stout, we use them allot.


Hope it helps.

Oh I almost forgot.

When your shocks are mounted, check clearance with the corner of the spring plate. The bottom of the shock likes to foul on the corner of that spring plate and dent the shock. I didn't know about that and dented my new rancho's. all I had to do to remedy that was ip a corner off the plate with a skinny wheel in a 4" grinder ;D

[shakes]

I don't have the right words to describe this so bear with me. But welds vertical or horizontal on the chassis will create a point that allows a crack to form and break easily. Angled welds are less likely to encourage it.

I would also look at gusseting the top of the chassis behind the tower as well. The twist back from your raised shock towers might do some damage (it might not to. I tend to overbuild stuff)

[crewsy]

skyman wrote:

I used 1/4" plate for mine, a little over kill but I had a friend cut them out so I couldn't complain.

The reasons for the angles is to add more length to the weld, rather than a short vertical weld. The idea is to get as much weld as possible on the plates.

Be wary he Zook frame is very thin, I had an experienced welder come do mine, and some other welding that was technical, he blew through the frame on his first bead, after that he had no problem.

as for the lean and the fouling with the ford towers, ,I have had no issues, and you won't with normal backspaced wheels. However, you will want to put them as high as possible in the wheel well and even go as far a beating the fender well up to make more room.

The higher you can mount the ford towers, the more uptravel you will have which is crucial to a good ride. A good rule of thumb if you are wanting to travel at speed off road, is 3-4
" of uptravel.

If you have any questions about the ford towers, feel free to ask. Since they are only $12.50 and very stout, we use them allot.


Hope it helps.

Oh I almost forgot.

When your shocks are mounted, check clearance with the corner of the spring plate. The bottom of the shock likes to foul on the corner of that spring plate and dent the shock. I didn't know about that and dented my new rancho's. all I had to do to remedy that was ip a corner off the plate with a skinny wheel in a 4" grinder ;D

Yeah 1/4" plate is pretty thick. I'm going to be running the standard (extended) bump stops I already have so my shock mount doesn't need to rely on the extra pressure of upward force on it with a shock with a built in bump stop.

My brother is a welder by trade so I'm going to get him to do the welding so I'm sure he'll be able to get the right penetration without blowing a hole in it.

In regards to how hight the shock tower needs to be mounted, I should be fine as I have a body lift in mine which I don't plan on ever taking out.

My suspension is setup as spring under axle so I won't have to deal with the shocks rubbing on the spring plate either .

[skyman]

Sounds like you are all set

[crewsy]

shakes wrote:

I don't have the right words to describe this so bear with me. But welds vertical or horizontal on the chassis will create a point that allows a crack to form and break easily. Angled welds are less likely to encourage it.

I would also look at gusseting the top of the chassis behind the tower as well. The twist back from your raised shock towers might do some damage (it might not to. I tend to overbuild stuff)

Yeah that makes sense mate. Can you do welds like this going vertically or horizontally: /\/\/\/\/\ ?

[crewsy]

skyman wrote:

Sounds like you are all set

Yeah looks like it! Hope everything goes to plan (which it usually doesn't)

[SierraDan]

[mnemonix]

Smick looking welds dan, did you do those yourself?

[SierraDan]

Not mine. They're scottys slider mounts. Saw them on Facebook and thought I'd post it up to show Creasy.
Scotty is pretty good at what he does!

[alien]

my engineer said to fisch plate with the same thickness material that you're plating to... mines a touch thicker but yeh.

also, everything is triangles... so make the plates start and end like this: <>

when doing the chassis you also do the sides not the top and bottom, as doing the top/bottom only makes it resistant to bending sideways not up/down. (best explained as holding a steel ruler and bending it each way... while bending the 1mm thickness the ruler flexes heaps, but bending its width (30mm or so) its rigid as.

this is all stuf i was told by my engineer though... im no expert.

[Gwagensteve]

Use 3mm for doubling plates. The chassis is 2.5mm.

Steve.

[crewsy]

SierraDan wrote:

Not mine. They're scottys slider mounts. Saw them on Facebook and thought I'd post it up to show Creasy.
Scotty is pretty good at what he does!

Thanks for that mate. I'll probably go with a more angled V on mine. Welding looks good! do you know what thickness plate that is?

[crewsy]

Gwagensteve wrote:

Use 3mm for doubling plates. The chassis is 2.5mm.

Steve.

I was wondering what the exact thickness of the chassis was, thanks! My brother had some 5mm stuff at work so he cut it to size and brought it home for me. Is that usable, or will it be way too thick?

[Fatzook]

crewsy wrote:

Gwagensteve wrote:

Use 3mm for doubling plates. The chassis is 2.5mm.

Steve.

I was wondering what the exact thickness of the chassis was, thanks! My brother had some 5mm stuff at work so he cut it to size and brought it home for me. Is that usable, or will it be way too thick?

2.5mm.

You can use 5mm, but I'd only be running a 5 or 6mm fillet weld around the plates. Also be carefully to get even penetration of the chassis AND fish plate.

I use 4mm for fish plates, and wherever possible I avoid doing verticle welds. <===> is what I try to do.

[crewsy]

Fatzook wrote:

crewsy wrote:

Gwagensteve wrote:

Use 3mm for doubling plates. The chassis is 2.5mm.

Steve.

I was wondering what the exact thickness of the chassis was, thanks! My brother had some 5mm stuff at work so he cut it to size and brought it home for me. Is that usable, or will it be way too thick?

2.5mm.

You can use 5mm, but I'd only be running a 5 or 6mm fillet weld around the plates. Also be carefully to get even penetration of the chassis AND fish plate.

I use 4mm for fish plates, and wherever possible I avoid doing verticle welds. <===> is what I try to do.

Good to know I can still use the stuff I have. This pretty much sums it up I would have to say, so I'll make sure it gets done like this
Thank you everyone for your input

[Gwagensteve]

The engineers I've been involved with in Vic have been adamant that doubling plates can't be more than 50% thicker than the original chassis, so even 4mm is out.

After the doubling plate has gone on, you can weld whatever you want to it.

Steve.

[Fatzook]

Gwagensteve wrote:

The engineers I've been involved with in Vic have been adamant that doubling plates can't be more than 50% thicker than the original chassis, so even 4mm is out.

After the doubling plate has gone on, you can weld whatever you want to it.

Steve.

Most engineers won't bork at 0.25mm

[steak_knife]

Fatzook wrote:

Gwagensteve wrote:

The engineers I've been involved with in Vic have been adamant that doubling plates can't be more than 50% thicker than the original chassis, so even 4mm is out.

After the doubling plate has gone on, you can weld whatever you want to it.

Steve.

Most engineers won't bork at 0.25mm

But for what he does...