[bigrig91]

Needed to get a longer shock to fit in the rear of the Vitara. Most of remote reservoir shocks are too long for standard shock spacing. We decided to chop off the existing mounts and make new ones.

Testing with a bit of cardboard and a few measurements and we mocked up our mount. Double Checked a few things and had it folded out of 4mm steel plate.

Everything Metal at Nudgee/Hendra did an awesome job and with our short deadline, knocked it up in a day for a great price.

Did some final test fitting and shaped the back side to sit flush against the curve of the chassis. Angled the front because we made it too wide and the tyre rubbed at extremely full flex.

Cleaned everything up, welded and fitted the shocks. Went racing about an hour later and everything is still in place. Mounted the reservoirs also.

[bigrig91]

How i decided on how much to alter shock mounts.

Took some measurements today and got lucky with the shocks i bought.

OME LTR - 615 Open 400 Closed = 215mm travel.

Commodore - 550 Open 360 Closed = 190mm travel.

Ride height = 460 Full open (spring loose) = 560 Bump = 340 ish (Hydro bumps so this will be determined)

So, i want the OME to be at roughly 50% compression at ride height which = 505mm. 505mm ideal - 460mm current shock mount position = new shock mounts 45mm higher.
These shocks are pin to pin so a new lower mount will be made, as they are already low enough (200mm) we wont drop that any futher. Grinder will come out and we will clearance the body above the shock mount and move everything up 50mm.

Clearance the body above the spring mount to mount the hydraulic bumpstops.

[wrboy89]

Give us some flex shots now

[bigrig91]

To be honest mate with these shocks i havent really increased my down travel by all that much as im limited by the stupid ball joint on the upper arm and the length of the lowers. Stage 2 will be a decent increase in down travel as there will be fox shocks in there with an open measurement of 650 ish. Should get 10inch of usable wheel travel out of the rear.

[christover1]

The A-arm swings towards the front as it drops, I assume that's limiting your droop?
Especially on a lifted Vit.
An A-arm ball joint spacer may bring it square again, so it don't move forward so far under droop.
Worth looking at, I'm not an engineer, but that is how I understand it.

[bigrig91]

Yeah it hangs on the ball joint if you let it droop that far. 4 link will fix that.

[christover1]

That'll fix it, too

[wrboy89]

Ball joint spacer worked a treat with me I found