Rear Shock Mounting

[MikeandCheryl]

I am looking for advice on the removal and purchase of rear shock mounts. The vehicle in question is a 1972 K10 pretty much stock and pretty much beat. So i need to remove the factory rear shock mounts (riveted) and replace. Any advice on where to purchase? I will need some frame reinforcement in way of the shock mount, welding and/or gusset plates, due to some steel wastage. Guidance from anyone that has done this would be most excellent. Thank you.

[GASoline71]

Do the roads get salted up there? Seems like a lot of rust/rot for a BC truck. Down here in WA we're lucky to not have any salt on the roads in winter.

Might look at entire frame options if it's really bad.

Gary

[tutone]

I agree with the post above. You have some frame rot at your shock mounts and below your crossmember pictured. You can visit my build thread at the bottom of this post and it will be a good tutorial on fixing the frame rust in the xmember area. It will be on page 1 or 2 while I was still working on the 4x4. The upper shock mounts dont look to me like they would be too hard to fabricate.

[MikeandCheryl]

Not sure about the salt up here, but it's 50 years old so some steel deterioration seems warranted. The truck has been worked on as it sports a newer 350 and standard transmission (well, 1978). It's been repainted. But the frame seems okay, but not really in the rear where this pic has been taken. It was last owned by a guy working in the bush digging out firewood - he had a licence and a two way radio for the big rigs. I'll strip it and wire wheel the heck out of it - then replace what's needed with some upgrades. I'm not intending it to be a Barrett Jackson ride - just returning a nice old truck to user friendly status. But i will need these two upper shock mounts. So...just asking what's out there. Cheers.

[MikeandCheryl]

I've read this build/post previous and will re-read it in the sections for this repair. I noted that you cut the frame, shortened it, then welded in the repair, also the same for the piece under the rear cross member. Not sure about the legality or risk with a home made repair - certainly my welding skills would be challenged. I'm pretty sure a welding shop wouldn't touch it. Interesting. But I'll read and compare Monroe with the truck in my garage. Thanks.

[tutone]

Agreed. The shortening of the frame is a personal choice. Yours isnt going to get that. The brace, however, will not reqire a complete dissection. Only in the affected area. I understand welding skills too, I would brace the frame, cut the brace out and cut out the rust and get the repair ready and get a friend to burn it in. Im guessing there are alot of these old trucks running around with rusty frames back there. I had a 65 bel air frame break in half while driving as a teenager and from that point on, I make sure that the foundation is in good repair.

[Grumpy old man]

Find another frame that one doesn't look like it's worth repairing . it looks pretty tweaked and welding good steel to bad won't last very long .

[SCOTI]

Before claiming the frame is 'bad' via what those images show through a computer monitor, I would suggest to scrape & clean the area first to get a better idea of what's just dirt scale & what's actually rust/rot scale from bad steel?

Replacing rear shock mounts is pretty straight forward. You'll need a mount similar to what's in place if your plan is to simply remove it, clean the area, & put a 'new' part in. The actual mount can be some simple angle steel or something more complicated/engineered. What you'll need will be dependent on how invasive or simple any repairs to the original rail/s are.

[MikeandCheryl]

Well put. I have yet to dig into what looks like rust. My next phase is to determine the steel thickness, once the cross member is removed. I need to grind the rivets, and bang out the steel piece, then wire wheel the whole lot before having a real good look. I see up here, a 4x4 frame for about 3K. Not sure what southern pricing is like, but you never know. Not yet ready to give up the ghost, so grind, grind, grind will be my next weekends work. thanks.
Oh, and I still need upper shock mounts - but maybe they are not so complex after all.

[CS1972]

I just finished replacing the driver's side rear shock mount on my 72 4x4. Was very puzzling that one side was that rusted out and the other side in perfect shape. The mounts are quite unique - thick and "modeled steel" (cast?). I was lucky that a member had a pair to sell me. There is not a left or right, it is only a single part # that works on both sides. I was lucky in that the bolt was still good on mine so I used that bolt to replace the one bad bolt (thread issue). You'll notice in the pic below that the bolt has splines that hold it in place. I do not see a way to use a regular hex head bolt because there is no way to get a wrench into that area.

My tip for rivet removal: grind it all the way down, drill a hole a little way into the rivet (the size of the end of a large hole punch), this allows the hole punch to stay in place as you swing away with your 5lb BFH to "pop it out".

[CS1972]

Here's a pair for sale ........... https://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/...d.php?t=835315

[Joesjunk]

Those are my shock mounts listed for sale. You’re welcome to make on offer on them. Thanks