Aluminum Shocks

[P4SHOCAT]

If you are just spit balling here, could you taper each end of the shock to fit the perch? Please don't flame me, I do know how to fill up my gas tank.

 

[Jhollowell]

The perch needs to fit over the top of the shock body so the OD is limited by the perch. I suppose you could use the gen 2 perch but you're still limited to a 3" OD body. I'd have to run the numbers to see if that works. I don't have the actual dimensions of the gen 1 steel bodies but I'm guessing they are .125 wall thickness and 2.5" OD meaning a 1.250" ID. If you keep the same ID and go with a 3.0" OD you increase wall thickness to .375. Maybe that's enough to take the pressure but steel is a lot stronger than Al so you need more gauge when changing materials. How much more will depend on material properties. If i remember correctly, the gen 1 spring will fit on a gen 2 perch so maybe if the .375 wall thickness is ok this could be viable.

 

[2012SCSVT]

SDHQ has some good information listed with their parts:

But it's probably best to not try to build an aluminum tube, the price wouldn't be worth it.

 

[The Car Stereo Company]

aluminium cylinder. giant drill bit. giant tap and die set. its effin simple you idiots. save the shavings from 3 to melt down to make the 4th cylinder. set of 4 for the price of 3. i accept royalties through venmo and paypal

 

[rschap1]

It wouldn't be much of a task with a CNC lathe.
But, not cheap either.
With oil temp being the concern, wonder what the body material difference would really make??
Finned rather than smooth round body could dissipate heat better, like aftermarket remote reservoirs.
I was having thoughts of using a laser thermometer on shock body after a Gen1 and Gen2 rode over the same test area/whoops run, and see what temp. difference was.
If great enough, adding finned heat sink to outside of the Gen 1s...??

 

[Jhollowell]

I agree the fins will help, i'm just not sure how much it helps on the reservoir. There is mostly N2 in that cylinder and most of the oil is in the main body, so you'd really need fins on the body and not the reservoir. Maybe the rear you could do that but probably not the front shock. Thinking about it more, using a 3.0 OD and 2.130" ID you get a .435 wall thickness as opposed to a .090 with the steel body. That may be thick enough for Al. And using the Gen 2 perch with a gen 1 spring should work too, since many people already do it. I'll see if i can run some numbers today.

 

[rschap1]

Interesting thoughts and approach.
I have been mainly considering either buckets to run Gen2 s or the MIKRA set ups, if I ever get ambitious and ready to spend some $

 

[ograptor]

Ive been thinking about slapping gen 2 shocks in my gen 1 without a bucket conversion or the mikra solution. Am i out of line here?

 

[Jhollowell]

they will physically fit if you use the gen 1 top hats and springs. However the shocks are longer so if you bottom or top out you run the risk of damage. If you only drive the road, you're probably fine, but any off roading or using full travel will likely cause damage at some point.

 

[rschap1]

I was thinking / hoping to use Gen2s w/o adapters or mods, but have read enough that I don't dare really.
Knowing what my luck is like...