Fox 3.0's broken top mounts

[Yukon Joe]

I spoke with Corey last night regarding my shocks. From what I could tell they did not show any damage and the ride had been good. Turns out that finally having something first generation doesn't have an issue. The top of the shock design is different between the first gen and the second gen. There have been no failure with the first generation shock mount. I'm not sure when they changed the design to the current mounting configuration.

Yukon Joe
www.RUNRAPTORRUN.com

 

[Mil T]

Mil T.

I'm just curious

Frame is fine. I have RPG bumps and frame reinforcements and some of my own custom add ons.
I remember when this happened now and it's been a couple of months since the driver side probably broke and the passenger side broke last week.
I was a chase truck for several of my friends on dirt bikes going from Wickenburg, AZ to the Colorado River via Lake Alamo. The road is a blast on MC's and also in the truck. There is a section about 10 miles long that is straight with large berms about every 1/2 to 1 mile apart. It's definitely a 100 + mph road. Going down I was hitting between 100 and 115 by GPS. all the jumps were perfect launch and land flat on all fours accept for one that was the largest one. I did land on right front first but it was not a big hit as far as I was concerned. definitely nothing to pull over for. The same type of thing happened when the driver side broke and I got pretty good air on that one so I'm pretty sure that is when the damage was done and I just never felt it in the handling or anything else. Madcow can probably attest that he didn't feel anything odd after he discovered his were broken either.

---------- Post added at 08:40 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:31 PM ----------

I spoke with Corey last night regarding my shocks. From what I could tell they did not show any damage and the ride had been good. Turns out that finally having something first generation doesn't have an issue. The top of the shock design is different between the first gen and the second gen. There have been no failure with the first generation shock mount. I'm not sure when they changed the design to the current mounting configuration.

Yukon Joe
GREAT LAKES RAPTOR EXCURSIONS

I'm a little confused. Corey told me that the first gen shocks had the aluminum ones and that they were having problems like this so they switched to Chrome Moly.
What I read you to say is that the 1st gen didn't have any problems and that they changed design between the 1st and 2nd Gen. All I know is that the new top mounts for the shock is Chrome Moly and I don't' consider that a design change but a material change to fix a problem with breakage.

 

[Yukon Joe]

I will talk to Corey to try and understand the differences between them and about when the changes where made. I got my 3.0s almost when they first came out. Corey said the first design was for a normal F-150. When I was talking to him it was like he almost forgot the made them that way at first. I'll get some clarification and report back.

Yukon Joe
www.RUNRAPTORRUN.com

 

[Madcowranch]

OK, shipment should be in today so I'm getting ready to prep the truck for install. Any "how to" vids or tips out there? I'd rather not bother Corey if I don't have to. Does the whole thing need to come out or can I leave the lower shock bolt on? I'd rather not mess with that SOB again.

 

[Yukon Joe]

OK, shipment should be in today so I'm getting ready to prep the truck for install. Any "how to" vids or tips out there? I'd rather not bother Corey if I don't have to. Does the whole thing need to come out or can I leave the lower shock bolt on? I'd rather not mess with that SOB again.

Just think, this could be your first DIY...

Yukon Joe
www.RUNRAPTORRUN.com

 

[Madcowranch]

Just think, this could be your first DIY...

Yukon Joe
GREAT LAKES RAPTOR EXCURSIONS

I already did one on deicing your side mirrors this winter.

 

[FarFromStock]

Just think, this could be your first DIY...

Yukon Joe
GREAT LAKES RAPTOR EXCURSIONS

Now that's not being fair Joe. I distinctly remember seeing him under his truck last year at TRR with a hammer flattening the pinch welds while Corey did everything else. Rich just forgot to do the write-up.

 

[knine]

Drive it, break it, fit it, drive it. Glad you found it and congratulations on getting it there, must have been a blast!

 

[Mil T]

OK, shipment should be in today so I'm getting ready to prep the truck for install. Any "how to" vids or tips out there? I'd rather not bother Corey if I don't have to. Does the whole thing need to come out or can I leave the lower shock bolt on? I'd rather not mess with that SOB again.

Jack truck up on stands and take wheels off. Make sure you have a good jack as it helps when you let the suspension bottom out and then have to jack it up when you are doing the tie rods and uca link.
You need to take it out all the way. Take the tie rod off and the upper control arm link off and lay the uca to the side. Take the 3 upper mounting bolts off. then take the lower shock bolt off. I know it's a bitch but if you have a GOOD impact wrench you should be able to get it off and on with no problem. I have a good one that can torque nuts up to 550 lbs so I just put it on and hit it until it don't turn no more. Never has come off or loosened. Go rent one or borrow one if you don't have one. I'm assuming you have air tools??
You'll find out that removing the broken mount is not hard but getting the new one on with the rubber washers and the heim type fitting on the top of the shock takes some finessing to get it all on right. I used a rubber mallet to get it back on. One went fast and the other took a little more patience. a small c-clamp help keep the heim straight and tight so the mount could go on. It's a tight fit but it does fit. Make sure you look at how the broken mount comes off and duplicate the new one putting it back on. Reinstall everything and your done.
Good luck. Took me a couple hours.
Mil T

 

[Madcowranch]

Oh poop.