I finally recieved the last thing on my wish list today...a pair of Golden Horizons #02026, "Shock Tower II" for the Savage X. I had been looking at lots of different aluminum towers for the purpose of running with only 4 shocks (the plastic towers are pretty flexy with 4 shocks IMO). So, I finally got some to go with my new HPI Big-Bore shocks, and figured out a better way to mount the shocks in the process. Read on...
I went with these GH towers because they had plenty of shock mounting positions (11), and they appeared to be very well-machined...they have the supports for the upper hingepins and the grooves for the bulkheads, just like the stock shock towers.
Like with some other mods I have done, the first thing I did was weigh my new stuff vs. the stock plastic, because I figure I'm not the only one who wants to know this. Removing the stock towers on an X is easy...just remove the bulkhead, and pull the 2 remaining screws after also removing the upper shock mounts.
Now, here's the stock shock tower...1.2oz. each.
The GH towers with the standoffs...2.7 oz. each, for a net weight gain of 3 ounces. I'll live with that...I have to!
Upon installing the new towers, I was pleased to find that they fit the bulkheads perfectly, with no wobbling or having to force them into place. The machining on the rears where they meet the bulkheads was also spot-on.
The tower all bolted on and ready for shocks...Overall, I am VERY happy with the fit and quality of these GH parts.
Here's where the project took a turn....I really didnt like how the Big-Bores' springs rubbed against my HPI adjustable upper control arms. Here's how far away the upper mount was away from the tower with the spring barely touching the arm. The standoffs (which make the towers the same thickness as stock) wouldn't be anywhere close even then.
So I started digging in the spares (again), and came up with this:
-A 3x25mm screw, with nut and washer
-The 2 plastic spacers I was previously using on the upper mounts
-Some odd plastic spacer that came with the shocks
I then screwed it all together, in this order: Flatwasher, shock eye, old spacer, control arm, old spacer, new spacer, control arm, nut. Assembled this way, I used the spacers to strengthen the lower control arm mount as I moved the shock eye in front of the arm, thus moving the spring away from the upper arm. The screw goes right to the end of the nut and no farther, so it leaves enough room for even a slightly bent dogbone.
Here's how the fronts looked...
The rears...
Here's another shot of the rear. Check the spring clearance!
The upper mount was pretty much the same way I had it before ( Link ), except that I didn't have to use any spacers...Again, the GH towers with the standoffs are the same width as the stock towers. One of these days, I'll get shorter screws and ditch the standoffs on the shock-less sides of the towers, but I'm cool with this for now.
I'm ready to beat on them, as well as all the other stuff I recently added.
Thanks for looking, please comment and discuss!
I went with these GH towers because they had plenty of shock mounting positions (11), and they appeared to be very well-machined...they have the supports for the upper hingepins and the grooves for the bulkheads, just like the stock shock towers.
Like with some other mods I have done, the first thing I did was weigh my new stuff vs. the stock plastic, because I figure I'm not the only one who wants to know this. Removing the stock towers on an X is easy...just remove the bulkhead, and pull the 2 remaining screws after also removing the upper shock mounts.
Now, here's the stock shock tower...1.2oz. each.
The GH towers with the standoffs...2.7 oz. each, for a net weight gain of 3 ounces. I'll live with that...I have to!
Upon installing the new towers, I was pleased to find that they fit the bulkheads perfectly, with no wobbling or having to force them into place. The machining on the rears where they meet the bulkheads was also spot-on.
The tower all bolted on and ready for shocks...Overall, I am VERY happy with the fit and quality of these GH parts.
Here's where the project took a turn....I really didnt like how the Big-Bores' springs rubbed against my HPI adjustable upper control arms. Here's how far away the upper mount was away from the tower with the spring barely touching the arm. The standoffs (which make the towers the same thickness as stock) wouldn't be anywhere close even then.
So I started digging in the spares (again), and came up with this:
-A 3x25mm screw, with nut and washer
-The 2 plastic spacers I was previously using on the upper mounts
-Some odd plastic spacer that came with the shocks
I then screwed it all together, in this order: Flatwasher, shock eye, old spacer, control arm, old spacer, new spacer, control arm, nut. Assembled this way, I used the spacers to strengthen the lower control arm mount as I moved the shock eye in front of the arm, thus moving the spring away from the upper arm. The screw goes right to the end of the nut and no farther, so it leaves enough room for even a slightly bent dogbone.
Here's how the fronts looked...
The rears...
Here's another shot of the rear. Check the spring clearance!
The upper mount was pretty much the same way I had it before ( Link ), except that I didn't have to use any spacers...Again, the GH towers with the standoffs are the same width as the stock towers. One of these days, I'll get shorter screws and ditch the standoffs on the shock-less sides of the towers, but I'm cool with this for now.
I'm ready to beat on them, as well as all the other stuff I recently added.
Thanks for looking, please comment and discuss!
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