Shock Covers??

You know those things that cover the shock to keep the dirt off everything and maybe means that the shocks need cleaning and rebuilding less often. Aftermarket ones come in wicked cool colors, with flames or lightning bolts.

Is anybody using these? Or should I just move along and focus on something important?

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-KTurner
Stomp down on the exhilerator and hold on to the wheel.

KTurner Wrote:
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> You know those things that cover the shock to keep
> the dirt off everything and maybe means that the
> shocks need cleaning and rebuilding less often.
> Aftermarket ones come in wicked cool colors, with
> flames or lightning bolts.
>
> Is anybody using these? Or should I just move
> along and focus on something important?

Flames and lightning bolts are important!
Are you saying you think they aren't?

Wanna fight?
Oh YEAH!!!
>
>
>
> -KTurner
> Stomp down on the exhilerator and hold on to the
> wheel.

---

John Vanlandingham
Sleezattle, WA, USA

Vive le Prole-le-ralliat

www.rallyrace.net/jvab
CALL +1 206 431-9696
Remember! Pacific Standard Time
is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time.

probably wouldn't be a horrible idea, I tried to fit some on my coils, but the ones I had were designed for factory springs....gotta get something lower profile for the coilovers

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-Tom
DemonRallyTeam | Fine Tuning | CTS Turbo & RP Turbos | RalleyTuned | JRM | Meister Autowerks
Spitfire EFI | Product Apparel | JVAB Imports | NLS | AP Tuning | USRT

Add us on Facebook | Next Event: 2012 Olympus Rally Sept. 22-23 Olympia, WA

If I did shock covers, I'd want them to extend almost entire length to also protect the threads on the coilover body. Mike Rose had a set on his All Wheels Driven suspension that looked pretty cool. Then again, I also don't believe in (or at least bother to) adjusting ride height so it's not that big of a deal.

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Grant Hughes
www.nocoastmotorsports.net
Denver, CO



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/13/2009 02:37PM by NoCoast.

i cut up some old rubber inner tubes and zip tied them over my coilover threads. I definately buggered up the DMS set I had with a few years of not covering them. generally its not that the threads get damaged but that a bunch of dirt gets packed in there so tight it doesn't break loose easily. After some serious elbow grease with a wire brush the darn thing will turn again, so I figured this time around I'd try and protect them a little.

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http://www.ckrally.com

http://www.dirtbagz.com/db_main_pages/db_main.htm

These are the ones that All Wheels Driven installs on their shocks

jameseshepherd Wrote:
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> > [www.dirtbagz.com]
> These are the ones that All Wheels Driven installs
> on their shocks


How ironic.

---

John Vanlandingham
Sleezattle, WA, USA

Vive le Prole-le-ralliat

www.rallyrace.net/jvab
CALL +1 206 431-9696
Remember! Pacific Standard Time
is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/14/2009 08:04AM by john vanlandingham.

flames make everything look faster... maybe not if they are real

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-KTurner
Stomp down on the exhilerator and hold on to the wheel.

Old trick from back home... racer's tape wrapped around the coils. Works perfect, keeps all the junk out and protects the seals, inserts, etc.



Might not go well with JVL as it means less rebuilds for him

Cosworth Wrote:
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> Old trick from back home... racer's tape wrapped
> around the coils. Works perfect, keeps all the
> junk out and protects the seals, inserts, etc.
>
>
>
> Might not go well with JVL as it means less
> rebuilds for him
>


Actually, I would say it means more... All that does is keep the dirt and muck that will inevitably get in there packed around the insert or shock shaft. It's all going to settle around the seal and be held there accelerating wear. I can see tears in the duct tape already. Plus tape is even worse than boots because the dirt will stick to it! If you have inverted Bilstein style inserts the boots will hold in dirt and scrape them up. After the event when you (I'm speaking generally to people who use shock boots) park your car the muck and moisture caught in there will cause things to rust prematurely, because I bet you a nickel that you are not taking apart and cleaning your shocks after every event, even though you should. Plus, for inverted inserts at least, boots can interfere with cooling. You're better off with no boots and do a little maintenance once in a while! Wash those suckers off! You can do it during and event (if you have no boots). Just keep things clean and they will be fine without boots.

Doivi Clarkinen Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

> Actually, I would say it means more... All that
> does is keep the dirt and muck that will
> inevitably get in there packed around the insert
> or shock shaft. It's all going to settle around
> the seal and be held there accelerating wear. I
> can see tears in the duct tape already. Plus tape
> is even worse than boots because the dirt will
> stick to it! If you have inverted Bilstein style
> inserts the boots will hold in dirt and scrape
> them up. After the event when you (I'm speaking
> generally to people who use shock boots) park your
> car the muck and moisture caught in there will
> cause things to rust prematurely, because I bet
> you a nickel that you are not taking apart and
> cleaning your shocks after every event, even
> though you should. Plus, for inverted inserts at
> least, boots can interfere with cooling. You're
> better off with no boots and do a little
> maintenance once in a while! Wash those suckers
> off! You can do it during and event (if you have
> no boots). Just keep things clean and they will
> be fine without boots.
>

No, actually not. I normally replace the tape after every event and the damper and is almost always spotless inside. How can that be more harmful for the damper.

I put wax in my shock threads. Hard wax, not the sticky beeswax. Not much of it sticks around, but it keeps the crud from staying put.

cblakely Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> generally its not that the
> threads get damaged but that a bunch of dirt gets
> packed in there so tight it doesn't break loose
> easily. After some serious elbow grease with a
> wire brush the darn thing will turn again, so I
> figured this time around I'd try and protect them
> a little.
>
> ------------------------------------
>
>

---

Jason McDaniel

bar soap might work too, like the old soap on-a-saw-blade-for-cutting-aluminum-so-the-teeth-don't-get-packed-full-of-metal trick. Plus it's self cleaning and will wash off nicely. Never done it myself tho, too lazy.

Cosworth Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Doivi Clarkinen Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
>
> > Actually, I would say it means more... All
> that
> > does is keep the dirt and muck that will
> > inevitably get in there packed around the
> insert
> > or shock shaft. It's all going to settle
> around
> > the seal and be held there accelerating wear.
> I
> > can see tears in the duct tape already. Plus
> tape
> > is even worse than boots because the dirt
> will
> > stick to it! If you have inverted Bilstein
> style
> > inserts the boots will hold in dirt and
> scrape
> > them up. After the event when you (I'm
> speaking
> > generally to people who use shock boots) park
> your
> > car the muck and moisture caught in there
> will
> > cause things to rust prematurely, because I
> bet
> > you a nickel that you are not taking apart
> and
> > cleaning your shocks after every event, even
> > though you should. Plus, for inverted
> inserts at
> > least, boots can interfere with cooling.
> You're
> > better off with no boots and do a little
> > maintenance once in a while! Wash those
> suckers
> > off! You can do it during and event (if you
> have
> > no boots). Just keep things clean and they
> will
> > be fine without boots.
> >
>
> No, actually not. I normally replace the tape
> after every event and the damper and is almost
> always spotless inside. How can that be more
> harmful for the damper.
>


Well there you go, you are doing actual regular maintenance after each event unlike most people.

I've run like 10 rallies on JVAB 50mm stuff, with no boots with not much problem.

I do after every rally jack the thing up and powerwash all the junk out of it....often the car poops 100 lbs of mud all over the driveway and down the road to the sewer.

Usually a pull the things apart after every 2nd rally and throw in some fresh grease.

Only time i've toasted a seal is when we had issues with bushings, and the seal was actually the bushing for a bit!

---

Chris

In my 30+ years of working around cars and racing ..

"I" ...feel boots hold "IN" more dirt then they keep out ... Some sort of shealed to stop the rocks from hitting things is good ... Boots trap dirt ..

No boots for me ...

David

Hazardous Toys

Bringing it back from the dead.

I had a rebuild on my struts. 200mi later on just street driving and a SMIDGE of offroad testing, I blew a seal and puked fluid out of one of the struts when jacking the car up.

Sent back for another teardown and the result is everything looked okay, just some dirt past the dust seal :/ It dumped about 1 oz of fluid.

Anyone have any reasonable shock covers out there? I've seen a few DIYs but don't really have a lot of time with a week to go before loading the car when I still have yet to get the suspension back from rebuild

So you saw a leak on your struts....would you have seen that same leak with boots on them?

I used those dirt bags that are linked to. If you secure them to your upper spring perch they do a good job of keeping dirt and water out of the area, and out of your threads. though yes i did still get some dirt/gunk in there... seems to be less than before and far less thread damage/

I also use duct tape for the threads below the lower spring perch. sticky side Out for a few goes around, and then sticky side in.

now that i have a garage (and will have 2 sets of JVABS) I'll be doing maintenance after every rally.

I wish I took better care of my JVABs, but being the lazy/busy bastard I am... I swear I'll do better this time around John.

---

Runamuck Rally

Quote
Towona
I wish I took better care of my JVABs, but being the lazy/busy bastard I am... I swear I'll do better this time around John.

OK but we have to figure out this Burmeister top mount thing and if you have springs right for the car...I may make this stuff but I have no idea what people do once its gone...

---

John Vanlandingham
Sleezattle, WA, USA

Vive le Prole-le-ralliat

www.rallyrace.net/jvab
CALL +1 206 431-9696
Remember! Pacific Standard Time
is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time.

My 2012 plan is to :

1) install coil overs and adjust ride height to where i want it set.

2) taking Teflon tape I will tape the top edge of the lower spring perch along with some of the threads.
3) Below lock ring I will duct tape the threads (Sticky side out once, sticky side in twice)

4) I will install a custom made Coilover Cover
a)secure the velcrow
b) tighten the top and bottom with bailing wire.

----
In between rally events I will self service my suspension
1) remove coil-over covers and clean out everything with compressed air, and a tooth brush
2) dissemble strut
a) check insert with a straight edge to confirm its not bent.
b) inspect bump stop
c) inspect upper seal
d)re-grease


What am i missing? How long will the inner seals (bearings?) last if i service my suspension like this. I don't think we have the right tools to change an inner seal(bearing) if any are used.

Quote
john vanlandingham
OK but we have to figure out this Burmeister top mount thing

I thought we already figured that out for my car. 19mm pin and you just need to machine an angle into the spacers (could probably find a steering rack spacer from a 4x4 place, too).