I could jack them up to 100psi - would it take enough load off the shock to travel safely?

Thanks in advance for any thoughts on the matter!

I wouldn't hesitate to drive that 8 or even 16 miles as long as it was under 45mph.

 

As long as there is no other damage, such as a broken leaf spring, you should be fine at low speed. The shock is only there to slow the axle's movement and keep the tire in contact with the road.

The dealer will probably want to replace the entire axle assembly. If you're on a budget, you could probably get a welder to repair the mount, at least to the point where it will function normally. At the very least, have the dealer inspect everything for safety, theres a good chance the spring or the spring mounts will be bent causing alignment problems.

 

Drive it to a body shop and have it banged back into place and welded. Like stated above, it doesn't really carry weight, it just slows down the movement of the axle. The spring carries the weight.

 

The low shock mount is one thing I dislike the most about the Transit's suspension design. I believe Quadvan offers a modification to the rear shock mount by raising it a fair amount, getting rid of the low mount point. A shorter replacement shock is probably used in conjunction to the modified mount. This mod is offered when they perform the 4x4 conversion. You might consider that as your mount is already mangled. Speak with a local 4x4 shop and see if they can help you custom fabricate a mount.

 

I'd have it welded locally and move on, then as soon as convenient I'd to some of the improved higher shock mounts from VanCompass. MGmetalworks/Expovans may have them as well. As stated above, this is not that big of a deal, just broken metal easily welded. Do-do occurs.

 

The first thing I noticed was the low shock mount. Makes me want to move the shocks for some preventative future damage. I want to add a sway bar may need to investigate if they would work together. Thanks for the shock relocation supplier information. Good luck and safe travels on your limping van.

 

just drive slow and get it replaced, have someone go in and jump up and down and see how it handles the weight now before getting back on the road.
good luck!

 

Thanks all. Drove it slow to the dealership and they put it on the lift and inspected it. The mechanic brought me back and showed me everything. He said I’m still fine to drive it (even at regular highway speeds) to where I can more conveniently get it fixed.

As many of you noted, it is just helping the leaf springs and not absolutely critical to be at 100%, especially with my air bags helping out. He also pointed out how much steel is still intact around the mount. He actually said if the shock completely breaks away to just unbolt it from the top mount and toss it so it doesn’t rattle.

My options to fix it are to replace the entire axle or get a good welder to spruce it up. I had been debating the VanCompass lift and it may have made the decision for me as I, too, loathe having those brackets hanging down so low.

It is obviously a huge relief to be able to carry on for now. The only person more relived than I am is my wife, who is just so happy that she wasn’t the one driving!

Huge shoutout to White’s University Ford ( https://www.whitesuniversityford.net/) in Laramie who checked it out promptly and didn’t even charge me. They even got us out quickly enough we could still hit the trails before continuing to KS.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

As many of you noted, it is just helping the leaf springs and not absolutely critical to be at 100%, especially with my air bags helping out. He also pointed out how much steel is still intact around the mount. He actually said if the shock completely breaks away to just unbolt it from the top mount and toss it so it doesn’t rattle.

My options to fix it are to replace the entire axle or get a good welder to spruce it up. I had been debating the VanCompass lift and it may have made the decision for me as I, too, loathe having those brackets hanging down so low.

As stated before - the springs (and your airbags) hold up the van. The shocks don't even "help" the leaf springs. You don't need shocks at all just to hold up the van. You got a good dealer mechanic who said just toss it away if the mount completely fails.

The purpose of shocks are to be dampeners. They dampen the spring motions which would go boing boing boing boing boing each time you hit a bump.

Having said that, I wouldn't drive too much without a shock, especially if it's asymmetric with one good side. Shocks are important to maintain normal safe handling.

Replacing the rear axle is way overkill. Any half decent welder can fix it. Even I would be willing to weld it since it's not a structural part. You don't have to do the lift if you don't want a lift. You can just do the relocation kit by itself IIRC.

Yeah, it's a low mount. But check out where the lower shock mounts are on the pickup trucks. Especially check out the rear axle on the ProMaster.

If your wheel was high sided on the shock mount and hanging in the air, did the LSD actually work on just your one remaining drive wheel to get you out of there?

 

I find this entire thread quite shocking!


Edit: It is most enjoyable when a pun is made and there is no response, as that opens the door for the punster to then point out what happened, despite the fact that he knows they know and were only being non-responsive to avoid encouraging the punster further.

 

Yeah, but we caught it on the rebound!

Ba dump dump (crash!). I'll be here all week, folks. Don't forget to tip your server.

 

I hate to encourage irresponsible punning.

By acknowledging you, I'm hoping to forestall you pointing out your own pun. And I'm not following your instructions in the edit to avoid encouraging you further. I know it's futile as there is no known antidote, medications, treatment for unrepentant punners.

 

Some company offers a kit to raise the shock mounts; actually cut them off higher and add their shackle and shorter shocks. You might check into that and see if it works with what's left of your shock mount. Perhaps you just cut off the bent part for it to work with the kit.

But, a welder can fix it up pretty easy.

 

hi, i have air suspension on my sedan and wondering what does airbag do for ford transit?
how much did you pay for the set up? and what does it help?

 

On your sedan it controls ride height. 2 large people get it the back it pumps it back up to proper height. Often the bags ARE the suspension.

The same is achieved putting them on vans, in ADDITION to the existing metal suspension, except now it allows people to overload their van and/or put a too heavy trailer with too high a tongue weight back there.

If you operate within specs you don't need them.

Around $300 in parts, two to three hour install.

 

QuadVan did a very nice job raising my rear shock mounts for $150

 

Hi amac, did they then install a shorter shock? Any concerns about bottoming it out (OEM shock too long) or about a short shock then limiting the travel of the suspension (droop)?

 

Air bags are good. I am thinking of getting some as I run heavy and it will make it feel less loaded down. Had them in an RV.

As for the shock and re-location, I honestly would not bother. These are not trail trucks by any stretch of the imagination. What happened with the cattle guard isn't common at all. I run lots of rough roads in the boonies and never hit them, But it's just a 2wd van.

Get a welding shop to patch it up and carry on.

 

Well $125 doesn't seem like alot to raise the lowest point on the axle a few inches. I'm planning on that upgrade(I've seen Van Compass offers the higher upgraded shock mount.) It definitely will help with driving on rutted roads.

 

Hey Amac, thanks for the offer- did you have a minute to look at it today? My biggest concern is that one of my shocks is failing, so I want to get a replacement on order ASAP.


Have you found your OEM one to reduce your travel or bottom out?


Thanks!

 

Here it is (complete with curious lizard). Have not noticed any problems with OEM shocks, but rear axle is not super loaded (at around 4150 lbs)

 

Thanks amac, I think I will proceed with modifying and sticking with OEM shock for now.

 

amac
Is that a 1" lift block under the leaf spring?

Ron