Broken shock and canvas strap

[NickDawson]

Hey guys...
I jinxed it and discussed getting a wench. True to form the Series III heard and decided to remind me who calls the shots...

after a great day on the trail I noticed that my canvas axle strap is broken and so is one of the shocks/struts... Glad to replace them with some OME gear, but the real question is am I safe to drive it back 2.5 hours on the highway today? What does that strap do anyway, its slack on the other side?

In this pic I have put the shock back together, but it totally dislocated between the cylinder and the bottom attachment.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2695/4107133722_2b2977e074_m.jpg

[jac04]

The strap limits downward travel of the rear axle. No problem driving on-road without it.

[NickDawson]

The strap limits downward travel of the rear axle. No problem driving on-road without it.
what about the broken shock? Its dead, no fluid/gas left.
Of course I didnt realize it until I'd drive 40 minutes back from the trail at highway speeds, didn't notice it at all.

[LC_rover]

what about the broken shock? Its dead, no fluid/gas left.
Of course I didnt realize it until I'd drive 40 minutes back from the trail at highway speeds, didn't notice it at all.

The shock is a spring damper. It keeps the spring from bouncing too much.

If you were to take your time and limit your bumps, I imagine you would be okay on the highway with this as well. Just be careful.

[SafeAirOne]

You must have had a good time off-road!. I'm not an 88 person, so I can't tell...are those parabolic springs?

It sounds as if you have hyper-extended the axle on that side. The check strap limits how far away from the chassis the axle (wheel) can travel when it drops into a hole or gets raised in the air.

A rotten axle check strap will snap when a dropping axle strikes it, allowing the axle to get too far from the chassis. The next barrier to over-extension is the maximum extended travel limit of the shock absorber, which you probably reached with a violent (to the shock absorber) thump. That's likely when your shock absorber broke apart.

If you have parabolic springs, they are, in my estimation, more likely to aid in overextension, should a check strap fail.

Either way, it's no big deal. Just replace your shocks and check straps.

Like others say, it shouldn't be a problem, so long ay you don't travel on any windy, bumpy roads at high speeds (ha!) till you get it fixed.

If you have rusty factory springs like I do, you shouldn't really need shock absorbers.

[NickDawson]

thanks! on the road now (pulled over to check this thread)
So far, it feels fine at 50ish MPH..
avoiding bumps in a series? HA!

They are parabolics - any reason can't order a set of OME shockes when I get home?

[SafeAirOne]

They are parabolics - any reason can't order a set of OME shockes when I get home?


I don't have parabolics, but you probably want to make sure you get shocks that are appropriate to the characteristics of the parabolic springs. Can't help beyond this, but dozens of other posters on this board certainly can.

[brucejohn]

Hey guys...
I jinxed it and discussed getting a wench. True to form the Series III heard and decided to remind me who calls the shots...


Wow, it's usually my better half that reminds me who calls the shots when I mention a new wench. ;)

Our hosts offer a package with parabolics and OME shocks, I imagine you can just get the shocks. Those shocks look ready for retirement anyway.

Hope you have a safe trip home. I really enjoy your posts Nick.

[NickDawson]

Wow, it's usually my better half that reminds me who calls the shots when I mention a new wench. ;)


Ahhhh spelling is subjective ;)

Trip home was uneventful - didn't notice a thing different, which is to say it was loud, rough, bumpy, painful....all in all, not too bad of a road trip weekend in the Rover.

[JimCT]

With old rusty leaf springs I doubt you would even notice you had a broken shock. Motor on.

[thixon]

Nick,

I once drove home after breaking my frame, all the way through, just behind one of the fron spring hangers.

[NickDawson]

I once drove home after breaking my frame, all the way through, just behind one of the fron spring hangers.

What a minor inconvenience :D

[NickDawson]

Hey gang,
I was going to order a new set of shocks this week from our hosts but just never got around to it.

Now that I've found myself with a free saturday morning, is there anything special about various brands? Is there any reason, besides inventory, that I cannot just go to my auto parts store and find something?

Put another way, what would make something like a set of OME shocks special?

[brucejohn]

Nick, I have been ruminating on your shocks and springs. From the pictures it looks like you have heavy duty parabolics, as do I. TeriAnn has some great information on axle travel, shock travel and mount points.

Did you purchase shocks yesterday?

[NickDawson]

Brucejohn - I did not buy anything yet and am very open to ideas.
I got into taking the old shock off and realized I had to pull the tires. Just want up for that yesterday.
I'd like to order something this week though.

[brucejohn]

Nick, on the 109 I have RN's package heavy duty parabolics with OME shocks. At full extension the canvas strap won't fit. I haven't spent the time to really look at the full range of articulation.

I wonder what other's more knowledgable would suggest.

[jac04]

^^ I know that the Rocky Mountain web site recommends that the longer 109 check straps be used with the parabolics on an 88 to allow for greater articulation. That's what I used on my 88 with parabolics. I don't remember what they suggested for the 109.

[bmohan55]

^^ I know that the Rocky Mountain web site recommends that the longer 109 check straps be used with the parabolics on an 88 to allow for greater articulation. That's what I used on my 88 with parabolics. I don't remember what they suggested for the 109.

Replacing my tired leafs will be my next project. As I understand it, the straps are the "last defense" against articulation so great that the drive shaft pulls apart at the slip joint. Wouldn't longer straps be ineffective in preventing this? A good strap my have prevented Nick from pulling apart his shock.

[brucejohn]

I wasn't aware the strap limited the driveline seperation. I thought the strap was to limit the shock's extension to within an inch or so of full.

[yorker]

I've never run straps and have extended the suspension as far as it can possibly go- never had a driveshaft pull apart. I wouldn't bother with them but if i felt compelled to use them I'd make my own from synthetic straps like old seat belting or something like that. They keep your shocks from bottoming out- old fashioned shocks would be damaged by going to full extension suddenly.

[SafeAirOne]

Nick, on the 109 I have RN's package heavy duty parabolics with OME shocks. At full extension the canvas strap won't fit. I haven't spent the time to really look at the full range of articulation.

I wonder what other's more knowledgable would suggest.


Somebody used to sell the strap by the foot so you could make it as long as you needed. Can't remember who, though. Perhaps our hosts??

[NickDawson]

I've never run straps and have extended the suspension as far as it can possibly go- never had a driveshaft pull apart. I wouldn't bother with them but if i felt compelled to use them I'd make my own from synthetic straps like old seat belting or something like that. They keep your shocks from bottoming out- old fashioned shocks would be damaged by going to full extension suddenly.

I have been thinking about this a lot - Yorker's post makes a lot of sense. I suspect the straps were from the days when shocks were stronger compressed than they were pulled apart. With modern shocks, I wonder if there really is a need for the strap?

The good news is that it looks like suspension is part of the RN black friday sale - guess who is logging on bright and early?!?!?!

[jcasteel]

What is this about a RN black friday sale???

[NickDawson]

What is this about a RN black friday sale???
http://www.roversnorth.com/store/c-709-the-rovers-north-news.aspx

[jcasteel]

Thank you. I hadn't seen the flyer.