I just found that I have a right rear upper shock mount stud broken.
Before our Florida trip, I had a new set of Bilsteins installed. The shock is not damaged, but I need to know how everyone is fixing this problem.
The stud failed, and the web on the frame looks ok.
Thanks, Rob
MotorMite makes a replacement shock stud in their Help! line. You will need to drill a hole where the old stud was mounted, insert the replacement, and tighten the nut on the back of it. I make it sound a little easier than it is, but it isn't tough, maybe an hour and a half job, including R&R that tire/wheel.
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When I was shopping for Bilsteins, I came across a reference that said you need to weld a new shock mount on the P30 chassis to fit Bilstein's on the rear. No such requirement for the fronts.
Did you do that? If not, I wonder if that is somehow the cause of your problem.
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1984 310 Limited Motorhome
Courtesy Parking (W/S/E/Wi-Fi) on I-5 in Northern California, 70 miles from Oregon border
I'm getting a new axle from Axis, should arrive in two weeks. One thing that puzzled me was that they don't have a suitable shock stud. I couldn't tell whether that was because they were trying to match the original Airstream stud or what. They are putting on the bracket for a horizontal shock and I have a pair of 555003 (hmm, is that right?--close) shocks in a box waiting for the axle change. Any insight on this would be greatly appreciated:
1. If I find the right size bolt, can you just put the bolt through the bracket hole and the shock, then tighten the nut? Would that wobble too much and does that mean the stud/bolt has to be welded?
2. What is the right size and does it have to be a bolt/stud with a long threadless shank?
They are putting on the bracket for a horizontal shock and I have a pair of 555003 (hmm, is that right?--close) shocks in a box waiting for the axle change. . . .
thanks, Roger
Roger,
Those shocks have a 5/8" x 1 5/16" loop end. Monroe makes a 'Trailer retrofit' kit which has the correct studs and parts to do this installation.
Rob, the broken upper mount is a common problem on the P30 chassis, and is made even more likely with Bilsteins. I had a broken one on my 345 when I bought it last year. While clearance is a nuisance, I drilled out the remains of the stud, drilled through the chassis bracket with a 1/2 inch drill, enlarged the hole to 5/8inch with a die grinder (didn't have a big enough drill or drill bit) and then replaced the stud with a good quality bolt and a couple of washers to space the shock away from the bracket. Tightening it up was potentially a nuisance as the nut is on the inside of the bracket, but if need be I was prepared to bend a wrench to shape.
It is not the most pleasant job to tackle as I found I could not adequately use the drill from the wheel side and had to lie underneath the rig (suitably blocked and safety standed - you do not want that 10,000 pound rear end to fall on you !). If you can access a ready made kit to replace the stud, so much the better, but I found that the 5/8 bolt soution was quite adequate and have travelled several thousand miles since the repair.
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