5 replies to this topic

[Kevin75]

Hi, I have just recently had a new 9 inch diff fabricated and installed with willwoods on my LX Torana; with mini tubs. This has fought us every step of the way with various issues. I’m running 15 x 8’s with a 255 60 tyre. Anyway I have finally been able to fit calliper and rotors on the rears but now when the car is off stands and jack im finding that the tyre is hard up against the shock absorber, even with a temp 5mm wheel spacer on rotor. It’s a Pedders 2.5 inch lowered shock. The question I have has anyone heard of or seen anyone cut off the top outer shroud / tube of a shock absorber which would just reveal the inner piston. (Not sure if I’m clear here with what I’m trying to explain). I can’t see that it takes away from the structural integrity of the unit, I think it would just open the piston up to the elements more but by removing it would then give me an additional 20+ mm of clearance from the shocks

[76lxhatch]

Some come without shrouds, not sure I like that idea though. I have a set of Bilsteins that use a thinner rubber bellows (diameter is no larger than the lower body).

 

The usual trick is to relocate the bottom shock mount to the top of the lower trailing arm mount and use a shorter shock (e.g. HQ length). This moves them inboard a little.

 

 

[Bigfella237]

I guess a lot depends on how your "mini tubs" have been done and whether the top shock mount was moved as well?

 

Any photos?

[Heath]

I'm not sure what "Mini Tubs" entail by your definition, but you can't get much extra wheel/tyre clearance in a Torana with the standard upper spring perches, and standard shock location.

 

In my car, I stretched the rear bit of the tub (aft. of the wheel) against the chassis rail, I re-shaped the spring perch a little so it didn't stick into the wheel area quite as much, used a slightly smaller diameter coil spring, and I've made the shocks "upright" rather than angled out at the bottom, like the standard setup. If you are using the standard lower arm brackets on the diff, you would want to use a shorter shock absorber, at least 2" shorter. 

 

My car is pretty modified but you can see how upright the dampers are. 

The rear ones have a rubber upper, rather than a steel upper, in my case, but that isn't significant to my clearance. They are quite close to the body of the car, but they are not a problem.

[rexy]

Might be easiest to get a wheel with a more suitable backspace?

[Cook]

Hi Kevin. It seems a bit unusual, not that I am any sort of a guru. I'm running 245/40/R17 on 8" rims with 9" diff and seem to have ample room without tubs flares etc. I did move the shock mount up from original and mounted a commodore bracket on the tube in it's place but that was to clear the brake caliper. Out of curiosity, what length did you get the diff made and what are your wheel backspaces. Cheers Ron

Attached Files

•  Rear Brake with Shock.jpg   138.77K   8 downloads