Hotchkis 70020012 with stock LCAs - won't fit through hole

[derekf]

I've got the same question in to Hotchkis support but haven't heard back yet (not surprising, it's a weekend and there's a plague out there, everything is half-staff).

I've got a set of the Hotchkis 70020012 which is the Hotchkis Sport Suspension 1.5 Street Performance ("Fox") shock which both Summit and Hotchkis's site indicate are "direct replacement for OE".

The base of the shock - about an inch and change above the crossbar - is wider than the hole in the lower control arm. Also in the past, there were clipnuts used to mount the shock and they'd take even more of the clearance away. As it sits, the distance difference is maybe a eighth of an inch?



Here's a bad pic:



I reckon the options are:

• Widen the hole in the LCA. It would be getting real close to the shock mount holes and I guess I'd have to weld some nuts on the inside since there's not room for clipnuts.
• Grind down the bottom of the shock a little. This seems like a really bad idea.
• Take the spring out and put the shock inside. This seems like it'd be really hard to tighten down, and impossible to replace the shock. Also seems like it'd take a chunk of the available travel away.
• (I hope this isn't the case): That shock won't work with stock LCAs.

Anyone else bounced off this?

[dhutton]

This has happened before. Generally accepted solution is to open the hole in the LCA, not grinding on the shock body.

Don

[derekf]

Sounds good, thanks.

Also thanks for being right there to answer every question I ask. You're definitely helping.

[dhutton]

Just bored when I’m not in my shop and it keeps me cruising the forums.

Don

[derekf]

So a die grinder made quick work of the opening and now the shocks are up in there.

I'm guessing either I have crappy clip-nuts or it just doesn't like the room it's got now but two (of two) of them came apart when trying to put this together.

Is my best bet to just weld some nuts to the inside, or are there proper shock mount nuts I should have? The shocks didn't come with any.