Installing Jacking Rings in the rear subframe.
Last Updated on Friday, 09 September 2011 20:36
A modification to the rear suspension of the Moke that raises not just the ride height but also the suspension travel and reduces the risk of snapped trailing arm pins. The modification using Jacking Rings appears to have come originally come from Robin Booth, a Life member of the Moke Owners Association. This article originally appeared on The Moke Forum posted by Smoken.
The approach of cutting up an old LPG cylinder to get the metal strips to make the Jacking Rings is not recommended and the reader assumes all risk if they undertake this approach. Better to buy the bands of metal or fully formed Jacking rings.
If you are like me and have read most posts on the forum then you've probably heard the term, "jacking rings". Also if you are like me and like to go bush a bit and tend to overload your moke, then this is an easy and recommended modification to do. Firstly I have to thank Terry for telling me how to do it, he probably learned the hard way and we get the benefit of it.
When we went on our power line run he was mortified at what I carried with me and also informed me that the Ratster was resting on the rear bump stops, even though it was raised with hilo's. Rear bump stops I hear you ask? I thought the same thing there's no rubber bump stops back there but there is a bump stop and I'll show you.
First the rubber suspension donut when its under load does more than just compress, it tries to turn itself inside out and to stop this there is a raised bump stop in the rear subframe that doesn't allow the donut to do it therefore it bottoms out or rests on the bump stop. Here is a pic of the bump stop, the inside of the concave part of the donut hits that mound.
The first thing you have to do is to remove most of that mound. A 4" angle grinder is the only way and its not the neatest but its not seen either.
Now you have to make a jacking ring. These fit around the base of the Donut and give clearance for the donut to compress further with out bottoming out. I made mine out of a strip of steel 25mm wide was cut from a gas bottle as it was sort of heading in the right direction, round'ish, the gas bottle was empty by the way.
Here is how I made them.
They were then welded and cleaned up.
The finished product.
This is what they look like fitted to the donut.
Then the donut and hilo assembly was refitted
What this does is raise the rear suspension a bit and adjusted to the required height via the hilos. But most important is with weight or rough terrain (or both) the donuts are able to do their job, even nearly turn inside out if they had to with out bottoming on the bump stop. Giving a less rigid ride.
Smoken, with thanks to Terry.
For more discussion and comments on this particular modification visit this thread on The Moke Forum.
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