Front shock busted out top mount (now fixed)

[kmoses]

One of my front shocks has busted through the top mount and the other side looks to be worn oversize and oblong. Does anyone know what the hole size in the front top shock mounts were when new? The shock mount stud is 3/8" does 9/16" sound about right?

[vandor]

Usually there is a sleeve between the shock's stud and the rubber bushings. Measure the OD of this sleeve and make the hole
bigger than that. Remember the shock moves slightly side to side as the suspension goes up and down, so the hole has to be a bit bigger than the sleeve.
This happened to me ~20 years ago on a Coupe and I ended up welding a shock washer in from the bottom.

[kmoses]

I thought there should be a sleeve also but ther were none, just two cups and two rubber bushings. I looked at a few ads for KYB GR-2 shocks and the photos did not show sleeves with the mounting hardware.

[spider2081]

I think the top shock tower hole is probably 9/16 or better. The rubber bushings that fit below and on top of the hole have a step in them that fits into the hole and around the shock. The hole should be round not oblong.
The bottom shock mounting point for the lower control arm has an internal sleeve, I have not seen a top sleeve on the KYB and Monroe shocks I have installed.

[spider2081]

I was talking with much more experience than I today and he stated some shocks depending on brand and type do have a sleeve that the rubbers fit over for top mounting. So again I learned something new.

[kmoses]

Hope to get the broken one welded in the morning, ended up going with 9/16" hole. Made a repair plate out of some .100" thick steel and will TIG it in. For the other side I will just make a steel flange bushing to true up the hole. Next on to the A arms and tie rods.

[kmoses]

Upper shock mount fixed. Decided to make the hole 1/2" with the option to make it larger if needed. It will get painted along with the engine bay later.