Front shock mounting mystery

[burpet]

We recently bought an '83 CJ7 with a 4-inch lift kit installed. For some reason the p.o. went through a lot of trouble to weld mounting brackets on either side of the back of the front axle to accommodate stock-length shocks. (The rear shocks are the appropriate longer size.) Did I miss the memo? Is there a reason why anyone would do this?

 

[Tinman22]

Can you post a pic.

 

[caveman]

I would guess that he had more time than money and didn't have the longer front shocks. If he had no intention of taking it offroad it would be ok but in hard offroading it would probably break the shock or its mount.

 

[Tinman22]

I kinda wanted to see it as the things that some people's kids do never stop amazing me. I wonder if they just added onto the stock mounts upwards a few inches?

 

[Kane]

The widetrack front axles came stock with the shocks mounted on them and not the spring plate like the older jeeps. It may be stock.

 

[PaRenegade]

^^ yep, what he said. The 82 and up widetracks had different shock mounting, top and bottom.

 

[Tinman22]

That's why I Was wondering if they added onto the stock mounts. Love to see it.

 

[burpet]

Thanks everyone for your replies so far. Here are some photos of what I'm talking about:

 

[Posi]

Is the axle a 44? If so it would explain the axle shock mount.

 

[Petescj]

Thanks everyone for your replies so far.

Give me a little and I'll go down to the garage and get pics of my '83s stock set up.

 

[Petescj]

Mine are a bit rusty but look the same to me.

 

[Tinman22]

Sure looks stock to me. Either that or the same guy owned mine.

 

[Tinman22]

Looks like someone mixed some parts like spring plates

 

[Petescj]

Looks like someone mixed some parts like spring plates

Thats probably what the confusion is about. I think it comes back to what you and Kane were saying. The Cj has widetrack axles with the narrow track spring plates.

 

[Old Dog]

Thats probably what the confusion is about. I think it comes back to what you and Kane were saying. The Cj has widetrack axles with the narrow track spring plates.

My shock mounts look like that on my 83 (Dana 30 ) but the spring plates are wrong.

 

[Posi]

I looked at some of my older pics and the later Dana 30 have the shock mount on the axle as did the Wagon Dana 44 .

Cherokee 44

 

[Tinman22]

On the bright side at least the top mounts match for the year and axle mount right!

 

[burpet]

Mystery solved! Thanks, everyone! You guys are awesome. Thanks Petescj and Posi for taking the time to take and post pics. Who would have thought the spring plates weren't correct? Anyhow, I'm duly impressed and appreciate the wealth of information and experience. Thanks again!

 

[Petescj]

Thanks Petescj and Posi for taking the time to take and post pics. Who would have thought the spring plates weren't correct?

You never know what your gonna get with these old Cjs.

 

[PaRenegade]

That's not quite accurate Pete. You ALWAYS know yer gonna get rust.