144 rear shock mount reinforcement

jrhendo

Apologies if I’ve asked something similar before…

As you’d know, the LTA has a stud that holds the shock in single shear. I’ve made very ugly brackets to hold it in double shear on the rally car but that makes it a PITA to change shocks.

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Does anybody have a good solution? The 240 LTA is ideal, mounting the shock inside the LTA but I can’t figure a way to do something similar on the 144.

Ideas please.

Spac

My 164 flogged out the mounting hole in the arm.

I plated the arm on both sides of the U-section, partly to reinforce the arm, partly to reclaim the hole at the correct diameter.

I also boxed the bottom of the arm.

It worked fine, but I think your solution is better.

It’s been a long time since I have looked at a 140 rear end, but is it possible to fit a 240 lower trailing arm?

Edit… my memory is saying that the 74 (and 73?) 140 trailing arms are different to the earlier ones. Is that something useful for you?

jrhendo

I did a bit like you but only partially boxed the arms to allow a bit of flex. Maybe full boxing is better. I did plate either side of the hole as the old photo shows. Plus welded a reinforcing strap around the front eye.

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I think maybe the earlier ones might be a bit shorter but the same design. My memory is that the wheel sits a bit further forward in the wheel arch.

I’ve looked at fitting 240 ones. The front bush is much smaller, no big deal, but the axle mount is completely different. I thought of fitting a complete 240 setup but the axle is about 30mm narrower and the panhard rod goes the other way. A lot of work for not much gain. 240 LTA FYI.
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Roinik

There are three 140 trailing arm lengths: 1966-1970, 1970-1973 and 1973-1974. I'm a bit blurry on the last change date. Each time the increased length by about 1/2". IIRC the middle length is the best fit.

jrhendo

Why is the middle one the best fit?

Is the design the same for all of them?

Roinik

jrhendo the middle length one gave the best clearance fore and aft so the tyre is less likely to rub.

jrhendo

Spac,
I’d forgotten you’d had a 240 rally car until your TB write up came up in a search for Volvo lower trailing arms last night. Still a very good read. Anyway, apologies if it sounded like I was teaching my grannie how to suck eggs.

Spac

jrhendo Didn’t take it that way at all!

My memory of the 164 trailing arm challenges is pretty clear, but I had a MUCH less clear memory of there being some minor hassle fitting a 1973 144 trailing arm to my 1974 144.
Just enough to make me think that it might be relevant to you!