Use goggles for the bumper tuck

#1

Had to drill a hole in a rear bumper shock last night. The shock is going to be welded into place and I figure that welding it with fluid inside is not smart.

Draining fluid out of the bumper shocks is how one prepares to “tuck” an early model bumper.

In the last year I’ve had to start wearing little reading glasses. Is a bummer getting old. With the specs on, I’ve gotten out of the habit of wearing safety glasses/goggles when drilling and grinding. But having never drilled into a shock before, I put some old goggles on over my reading glasses.

When the shock’s body was pierced, a spray of high pressure oily stuff hit me right in the face.

#2

Yep, that’s what happens wen you drill them. I think a face mask is better than goggles for this task.

#3

Most of the mod kids that do this tuck will cut a milk jug in half to put on the end of the drill to avoid this spray in the face.

With that said, are you going to weld the bumper shocks back on your race car with no fluid? I would not recommend running the bumper shocks with no fluid. This will give you no buffer in the event of contact and transfer that energy directly to the frame. You may say, if the impact is hard enough to damage the frame the 5mph bumper shocks wont make a difference anyway. Probably true but I used to have tucked bumpers and I can tell you the functionality of the bumper shock does make quite a difference when bump drafting, etc. is in play. Not to mention that tucking the bumpers is not allowed per the rules unless I missed that part?

#4

Jones wrote:

Damn, the kid wins a race and now gets all rulesy on us…

#5

Jones wrote:

[quote]Most of the mod kids that do this tuck will cut a milk jug in half to put on the end of the drill to avoid this spray in the face.

With that said, are you going to weld the bumper shocks back on your race car with no fluid? I would not recommend running the bumper shocks with no fluid. This will give you no buffer in the event of contact and transfer that energy directly to the frame. You may say, if the impact is hard enough to damage the frame the 5mph bumper shocks wont make a difference anyway. Probably true but I used to have tucked bumpers and I can tell you the functionality of the bumper shock does make quite a difference when bump drafting, etc. is in play. Not to mention that tucking the bumpers is not allowed per the rules unless I missed that part?[/quote]
Damn man, take a chill. Go get laid or something.

I’m not tucking the bumper, I’m draining fluid out of a shock. The bumper would look kinda silly with only one side tucked, now wouldn’t it.

I can get bumped once, I suppose. Then I’ll have to pull that side of the bumper back out. Back in the paddock, I’ll just chain my bumper to yours and we’ll see if my bumper pulls out or your zipties.

#6

Ranger wrote:

[quote]Jones wrote:

[quote]Most of the mod kids that do this tuck will cut a milk jug in half to put on the end of the drill to avoid this spray in the face.

With that said, are you going to weld the bumper shocks back on your race car with no fluid? I would not recommend running the bumper shocks with no fluid. This will give you no buffer in the event of contact and transfer that energy directly to the frame. You may say, if the impact is hard enough to damage the frame the 5mph bumper shocks wont make a difference anyway. Probably true but I used to have tucked bumpers and I can tell you the functionality of the bumper shock does make quite a difference when bump drafting, etc. is in play. Not to mention that tucking the bumpers is not allowed per the rules unless I missed that part?[/quote]
Damn man, take a chill. Go get laid or something.

I’m not tucking the bumper, I’m draining fluid out of a shock. The bumper would look kinda silly with only one side tucked, now wouldn’t it.

I can get bumped once, I suppose. Then I’ll have to pull that side of the bumper back out. Back in the paddock, I’ll just chain my bumper to yours and we’ll see if my bumper pulls out or your zipties snap.[/quote]

Brian is right. Don’t go out there with a solid bumper mount (Can’t be called a shock anymore).

Which side do you need? I may have a spare or 2 sitting around. If I have the side you need, I’ll be happy to give it to you…

#7

Ranger wrote:

[quote]Jones wrote:

[quote]Most of the mod kids that do this tuck will cut a milk jug in half to put on the end of the drill to avoid this spray in the face.

With that said, are you going to weld the bumper shocks back on your race car with no fluid? I would not recommend running the bumper shocks with no fluid. This will give you no buffer in the event of contact and transfer that energy directly to the frame. You may say, if the impact is hard enough to damage the frame the 5mph bumper shocks wont make a difference anyway. Probably true but I used to have tucked bumpers and I can tell you the functionality of the bumper shock does make quite a difference when bump drafting, etc. is in play. Not to mention that tucking the bumpers is not allowed per the rules unless I missed that part?[/quote]
Damn man, take a chill. Go get laid or something.

I’m not tucking the bumper, I’m draining fluid out of a shock. The bumper would look kinda silly with only one side tucked, now wouldn’t it.

I can get bumped once, I suppose. Then I’ll have to pull that side of the bumper back out. Back in the paddock, I’ll just chain my bumper to yours and we’ll see if my bumper pulls out or your zipties snap.[/quote]

:laugh: I thought zip ties were the factory fix? Sorry to ruffle your feathers there! I just don’t see why you would ever have to drain the fluid out of the shock unless you are tucking the bumper? Do you have to cut it off of the car from the damage to remove it?

#8

scottmc wrote:

[quote]Ranger wrote:

[quote]Jones wrote:

[quote]Most of the mod kids that do this tuck will cut a milk jug in half to put on the end of the drill to avoid this spray in the face.

With that said, are you going to weld the bumper shocks back on your race car with no fluid? I would not recommend running the bumper shocks with no fluid. This will give you no buffer in the event of contact and transfer that energy directly to the frame. You may say, if the impact is hard enough to damage the frame the 5mph bumper shocks wont make a difference anyway. Probably true but I used to have tucked bumpers and I can tell you the functionality of the bumper shock does make quite a difference when bump drafting, etc. is in play. Not to mention that tucking the bumpers is not allowed per the rules unless I missed that part?[/quote]
Damn man, take a chill. Go get laid or something.

I’m not tucking the bumper, I’m draining fluid out of a shock. The bumper would look kinda silly with only one side tucked, now wouldn’t it.

I can get bumped once, I suppose. Then I’ll have to pull that side of the bumper back out. Back in the paddock, I’ll just chain my bumper to yours and we’ll see if my bumper pulls out or your zipties snap.[/quote]

Brian is right. Don’t go out there with a solid bumper mount (Can’t be called a shock anymore).

Which side do you need? I may have a spare or 2 sitting around. If I have the side you need, I’ll be happy to give it to you…[/quote]

It’s the driver’s side that got torn up. The problem is mounting the shock tho. The bumper shock mounting point got pretty torn up. I think I can weld a shock in place w/o too much trouble, but trying to fab a new mounting point would be tricky.

Send me a driver’s side rear bumper shock and the aluminum ring that threads around it. I’ll see what I can do with it. If I use it, I’m good for whatever $$ you want for it. Thanks dude.
Scott Gress
622 e. 44th st.
Savannah, GA. 31405

#9

Jones wrote:

[quote]
:laugh: I thought zip ties were the factory fix? Sorry to ruffle your feathers there! I just don’t see why you would ever have to drain the fluid out of the shock unless you are tucking the bumper? Do you have to cut it off of the car from the damage to remove it?[/quote]

What might happen if one attempted to weld a sealed container of pressurized flammable fluid?

#10

Ranger wrote:

[quote]Jones wrote:

[quote]
:laugh: I thought zip ties were the factory fix? Sorry to ruffle your feathers there! I just don’t see why you would ever have to drain the fluid out of the shock unless you are tucking the bumper? Do you have to cut it off of the car from the damage to remove it?[/quote]

What might happen if one attempted to weld a sealed container of pressurized flammable fluid?[/quote]

Nothing good can come from that!

Once you weld said shock back onto the car, how will you get the fluid back into it?

#11

Jones wrote:

[quote]Ranger wrote:

[quote]Jones wrote:

[quote]
:laugh: I thought zip ties were the factory fix? Sorry to ruffle your feathers there! I just don’t see why you would ever have to drain the fluid out of the shock unless you are tucking the bumper? Do you have to cut it off of the car from the damage to remove it?[/quote]

What might happen if one attempted to weld a sealed container of pressurized flammable fluid?[/quote]

Once you weld said shock back onto the car, how will you get the fluid back into it?[/quote]

If I use the empty shock, it’ll have to stay empty. Then if the bumper gets shoved in on the driver’s side, I’ll just have to pull it back out. Shouldn’t be a big deal. Or I could drain the other side too, tuck the damned thing and be done with it. If anyone complains about my tucked bumper, I’ll just tell them, "that’s not tucked, that’s bashed.

You guys have made a good point tho about the utility of a proper bumper when someone bumps you in the rear at speed. So ideally, I’ll end up with both shocks full of oil.

#12

Buy a couple of 1988 bumper shocks…I had a mangled up mount area, I took tubing like a long jack handle and was able to pull, pry, hammer back in shape enough, you can make the bolt holes larger/oval in the shock so it will bolt up.

Do not go out with a solid mounted bumper, you are asking to ripple the rear 1/4 panel up around the c pillar, those bumper shocks work great and the difference could be a sore back or nothing or maybe a cracked vertibrea…

Al