Mounting Shocks

[TriodeLuvr]

I'm replacing the friction shocks on the front of my T with chrome tube shocks. Maybe someone can tell me if I'm overthinking the conversion...

The first image below shows how the friction shocks are connected. The second is a sketch of my proposed redesign. I intend to mill the bracket from 3/8" aluminum plate and cut several mounting holes up and down the bracket. That will let me to lay the shock back at various angles to tune it.

I was initially thinking I could simply mount the shocks to the axle and brackets with the eyes facing sideways. However, I'm concerned about the way these cars allow the axle to shift sideways on the spring shackles going over bumps (no panhard rod on mine). I'm worried this sideways force will damage the shocks.

At this point, I'm thinking that I need to bolt rod ends (heims) to the brackets and run the shocks with the eyes facing forward. Female heims could be bolted directly to the brackets at top and bottom.

Is this overkill?

Jack

[old round fart]

The bottom mounts on the shocks will have rubber bushings so I don't think you will damage the shocks. You should be OK. I don't think there is a lot of side to side movement anyway and the arc it swings with the shock length will be fine. This is not a rocket ship, it just goes like it!

[TriodeLuvr]

Thanks Tom, I cut the brackets this weekend, and they seem to fit and work OK without heims. My front axle isn't quite centered, so one shock is slightly angled. No one but me will ever notice it though, and I'll fix it when I rebuild the front end later. Here are a couple quick pics of before and after. The shock brackets are 3/8" thick 6061 aluminum. I'm hoping to paint or chrome them next spring.





Jack

[3quarter32]

Don't know if you will have a problem with shifting or not. BUT, a panhard bar is sure worth the extra buck$. I am running one on the front and it does make a difference in cornering.
Lee

[blyndgesser]

Don't paint them! They look neat and distinctive as is.

[INDIAN OUTLAW]

I am with you Blyndgesser!! They look good as is, if anything maybe a little polishing or chrome.

[3quarter32]

Yeppers, just a good edge rounding and some spit and polish. Look good to me.
Lee

[iajjpop]

Triodeluvr What brand & number shocks did you put on the front end when you took off the friction shocks ????? Thank You.......

[TriodeLuvr]

The shocks are Speedway no. 582SM300. These are 9" ride height, but they sell this same shock in various heights.

Jack

[3quarter32]

Did you fix the bracket coming off the frame so that it don't move? If so how did you do that?
Lee

[TriodeLuvr]

Originally Posted by 3quarter32

Did you fix the bracket coming off the frame so that it don't move? If so how did you do that?
Lee

Yes, they're secure now. There's a discussion about it here:

http://bucketbuilder.bb3host.com/vie...php?f=17&t=706

Essentially, I replaced the countersunk allen screws with phillips. The phillips screws let me use a lot more torque to tighten them down. So far, they haven't moved since I did that.

Jack

[the bat]

Nice update,much better shocks an brackets are cool looking.
It would help you to bolt them on the out side of mounts,that way you would gain a little extra % of shocking control per wheel. As long as they miss the steering arm. The more you get the shock mounts out on axle near kingpins the better they work. I see too many close to center or even mounted back on bones were they don't do there job well becuase there too far from tire that they are trying to control but can't do there job if 2ft+ away

[TriodeLuvr]

Originally Posted by the bat

It would help you to bolt them on the out side of mounts,that way you would gain a little extra % of shocking control per wheel.

You're right, no doubt about it. I was also concerned about the mounting angle and its impact on effectiveness. Everything is a compromise though, and in this case the location had to include consideration for the look of the new shocks and brackets. It might not seem like much of a difference from a cosmetic standpoint, but I Photoshopped the shocks on either side of the existing axle brackets. It was immediately evident that the shocks needed to be as close together as possible (within the limits of the axle brackets) in order to look "right." Still, if there had been any problems in terms of handling, or if I suspected they weren't working as well as they should, I was willing to relocate them. That didn't happen, though. As installed in the pictures, there's a huge improvement over the original friction shocks. I'm very pleased with this, and don't see any reason to make further changes. Incidentally, these are 9" shocks with limited travel, and I really didn't want anything larger. Moving them out toward the ends of the axle would have increased the risk of bottoming out, and that was another reason I placed them on the inside.

Jack