| johnmyron | -- 02-13-2010 @ 9:23 PM |
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Put a two speed rear end in my 47 fordor and found the handling at 60 mph kind of rolly. My knee action shocks were rebuilt but am wondering if tube shocks would make a big difference. Any guidance from experienced users would be helpful. The kits are expensive. Would putting a tube shock kit in front make most of the diff or should put front and rear?
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| TomO | -- 02-14-2010 @ 6:10 AM |
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Tube shock will not make any difference in handling over a set of properly rebuilt lever shocks. Your lever shocks should have considerable resistance in both directions when operated by hand. There is an adjustment for more resistance on the lever shocks, which may help your handling. You should also have a rear track bar and a front stabilizer bar on your car. The bushings in these bars may have deteriorated, giving you the sway at higher speeds. Tom
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| supereal | -- 02-14-2010 @ 9:47 AM |
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One advantage that properly mounted and sized tube shocks have over the lever type is that they help control sway. The lever shocks were replaced in mid '47 with tubes for that reason. If you replace the old shocks, install on both front and back. Odd handling is often the result of badly worn spring shackles and bushings, loose king bolts in the front, and/or slop in the steering components. As TomO says, check the rubber bushings in the front and rear sway bars, as they crack and shrink from age. As for price, poor handling can be very expensive if you lose control of the car!
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| johnmyron | -- 02-14-2010 @ 10:41 AM |
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I restored this car frame off. All bushings, etc are new. Sway bar, track bar, etc all there. Had the hydraulic knee action shocks rebuilt by a guy in oregon, and they have good resistance. May try adjusting resistance up first. Thanks, John Wells
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| johnmyron | -- 02-14-2010 @ 10:42 AM |
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everything is new. Can't help but think that tube shocks would work more effectively than the knee action hydraulics. Thanks, John Wells
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| ford38v8 | -- 02-14-2010 @ 12:09 PM |
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John, check your center spring perches. Even a very slight looseness there will produce a roll that no shock absorber can handle. Alan
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| supereal | -- 02-15-2010 @ 10:05 AM |
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The main reason that tube shocks contain body roll is that they are mounted with a bit of angle that addresses sway, while the lever (Houdaille) type have just up and down links. Good quality tube shocks have variable valving to adjust to the amount of movement, including spring rebound. Matching the shocks to the car is essential. Many of the gas filled shocks will not help, and make things worse if they are designed for modern cars.
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| TomO | -- 02-16-2010 @ 7:01 AM |
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John, did you have the handling problem before you installed the 2 speed rear end? Do you have longer shackle bars than stock? Are your shock links longer than stock? Are your springs new, or do they have lots of miles on them? All of these things affect stability. Your car had less roll at high speeds when new than most of the new cars in 1946. The transverse springs tend to limit sway compared to parallel springs. Tom
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| jerry.grayson | -- 02-17-2010 @ 8:13 AM |
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Many tube shocks are single action or slight action in one direction, the Ford lever shocks are DOUBLE action. By double action I mean that they control the downward movement of the body as well as the upward movement. This results in control of roll in a turn. The OEM lever shocks are better in my opinion.
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| jerry.grayson | -- 02-17-2010 @ 8:20 AM |
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Supereal, I believe that the tube shocks were introduced in the 48 cars because they were CHEAPER and were (hopefully) longer lasting, not better working.JMO
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| supereal | -- 02-17-2010 @ 9:04 AM |
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My '47 has factory tubes. It was made, according to the glass dates, in late '47. As for double action, I don't know of any single action tube shocks. Most modern tube shocks have excellent variable valving that accommodates differences in road surface. Lever shocks were devised to replace the friction disks of early cars. Anyone who thinks lever shocks are superior to tubes probably hasn't owned many cars. My early cars, particularly Model A's, were unsafe on rough roads at any speed much above 25 mph, as they could hop clear off the ground.
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| johnmyron | -- 02-17-2010 @ 1:29 PM |
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Not really a problem, just sloppier than I would like. Shackle bars, shock links all standard, springs original. May be the issue.
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| cheatercarl | -- 02-19-2010 @ 5:43 PM |
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I just recently replaced my stock lever style shocks on my 41 Coupe w/all the parts from a 1948 coupe. My lever shocks were recently rebuilt & in fine working order, but I had come across a 48 chassis & gutted it. So now it has tube shocks all the way around & I will swear up & down that the ride/handling is much improved! Believe it or not the local Advanced Auto Parts not only had a listing for the shocks, but had them in stock, the were about $14.00 each. I did a little homework w/the counter guy & the fronts are the same tube shocks offered on a 48-53 Ford F1 Truck! Sincerely, Cheatercarl
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