Offenhauser Friction Shocks on rear . . .

DannL

DannL

Senior Member
https://www.speedwaymotors.com/Offenhauser-Nostalgia-Friction-Shocks,24951.html


Got two sets of these. One set for the front, and one for the rear. The front set installed without a hitch. But, the rear can't be install because the frame is 1-1/2" too far inward. The frame holes need to be 1-1/2" closer to the wheel for the arm of the shock to clear and not hit the underside of the fender. I considered a wood block . . . but that won't last long. Has anyone else come up with a solution for a similar problem. ie; a solid bracket or stand-off?



This could be a great time to get that welder I've always wanted. :-)
 
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Fabbed up a pair of mounts for mine.They work well dampening the initial shock.
 
Here's the best picture I could get. It's hard to get a good angle. You can see the forward standoff, it's 1 inch outside diameter and 1.5 inches long. I made the rear standoff 1.25 inches long to get the shock arm parallel to the wheel. I also shortened the arm to 5.5 inches between the pivot bolt and the shock ball.
 

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Is the pipe section welded to the frame or is that a piece of steel between it and the frame?
 
Here's my attempt. 1 inch iron pipe couplers. Seems very solid . . . so far.
 

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Yes I did. I generally like to mix and match when it comes to the price. But in this particular case I would much rather know that it was going to work and not have the project stalled because I failed to get the right part.
 
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I think I'm going to have to buy that welder and make a bracket like Railcarmover. That way I can justify to the wife why I got a welder. Hahaha
 
As the commies say,the ends justify the means :). I used the stock stands on the front but not on the rear,figured there is more torque load on the rear..
 
Are those "1 inch iron pipe couplers" steel or cast iron? They look like they could be either.
 
The frictions dampen the impulse form the 'shock' like fluid shock absorbers.they have a fixed dampening effect but are not as adjustable as hydraulic.The actually work quite well,they feel "stiff".You do have to adjust them occasionally,like everything else.
Like the Houdaille they follow the correct arc of the suspension.
 
I use friction shocks on some of my model A's . Friction shocks do a good job of taking out the bounce and stabilizing the ride . The ride remains firm instead of soft but is still a good improvement over running without any shocks at all !!! The friction shocks are still over priced . The stands are too thin and will break . I doubled the thickness of the stands and needed to make up a pair of spacers for the rear shocks . I do like the friction shocks and usually buy them if the price is reasonable . A good friend gave me a good set of friction shocks that I run on our roadster . Friction shocks won't pass national judging . I was more interested in stabilizing the ride and making the car safer . I like the look of the friction shocks and I can rebuild them . About the only thing that ever needs replacement is the friction pads .
 
ryanheacox said:
Have you driven the car with those shocks installed yet? What are they like?
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Since putting them on I've only driven in the housing addition where I live. The concrete roads are rough. I can definitely tell they are there. Before (no shocks) there was this unrestricted bounciness. With them on I can feel their presence, I just need to tighten them appropriately and then get out on the roads for a real test. Then I'll chime in and give my thoughts.


PS. Not having shocks has been scary. When the front bounces going down the road, you never knew which direction she would go when she landed. More than once I had to keep her from heading towards the pasture.
 
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