shock links inverted

W

william.sykes@att.net

Junior Member
I have a 1946 Ford Super Deluxe and when I jack up the front with the tire off of the ground, the shock link will swing up and jam the stabilizer bar. When I put the car back on the ground, the shock link is still jammed and the car is about 3 inches higher on the side that is jammed. Is my stabilizer bar "weak" and needs to be replaced? I have included pics of how the shock link should look on the passenger side versus how it is jammed on the drivers side. Any help is appreciated.
 

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Are both links the same length? In the photo one appears longer than the other.
 
Your stabilizer bar is fine.
It appears you have the correct links on the bar. As I recall they are 2 /12" center to center.
There's an issue with this modified set up. The top steel plate mounts of the shocks...are they exactly the same left / right?
 
Now that I look at this a little closer you have the tube shocks mounted to the original style shock links. Way too much "monkey motion" and your tube shocks cannot be working
correctly. The shocks to work correctly should be mounted at the bottom onto the axle pin.
Remove the links and bolt directly to the axle pin.
 
This has happened with lever shocks and when I converted to tube shocks. The stabilizer bar is preventing the shock links from returning to their correct position. When the wheel sags upon lifting the front end, the shock links rotate and the stabilizer bar twists and locks it in the incorrect position.
 
O.K. as I said the bottom of the shocks need to anchored to a solid part of the axle which is the axle pin. Leaving those shocks anchored to the moveable link will always cause a problem for you and the shocks will not work correctly. You also need to make sure your stabilizer bar is mounted correctly.
 
William. I have lever shocks on my '46 Super Deluxe, and never has a problem with them conflicting with the sway bar. could the links of the wrong length been replace prior to you owning the car? Here are pics of my front axle that shows the sway bar and link configuration. The issue you have with tube shocks is explained in the above posts.
 

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Here is a better image of my front tube shocks and shock link. The tube shock is connected directly to the axle pin. The link connects the stabilizer bar to the other axle pin. The problem is with the stabilizer bar and the link being jammed. Is it possible that I can't use a stabilizer bar with this set up?
 

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It might be that because your shocks are non stock (I assume) they might be letting the axle droop lower than intended when jacked up. You want to persuade the link into the right orientation as you lower the car down.

Hard to tell without having the car in front of me.
 
Yes, I agree as that may be my ultimate solution. I have tried to persuade it but the link is "over center" and the twisted stabilizer bar is holding it in place. I think I might have to disconnect the link at the sway bar and allow it to return to the correct position. In the future as I jack up the car, perhaps I need to jack up the suspension at the same time so the shock doesn't extend as far and have the link invert.
 
Have any modifications been done to the wishbone? Such as splitting it?
 
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Will it do the same on the other side if the tire is off and is the lower mount the same on both sides? If it will and the mounts are the same not knowing what shock length is on the car maybe the shock extend is to long. Shorter extended shocks will not let the axle drop as far.
 
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