1934 Shock Absorbers-rebuild

Redhorse1947

Redhorse1947

Member
I need input on a pair of Houlaille front shocks. I simply do not know the "mechanics" of how they work and what constitues a "rebuildable" shock.

The pair are faily clean and void of external grease/dirt buildup. However, the arms <<DO NOT>> move. Even when the plug is removed and "fluid" (diesel in this case) is added...no luck. Even with a 3 foot cheater pipe...no luck. Soaking overnite...no luck.

Do rebuilders (I have no clue of vendors that do this type of work) just replace all the internal components automatically or replace only worn parts...thus affecting price?

Have any of you had "stationary" shocks that WERE rebuilt?
WHO did your work?
Possibly your cost (each or pair)?
What success have you had? (how many miles/years without issues)

I appreciate the feedback.
 
The wing shafts are most likely stuck in there. The hydraulic oils that have been used in the past for the houdaille type shocks will usually harden or get real gummy after many years. The wing shaft seal can swell and turn into a friction stopper that won't allow easy movement either.

Its a real good idea either to send them to someone who has a good reputation for rebuild or make the tools to do them yourself if your so inclined but they should be overhauled. They can be a bear to get apart after many moons setting under a car. I have read acounts where rebuilders will repair what they can and let you know if you need to supply more cores. They can be in pretty bad shape on the inside if they're rusted up from condense.

Kerby
 
Diesel or hydraulic oil is not used in these shocks. Glycerine is the correct medium. I have also heard of Caster Oil being used but I can't say for sure if this info is accurate.
 
Ford didn't consider them as a rebuildable part back in the days they were used. Houde Engineering Co made millions of them but I think every single one was a lapped fit between the wing shaft and the housing. They have to have these close tolerances to even hold the oil in between the chambers. If they get a little too loose, they fail to work properly. It's really hard to find good rebuildable cores that don't have too much wear. Since the parts were lapped to fit, they weren't interchangable between units unless you just get lucky and find some parts that work well together.

I think the Ford Service Bulletins mention that they changed from glycerin to shock fluid in the model A days but I don't know what "shock fluid" was. Light weight oil or low viscosity hydraulic oil will most likely work as well as anything.

Kerby
 
Fe26 said:
Diesel or hydraulic oil is not used in these shocks. Glycerine is the correct medium. I have also heard of Caster Oil being used but I can't say for sure if this info is accurate.
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Ford sold rebuilt shocks and the correct fluid is castor oil. I have a can of the original Ford shock fluid and it is castor oil. Ford part number 8A-19541-A. Glycerine may have been used in model A shocks, I don't know, but it is not used in V/8 shocks.
 
Glycerin filled shocks were still being installed at Ford during 1938. They were soon thereafter phased out.
 
if you look at the different year shocks you will notice different filler plugs.back in the day this was a code to tell you what fluid to add .as ford changed there type fluids through the years. as for rebuilding there are people who can rebuild your shocks with very good resultz. bill wzorek is one of them he was trained by louie thrye who was the master. today rebuilts use one type of fluid.there is more to the shock than a awinged shaft there is a valve that is adjustible to control fluid flow. this stifens or lightents the restenise there simple in designe but require specal tooling to assemble & resemble plus the strenth of king kong . if the shaft housing is hoged out they will tell you to get an other core. as far as i know no one has drilled out the damaged housing & rebushed it guess it,s to labor intence & would make rebuild cost to high
 
Bill Wzorek rebuilt a complete set of '35 shocks for me. They look and feel very good to me, but I have not installed them yet to see how they improve the ride on my '35. He also supplied new mounting hardware. My first choice for a rebuilder would be Bill W. and second choice would be Apple Hydraulics. JMO

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Kube said:
Glycerin filled shocks were still being installed at Ford during 1938. They were soon thereafter phased out.
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Kube, I have wrestled with this question for years and have rebuilt a few shocks myself. I have a BIG box of shocks for most years of V/8's and I have never seen one with anything other than castor oil in it. I heard the whisper that glycerine was used in some shocks and have done a little research at the Benson Ford and can't seem to verify that it was actually used. I have a 34 that was an unmolested car with 60,000 miles on it and although the shocks were shot, they had castor oil in them. I also have a 35 pickup that I believe have the original front shocks and they have castor oil in them.
If you, when a child had your parent give you a "dose" of castor oil to clean you out, you never forget the taste or smell of it. You can take the filler plug out of a Ford shock and just smell and taste of it and you will recognize what it is!!
I cannot prove that glycerine was not used,but my experience does not agree that it was.
By the way, the solvent that mixes with castor oil is "Acetic Acid Glacial" and I have never found anything else that will work.
This is Just MY Opinion.
 
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