Modern Shocks

L

Lenny Bruce

Senior Member
Hello all! Have a question for a friend. He has a ‘30 coupe and is thinking of installing the after market gas shocks on his car. He wanted me to ask if it will make the car ride more smoothly or possibly ride more ridged? Does anyone have any experience with this? Thanks
 
Lenny Bruce said:
Hello all! Have a question for a friend. He has a ‘30 coupe and is thinking of installing the after market gas shocks on his car. He wanted me to ask if it will make the car ride more smoothly or possibly ride more ridged? Does anyone have any experience with this? Thanks
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I don't know what brand they had but two different friends had aftermarket kits on their cars and removed them. Both said the ride was way too harsh.

I have not used any myself tho.
 
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Look up racing shocks. They can be had in almost and degree of damping both compression and rebound. Many lengths also. Some are adjustable.
They also mount body up to reduce unsprung weight.
 
Get a shock that is oil filled not a gas filled shock. These are hard to find. Snyders kit has oil filed shocks. I have had them on my tudor for 12 years. Still rides great. Gas charged shocks give a rough ride. As mentioned not correct for lighter model A.

John
 
I put the Snyders kit on my coupe, set them to the softest setting, no regrets. Car handles so much better in my opinion not all over the road in the dips, bumps and corners.
 
EMPI oil filled #9350 fit great. They are a VW and dune buggy shock. Great soft ride. You will probably have to knock out the grommets (metal insert is about 12 mm) and put in some that fit your studs (or knock out the grommets on your existing shocks and put them in the 9350s).
 
Oil filled tube shocks. I got mine from Standard Aup Poarts in Peoria, IL. (Rainmaker Ron). One of the guys that still work there perhaps can fix you up with what you need.
 
Oldgearz and others that advise soft shocks have the right answer. The spring-shock system is a tuned system that is designed to dampen the suspension. For a heavy car the tuning is different than a light car like the Model A. Plus the type of road makes a difference. The original shocks on the Model A were adjustable and the instructions were to adjust the shocks for the roads. The hydraulic suspension system on the old Citroens were also adjustable using a lever in the drivers compartment.
 
nkaminar said:
Oldgearz and others that advise soft shocks have the right answer. The spring-shock system is a tuned system that is designed to dampen the suspension. For a heavy car the tuning is different than a light car like the Model A. Plus the type of road makes a difference. The original shocks on the Model A were adjustable and the instructions were to adjust the shocks for the roads. The hydraulic suspension system on the old Citroens were also adjustable using a lever in the drivers compartment.
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Nkaminar hit the nail right on the head.
Shocks were adjustable in the old days because of the widely varying road conditions. Few were ever adjusted but they COULD be tuned to the roads.
For the softest luxury car type SAFE ride, the springs need to be as soft as is allowable for the travel available and the shocks tuned to the stiffness of the road conditions.

Or, as most people do it, just keep trying shocks till you get what you want.
 
I have been buying American made cars since 1960 and none of them had OEM adjustable shocks. If your Model "A" is for touring, Houdaille shocks are a pain in the derriere to maintain because they leak.
 
I have to chuckle a bit.

So he is currently driving with no shocks.
If he is able to run over 25 MPH then his car is in serious need of spring work.

Which is very common.

The Model A with proper working springs is a nightmare to drive much above 20 MPH without shocks. As in you feel like the car is going to go off the road scare the crap out of you.

Once you get some sort of working shocks the car has no problem running 60 MPH.

The usual problems are the front springs are just wore out and sitting too low and the rear springs need to come apart and be lubricated after you check that the correct spring is there for the body.
 
That’s good to know. My 1930 Tudor must need spring attention because I have no shocks and it runs 40-45. Is their any info I can look into on how to lubricate the rear springs? I would just replace the front. Thanks
 
A lubricating graphite paint is available. The advantage is no greasy or oily mess. You can re arch the springs but it is big job and must be done right.
 
I have modern shocks on one of my cars and live on a dirt road. When there is washboard
I take the tudor and it rides nice with less noise. Good Luck Dan
 
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