Newbie question about shocks

[sidevalve]

I got these shocks with my first A. They are obviously not ford.
They are Universal Dampers LTD. Made in England
Model A2.

My questions are,
Are they hydraulic filled? If so, where do they get filled?

How do the arms stay on? Is the press fit going to be enough to hold them on? As you can see, there is no stay bolt on the arms.

Finally, and this may be stupid but, are they directional?
This end up, front, back, left side, right side, ect..
How could one tell?

 

[MikeK]

Those 'shocks' were made after WWII and filled with a rubber compound that dries out and fails after a dozen years. 50's-60's sprint & midget racers used them. I have heard of them being restored with some kind of chem catalyzed silicone rubber refill, but I don't know how. They would not be position sensitive. The resistance increases with angular movement, not velocity like a hydraulic shock. They also have a rather quick, undamped rebound after the shaft is twisted from it's "neutral" position (hence the spline for some pre-load adjustment when installed). They do nothing to stabilize the ride on washboard surfaces that do not move the wheel up/down very far.

 

[sidevalve]

Thanks Mike, Does this give them any value with the vintage sprint racer guys or are they pretty much junk?

 

[MikeK]

Matt, I don't know if they have value to vintage racers or not. I suppose you could start googling vintage racing stuff. If they bolt up and fit without mods you may want to try them. Take a piece of angle iron, drill two holes for the bases and clamp in a good strong bench vise. Put a pipe over the lever and see what they do when you move it back and forth.