Rebuilding the houdaille shocks

HI.
There is a making on the lug. Either AC for anti clockwise or CW for clockwise. See picture.
AC for front left and right rear.
CW for front right and left rear.
Any other questions, please ask.
Les. Pearson.
 

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Does anyone know if there is a Vender or individual that makes a tool somilar to the KR Wilson shock cover removal wrench? I have a plasma cutter a Milling machine and a lathe and can maybe make one trial and error over the new england winter but would buy one if they are available. I have rebuilt enough for my own car but have a pile of cores to rebuild. I have purchased several over the years and have seen many that are gouged up or elongated and ruined from people trying to get them apart. Cooking them and dropping them in ice cold well water works to get them apart. I learned that blacksmith trick with the door hinge bolts years ago. Took me 5 hours and drilling and tapping out the broken bolts on one cowl post and 35-45 minutes the otherside with zero broken bolts. Cherry red them but don't melt them and just stand there with the hose and it will creek and moan but just stay there a few minutes extra and voila the stuff will come apart. Thanks in advance for your response.
 
Attempting to rebuild a few of these shocks. A couple are the type with the loose ball check valve in the top of one of the stationary vanes (see first photo). I made an error when assembling the inner cover. Perhaps I put too much oil in the inner reservoir and when I tightened the inner cover it pushed up the ball bearing and scored the inner cover (see second photo)?

Is there a way to repair this? The shocks are working very well other than this damage so I'd like to repair if possible.
 

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Ball is too big. Weld up the groove, and file flush.
The ball is about the size of a BB. It seats below
the surface of the wing.
 
Last edited:
Brentwood Bob said:
Ball is too big. Weld up the groove, and file flush.
The ball is about the size of a BB. It seats below
the surface of the wing.
Click to expand...

The repair kit came with 2 sets of ball bearings in 2 different sizes. I assumed the larger bearings were for the type of shock shown here and the smaller for the type with the bearing "locked" inside the stationary vane. Perhaps I have this backwards?
 
veteran#94 said:
where is the best place to get a core to rebuild.
Click to expand...

The usual places where you would find any parts - swap meets and online ads like here on Ford Barn. But, if you read through this entire thread it is hard to find a good useable core that can be "rebuilt." And unless the rotator shaft is shaking around inside it is hard to know if you can rebuild it until you take it apart. So, there is an inherint risk in buying cores.
 
You’ll find less than 1 in 10 are close to being “rebuildable “.
Many achieve some pressure by increasing viscosity of internal fluid.

Retired rebuilder …….couldn’t find decent cores!
 
A set will consist of two AC and Two CW. Not a simple process as we are attempting to explain to you. To find and rebuild a matching set is problematic.
 
veteran#94 said:
i can rebuild three i have/2 cw and 1 ac. or do i just buy a whole set and not waste my time rebuilding the three.
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Like anything in this hobby - you can learn and invest in tools and your time and try to do the job yourself OR pay money for new/rebuilt parts. It's up to you. I'm learning how to rebuild shocks because I am not aware of anyone in my area that is and for some reason, I am fascinated by these shocks and how they work.
 
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