Shock Link Installation Help

R

RBEDGERTON

Junior Member
Does anyone have suggestions on how to install tubular shock links?

I get the bottom in but everytime I try to push in the top the brass seat pops out and then I get to start all over again. It seems like the center section of; seat, spring, spacer and the lower seat for the upper ball are sticking up too high in the tube.

I am getting a lot of practice with my vocabulary, but no success with installation of the shock links.
 
Make sure you fill the links with grease before you fit them to the car. Grease around the ball seats help keep them in place. I put on the lower end first then use a smaller pistol grip clamp. Couple of clicks and they pop right on. Works for me....
 
Be sure the bottom seat is greased and in the recess that it fits into. Put the link on the ball and turn it to a horizontal position. Grease the spring and seat together and slide them into the horiz. link followed by the greased spacer/upper ball seat. With the middle halves seated in the spring and spacer and the bottom properly seated the upper ball should fit, if not, use your pinky, or a wood dowel, to press down the assembly until the ball fits into the link hole. Once the ball is in grease the top seat and stick it to the link cap. Screw the cap down to remove the slack and give it a twist to preload the spring slightly. Install cotter pin and presto, one down three to go.
 
Having just installed a set of original shocks, I found one of the tubular links to be manufactured so bad that it was impossibe to install. I had to grind down the spacer about 1/8" to get everythign to line up. The lower seat was not able to sit down far enough in the tube.
 
I like the older ones with the pear-shaped holes, too. I use Channel Locks to apply the squeeze that compresses the spring and allows the ball to snap in place.
One vintage tube that I was cleaning up had three washers between the internal spacer and the spring. What a great trick to make up for 80-years of wear! It is a messy job, but by trial and error you can get 'em to fit just right so the cotterpin fits right through the slot. Get that tight fit and you won't leave the shock link in the ditch --- where a lot of them probably end up!
 
I had good experience with the following:
(This process assumes the shock body itself is already mounted to the frame)

* install 1st brass/Teflon seat into closed end of link
* install perch ball through grease seal cap/seal and then into the side hole near the closed end of the link
* install 2nd seat, spacer, spring and 3rd seat
* install shock arm ball into side hole near open end of link
* install 4th seat and plug … tighten plug down enough to ensure perch/arm balls stay installed in link
* use a 3/4" open end wrench to turn the shaft of the shock to align with the square hole in the shock arm … slip the arm onto the shaft … tighten the arm bolt.
* tighten the link plug and secure with cotter pin

I think the key is assembling the link off the shock and then mounting the arm to the shock as a separate step.
 

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bobgreco said:
Having just installed a set of original shocks, I found one of the tubular links to be manufactured so bad that it was impossibe to install. I had to grind down the spacer about 1/8" to get everythign to line up. The lower seat was not able to sit down far enough in the tube.
Click to expand...
I like the idea of looking at griding down the spacer a little. I actually got one link on by leaving out the brass seat that would go against the spacer, and even then it was a very tight fit. This makes me think your statement that the spacer is about 1/8" long may be my problem.
 
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