Shocks

Smitty

Smitty

Well-known member
I have a set of original shocks that were restored by one of the most reputable shock re-builders in the country. Shocks work great but seem to last just a couple of years before they begin leaking and stop working correctly.
My question is should shocks continue to work correctly as long as I keep replenishing fluid? I disconnected the shock arms from the rear housing and moved the arms up and down as I refilled them. This seemed to bring them back toi life but I am not sure if they are putting out enough resistance. I have had the rebuilt twice but they just don't seem to hold up. I was told it is due to the poor quality of seal materials available today.
Any help with this would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks, Steve
 
I have a freind who has been working on my shocks and he has tried every known "seal material" known and they still leak.

NOW WHAT?????

The shocks on my 1929 Standard Coupe I found in a canyon on a chassis...they still worked! I restored them and they have been on the car since about 1980...no leaks and I do not remember what I used on the threads. Heck that was 33 years ago.

Pluck
 
I have trouble believing that there isn't good quality seal material available! It maybe that some one is not using the best material or rebuilding to the proper spec's. I would expect that they should last more than a couple of years, especially with the few miles which the A's are typically driven.
 
There is a hydraulic mfg. called Parker Hannifin (spl?) Anyway, they are a US company and they have various types of rubber that they make O-rings and seals out of for various industries. Viton seems to be the most durable and wear resistant.....JMHO
 
Viton works for the nuclear industry. The problem is probably using Buna-N which is a low grade seal material that is nitrile rubber. BUT is available in all sorts of configurations - and not too hard to cast by one's self - which is probably why its the seal that is available in the common rebuild kits.

Joe K
 
Well, I must confess that I drive this car a lot with average around 10,000k per year. Leaks seem to be around the shaft but there seems to be only one with a severe leak.
How often do shocks typically require addition of fluid? I also have the adjustment needles pretty much closed up.

Steve
 
Not to step on anyone's toes but lets explore the flip side of this question...

Contrary to what we find in our modern vehicle(s), the Model-A was never really designed nor intended to be "maintenance free", --or "leak-proof". Yes, when they were brand new sitting on the showroom floor they probably did not leak very much (-if any) however Ford and his engineers put grease plugs in many different areas with the intent that wear points should be greased regularly, and other areas (differential, transmission, engine, steering gear box, etc.) should have their lubes checked on a regular basis. Shock absorbers really are not any different and were included on that list. If they were intended to be a sealed unit, then isn't it plausible they would have been sealed at Houdaille's factory?

To answer Steve specifically, I would assume you are changing the engine oil every 1,000 - 2,000 miles which I would also expect you are greasing all lubrication fittings at that time. While it would be most prudent to check all the fluid levels at that time, I can see how someone might choose to skip to 'every other' oil change to check the lubes. IMHO, when you are checking the lube levels of the transmission, differential housing, steering box, etc., that would seem like a great time to adjust the brakes and check the shock fluid levels.

.
 
Hi Smitty,
If you are really driving your A 10K per year, I would heartily recommend the shocks built by Bill Stipe for on the road service. They are a visual match for original equipment, but would not get by the judges. However, Bill soved many of the problems associated with the original Houdailles when he engineered and built these effective replacements for the trouble-prone originals. They are a bit pricey, but they are built by a very fine outfit... Happy Motoring.

Chris
 
When I got them back from the re-builder he told me to just put them in, not really an instructions on how they should be maintained. Guess I figured they should be put on the lubrication schedule with the rest of the car.
When shocks are working properly should it be difficult to move the shock arms up and down? There is some resistance but not what I would call a lot..

Thanks, Steve
 
When I first rebuilt my shocks I didn't know as much as I thought, the seals got chewed up in 5000 miles, I knew more the 2nd time, I polished the shaft very smooth where the seal rubs, the level stayed good much longer, but still needed oil at 10,000 miles, as Brent says, it is on the lube schedule to be checked.

The original seals had a yarn or cloth content that may seep some but also lubed the seal better to reduce wear, the rebuild kit I got in the 70s came with different thicknesses of seals that were moulded to fit, the kits I have seen now just have thick o-rings, or thin moulded seals

If the shock was returned to original tolerances during the rebuilt closing the needle valve should near lock it up in the rebound stroke(moving lever down),yet still allow motion up ---about 1 out of 10 cores that pass the first test(shaft centered, no wiggling)will be good enough --baisically a shock with no wear,and no rust inside, this is why Bill stipe made new shocks, even though they seem to be $$, they are cheap compared to what it would take to return the average original shock to original tolerances and operation, and he made his shocks rebuildable with modern available seals.
 
To prevent leaks, the parts touching the seals must be clean, smooth, and polished. That includes the shaft, the inner cover, and the outer cover. Regular O-rings work fine if the surfaces are polished.
 
As a newbie, I resurrected the Houdailles on my Tudor using the commonly available shock seal/rebuild kits. I was disappointed in that the main shaft seal was only an O-ring, rather than the trapezoidal cross section original. After I painted & installed the shocks & had slight leaking at the shafts, I did some more research on the Ford Barn. Sure enough, I tripped across a reply that stated that only the Snyder shock seal set has the original shaped shaft seal. Yes, it costs a bit more. So I had to remove and disassemble all four shocks and replace the shaft seals. Lesson learned by the newbie: use the search engine diligently. The new seals seem to be working.
 
I don't have any experience rebuilding original shocks. My friction shocks don't leak a drop. That said , I've heard guys talking about using STP in worn shocks with good results. It seems like thicker oil wouldn't leak as badly and should help stiffen up the action. Any thoughts?
 
With the adjustment valves turned all the way in I am still able to move the shock arms up and down with not a real lot of force. I can hear the fluid moving through the shock.
 
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