Shocks

KeeKeeBoy46

KeeKeeBoy46

Junior Member
Greetings guys. Like to hear some feedback regarding replacement or repair of 1940 Ford shocks. Not cheap.....yikes !! Kenny C
 
I had Andy rebuild the shocks on my ‘41, I sent him the fronts one year and the backs another. I was going to convert to tube shocks, but figuring the cost of brackets and tube shocks it was easier and quicker to have the originals rebuilt.
 
Pricing on rebuilt shocks is high. I would like to see a breakdown on labor hours and parts that go into the price.
 
jimTN said:
Pricing on rebuilt shocks is high. I would like to see a breakdown on labor hours and parts that go into the price.
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Along with labor hours and parts, be certain to add the knowledge to do the rebuilding, the cost of the tools and fixtures, etc.
Me? Around $200 each to properly rebuild a shock is well worth the cost.
 
jimTN,


You always have the option to do it yourself, that way you will know firsthand what labor hours and parts are involved.
 
Probably can make more per hour working flipping burgers let alone pay for the tools and machinery.
It’s not like you can buy the cartridge to drop in anymore have to make parts
 
jimTN said:
Pricing on rebuilt shocks is high. I would like to see a breakdown on labor hours and parts that go into the price.
Click to expand...

Take an old shock and see how long it takes you to get it apart without the proper tools.
 
TJ said:
Take an old shock and see how long it takes you to get it apart without the proper tools.
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I've tried and had no success.

I wish there were more folks who would eventually pass along these specialty rebuild skills. For example rebuilding shocks and coils. It seems like there are only a few or sometimes one person nationwide that do these rebuilds. What if something were to happen to them? It would seem that particular service would be lost forever or until someone successfully figured out the procedure.
 
Are your rear shocks marked F 745 by any chance? I bought a NOS one that I thought
would fit my 42 but was mis boxed. If it's the same and you need it it's available.
 
Let's recall that that Ford added a front sway bar in 1940, which made it harder to just bolt on tube shocks to the front end. With or against this, I have been able to find plenty of cores, correct for the '40 front, and not so many in good working condition for the rear. Not a scientific sampling, but being a thrifty guy, I notice. Of late, I marched the whole Turlock event and found zero shocks. Had I wanted Blue Blocker Sunglasses or other... Depends on your needs or wants. Good Luck: Fred A
 
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There were two NOS front 40 shocks (or so marked) at the Hamburg NY swap meet Sunday. Saw Charlie NY there. He said to tell everybody hello.
 
Fred A said:
Let's recall that that Ford added a front sway bar in 1940, which made it harder to just bolt on tube shocks to the front end. ...
would anyone happen to have a link or picture of this from underneath?

i've seen isometric drawings and top 45 degree photos, but i am not clear how the sway bar ends connect to the axle. dogbones, too?

thanks

sid
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There are two very different sway bars for 1940 each had their own different attachments to the axle. Even the perch pins are different. The early style was discontinued, removed from some vehicles due to noise, taken out of stock, returned to the factory by dealers for credit and replaced by the later style, which is very common.
 
it's for a scale model, so a photo of the latter style would be most appropriate.

thanks for the information. i understand, and which has piqued my interest in this period of automobiles, is the amount of changes which were taking place. hydraulic brakes for example. and transverse suspension changing over to semi-elliptic springs and "airplane shock absorbers."
 
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