adjusting 39 Ford pickup shocks
 

I have the shock heads with the pointer and chisel mark for adjusting. What does "increase" and "increase" mean." Increase the amount of dampening?

Re: adjusting 39 Ford pickup shocks
 

I'm not sure if mine are the same as yours, but one of mine was set too harsh. Expereminting I found turning it CCW made it work better. Mine are the round type, sometimes called Hudni. Al

Re: adjusting 39 Ford pickup shocks
 

Turn CW to increase resistance and CCW for less. Suggest you take a note of your start point and only move about 1/32" at a time.

Re: adjusting 39 Ford pickup shocks
 

thanks. do all four need to be the same?

Can I use the bounce test to check changes? Meaning climb on the bumpers and bounce the car at the corners? I'm still too stiff and tired to dismount the shocks

Re: adjusting 39 Ford pickup shocks
 

Ms. Sandy helped me with the bounce test. I was the bouncer person and she the safety officer. She was not impressed with an 83 years young bouncing of the bumpers and yelling "Giddy-up!)

The pickup failed the test

passenger side front shock and driver's side rear softer than the another two.

I'm thinking I increase the settings on both?

Re: adjusting 39 Ford pickup shocks
 

thanks. Not picking, but what is the reason for moving the pointer a small amount at a time, please. I have marked where we started and I'd like to move the pointer significantly toward increase.
Thanks

Re: adjusting 39 Ford pickup shocks
 

The small adjustment usually makes a very big difference. are the shocks full of fluid? Go ahead and move the pointer 3/8" When were the shocks rebuilt?

Re: adjusting 39 Ford pickup shocks
 

shocks are full and don't leak. I got them from here and there. If I found a stronger one, I swapped it in place. During set up, i move the pointers on all four to the factories' chisel mark. The right front and left rear are soft, so I want to readjust them to match in performance. (I painfully learned that post war shock ears are a different size from prewar.) Thanks for your help. I will report progress.

Re: adjusting 39 Ford pickup shocks
 

Next challenge is balancing the shocks and increasing the resistance. This morning the pickup failed his “Bounce and return test.”
I have approval from Fordbarn to adjust the shock needles. To start, all four are adjusted to the factory chisel marks. The right front and left rear shocks are soft. I added 50deg. To the right front which helped. The left rear pointer and shaft freely rotate, so I decreased the pointer trying to match the bounce across the rear end. Seems the right thing to do. I suspect the adj. paddle shaft is broken.) Can I replace the valve in the shock with the shock installed in the car??

Re: adjusting 39 Ford pickup shocks
 

Hope this is of some help.

Re: adjusting 39 Ford pickup shocks
 

Clem, When installing newly rebuilt shocks myself, I clamped both in a large bench vise (not so easily), with both arms parallel pointing up. One hand on each, I push/pulled and adjusted to make them match. Your bounce method may be more useful than my vise test was!

Re: adjusting 39 Ford pickup shocks
 

Does anyone ever flush out a shock. if it is dry, I understand it is probably shot. If it is closed is there any need to flush? I found one of my extras is a left rear for my 39, but when I move the arm there is a terrible grinding sound inside. I poured a little lube out and it is dark Brown. I'm thinking the innards are shot. When I adj.it full increase, the shock locks up tight.

Clem always learning

Re: adjusting 39 Ford pickup shocks
 

I have flushed out the shock 6 times using Evaporust. I still get tiny black flakes of rust. The grinding is gone, but there is not much resistance to the arm motion. Does the valve and stem just unscrew? So far I can't remove it.

Re: adjusting 39 Ford pickup shocks
 

[QUOTE=Clem Clement;1934998]I have flushed out the shock 6 times using Evaporust. I still get tiny black flakes of rust. The grinding is gone, but there is not much resistance to the arm motion. Does the valve and stem just unscrew? So far I can't remove it.[/QUOTE

Clem, save yourself a LOT of frustration and have the shocks rebuilt professionally. You appear to drive your vehicles and hey, you can't take it ($) with you... enjoy it (rebuilt shocks) now.

These shocks don't disassemble easily and require special fixtures to R&R.

Re: adjusting 39 Ford pickup shocks
 

Thanks. I'm just playing and learning. I can't seem to unscrew the pointer and seal nut. They unscrew and then jam??

Re: adjusting 39 Ford pickup shocks
 

thanks all. I had several shocks and am using the best ones. I took a couple of loops around my village tonight The '39 seems more stable.

The next task is using Slip Plate on the springs.
Clem