Rear Shocks, 41 pickup, help needed

[Cartravel]

I'm using the original suspension with lever shocks in my '41 pickup project. The catalog says to use 3 inch shock links, but they are way too short. I ordered some 4 inch links, but they don't seem to work either (see photo). I don't have a body mounted yet, but the shock is almost completely in the down position. Furthermore, the end of the shock lever and mount are far enough apart (laterally) that I can't force them to work. It looks like a 6 inch link might work, but they are not available. Has something gone askew in my reareand? I have been suspicious about the spring mountings that extend behind the rearend, since I mounted the rear spring. The shackle did not line up with the mount. Do the mounting extensions sometimes get bent? Any help will be appreciated. I should mention the shocks I'm using have a 1/2 longer lever than the originals (51A-18080-A vs. 11A-18080-C). but that seems to be a small difference compared to the mismatch I'm looking at.
Larry Young

[Binx]

Well, keep in mind a fully assembled stock bed is going to weigh over 300 lbs. You may have to load the frame down and loosen the shock mounting bolts to connect the links.

Lonnie

[Sixseven]

As well, share some photos of your project. I have the same project. We just lost touch with a great restoration that was going on when owner decided to sell. Shame. Show us a few pics, tell us what's going on.

[Cartravel]

There are actually two problems. It doesn't line up left to right either and there is not enough flex to allow it to go together without using a crow bar. I will try to get a shot of the spring shackles so you can see how the springs don't line up with the spring mounts very well. I may need to do some bending to get things to work. What is the distance between the two spring mounting locations that are extending back from the rear axle housing?

I'll post some other photos of the project.

[jerry grayson]

Do you have the correct spring with the correct number of leaves? Does the spring have anything between the leaves? (plastic strips)

[Binx]

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Maybe do a cross diagonal measurement of the frame to be sure it is square?

Lonnie

[Clem Clement]

I'm thinking something is funny with your shackles in the horizontal position.

[Cartravel]

I started this project with 3 chassis. I took 2 apart and built a restored chassis using the best from each. Both of the originals had helper springs installed. The third truck is still together. It has some type of period after market shocks installed. On the restored chassis, I believe I have the correct number spring leaves, but I will check.


I believe I have two problems. I noticed it was difficult to install the springs because the spring mounts which extend from the diff. housing seemed to be bent inward. One of the photos shows how they don't line up. I measured 47 inches laterally between them and the other original chassis measures 47 3/4 inches.

I also think the shackles may be one of the problems. When I restored the chassis, I just ordered standard shackles from one of the major suppliers (see photo). The other chassis has longer shackles (4 ½ inches) (see photo). It also has a special shock mount. The one example I have, has the shock mounted directly to the frame.


This is really frustrating, because I have been through all the book I know of and can’t find any information

[jerry grayson]

I do not see anything wrong with the shackles that you have installed. The parts truck has Lovejoy aftermarket shocks and lowering shackles. Neither are correct on a restored pickup.
Measure the spring mount to the brake backing plate and compare this to the other parts cars. Is the spring located correctly in the crossmember?

[Binx]

The shock arms on my pickup are directly above the spring hangers. Yours look too far inboard. Measure the width of your axle between the insides of the backing plates. It should be 51 1/4".

Lonnie

[Ray Balukas]

Bill Wzorek will be able to help you out.

[Cartravel]

I took some more measurements. Between the backing plates is 51 3/8, which seems close enough. I mentioned before that the distance between the mounts was 47 on the restored chassis and 47 3/4 on the unrestored one, so the distance from backing plate to mount is 2 3/16 and 2 9/16, respectively. I mentioned in the beginning that I thought the mount was bent inward, because the holes are not parallel with the springs (see photo). Can these be bent back (cold or hot?)?

I don't think this would change the ride height enough to cause the problem with the spring shackle. The rear springs have 12 leaves and it is centered in the crossmember. The frame is perfectly level with the ground in the center section.

The only things I can think of to do are use a longer shackle or mount the shock on a wedge block. I could also try to spread the spring mounts back apart, but would like to hear from someone that has done it. I could have the springs dearched an inch or so, but that will lower the truck. I'd sure like to see a photo of someone else's.

[Cartravel]

I should also mention that at its lowest position the shock end is 3 1/8 inch from the mounting point. The stock 3 inch link would never work and 4 inch is probably too short as well.

[V8COOPMAN]

You may possibly have a different axle and housing on one side. Check the pics below. DD

[Cartravel]

I'm aware of the differences in axles housings. That is not the problem. I'd sure like to hear if anyone else has run into spring mounts that are bent and what they did about it. However, even if I straighten them out, it's not going to fix the shock mounting problem. I'm still stumped on that one.

[Binx]

I took a peek at my unrestored suspension and hangar to spring eye are misaligned on both sides like yours. Normal? I have no idea but it works. I'm going to measure the depth of my cross member saddle and spring arc tomorrow. My shock arms are 7 1/4" c/c. 3" links. Do you maybe have a spacer in your cross member that is making the spring mount lower? Sixseven posted a pic of one that looks like it had a spacer installed.

http://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=129308

Lonnie

[rotorwrench]

There were two different springs used in the 40 & 41 commercials. I thing they started with a 01A-5560-G 14-leaf spring then went to an 01A-5560-H spring that was 15-leaf. The green bible indicates the replacement for the 15-leaf was the older 14-leaf so it makes me wonder if there was a problem there. If your cross member is bone stock 40 or 41 commercial and is in good condition then I would look real hard at that spring. The shock links were supposed to be the 3-inch types according to the bible and the shackles are the ones that were used for a long time on those early frame type cars from 32 to 41. The green bible lists all the part numbers for each leaf but I couldn't tell you whether they were correct or not with out the length & width specs for those part numbers. A good spring shop might be able to help though if they have those old spec books for making springs. Something about that spring just doesn't look quite right.

[Cartravel]

I'm beginning to suspect the spring too. The two I took apart were both 1/2 ton PUs and both had helper springs. I've attached the only photo I could find from before I took them apart. The shock in the photo had a broken mount, so I am using some later ones as I mentioned above. I believe the main springs were the same, but I'll have to dig the other one out of storage and check. I don't remember whether they originally had 12 leaves. I'll check my notes. It looks to me that the shackle is almost horizontal and should angle down more. It measures 22 1/2 inches to the bottom of the rear cross piece. I put an engine block on top of the frame to add some weight and it moved less than 1/4 inch, probably more like 1/8. Did they make heavy duty springs for the 1/2 tons? All three trucks had 4 speeds too, which I thought was uncommon on a 1/2 ton.

[V8COOPMAN]

You have to realize that the shackles WILL BE near horizontal with no weight other than the frame on the spring. DD

[Binx]

I did some measurements on mine and hopefully this will help. This is a fully assembled pickup with weight on wheels:

Spring hanger width bolt-to-bolt 47 1/4" c/c (worn).
Shackle angle 28 degrees.
Shackle length 1 5/8" c/c.
Spring arc depth from center bottom of main spring to line across bottom of eyes is 6 1/2 "
Cross member saddle measured from top forward edge adjacent to frame down to top center of cross member 6 1/2".
Spring is 13 leafs with a 3/16 spacer at the top.

Lonnie

[Cartravel]

According to my notes, both the trucks I took apart (a ’40 and ’41) had 14 leaves in the rear springs. I can only count 13 now, but there could be a short one that I can’t see. At the time, I couldn't find a spec for the 1/2 ton pickup, but found that sedans had 10 leaves. Now I see the ‘40 pickup (chassis 01-C) listed as a 01A 5560-G with 14 leaves. So, apparently the springs are correct.


It had only the engine and drive train on it. As I mentioned above, loading it down with an engine block didn’t make much difference, so I put two engine blocks on it. This only lowered it about ¼ inch. With the extra weight, the 4 inch shock link is long enough with about 1 ½ inches to spare (see photo), so a 3 inch would be pretty short. I’d guess the blocks are lighter than the body and bed, but I wouldn’t expect it to sink more than another ½ inch. This doesn’t allow for much rebound when it hits a bump. It has rubber bumpers to stop the upward movement, but only the shock link will stop the downward movement. This truck will never carry the weight it carried during its working life. A 10 leaf spring out of a sedan would probably give a better ride. Anyone have one they’d like to get rid of?


I appreciate your input on this issue. You never know what was done to these old pickup trucks.

[rotorwrench]

Some of the old trucks likely had super duty springs made up by owners. I've seen this before where the old farmers were making a 1-ton out of a half ton. With the bed in place on a half tonner, a fat boy like me would expect the suspension to move down a good bit when you set on the tail gate. FoMoCo did their best to keep most of the chassis weight on the unsprung side. If you add a bed, fuel tank, and fenders to the mix the gravity will start to show.

[Binx]

Can you tell us what your frame serial number is? "x" out the last three for privacy.

Lonnie

[Cartravel]

It's difficult to read, but looks like *ICC 27xxx. This was the '41 and had a 6 in it. There are some interesting differences between it and the '40.
-Larry