The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Driveline AD Shock Conversion

Based on prior posts in this forum and discussions with some VCCA members we decided to convert the '49 3100 to tubular shocks. The cost of the "complete" conversion kit was less than the cost of rebuilding even 2 of the 4 single acting lever arm shocks. We also know that the ride will be better controlled.

I am disappointed in the kit we received from Jimmy Carter Truck Parts. I expect that our experience would be similar if we had ordered it elsewhere.
1) There was no documentation of any type. No assembly instructions, not even pictures of the installed kit.
2) The templates for locating the holes in the frame were worthless. They were templates for some type of 3 bolt mount. The mounts we received use 4 bolts.
3) There was no mounting hardware to attach the brackets to the frame. The online catalog picture shows that hardware as part of the kit.
4) Not all the hardware needed to connect the lower eye in the shock to the mount was included.

We figured out a reasonable position for the rear brackets but only after we had installed one of them upside down! We also got the hardware we needed. One point we noticed is that there is a depression stamped in the frame rail where the rear brackets mount. We installed washers between the bracket and the outside face of the frame rail so we could not flatten that depression.

We need help for these items.
1) How can we locate the front brackets?
2) What is the correct orientation of the rear lower shock mount that attaches to the u-bolt on the spring. Is the pin above the spring or below? The assembly manual shows below for 1954 but I found pictures that show it above.
3) What is the correct orientation of the front lower shock mounts? I know there is a left and a right. It appears that can be reversed side-to-side so will install either way.

Thanks for the guidance!

Call Jim Carters truck parts. They are a good co. with knowledgeable people. They will help you out.

George

You only use 3 of the bolt holes


Below are pics of a 50 riveted upper mounts

Thank you DAD50! If only Jimmy Carter had included pictures like those!

We thought we needed to use 4 bolts because their online picture of the kit shows 4 bolts in the bracket.

Now that we understand this important point we see how the template aligns. We are close enough to the correct position that we do not need to relocate the rear mounts. Thank goodness we did not try the front ones yet.

One more question. Is the pin of the lower rear mount below the spring? It looks like it from your one picture.

George,

I did talk to Steve at Jimmy Carter. He told me he would call me back.

Thanks for the help!

Here's another picture ('51 rear lower shock mount).
It bolts under the spring with the angle and shock stud oriented upward.

Thank you Kevin!

I completed a front tube shock install on my '47 1/2 ton this summer. I had difficulty finding pictures of the front shocks on the '50 and up trucks. I found a video from Brothers which showed an image of the front shock, printed it and used a protractor to help get a ball-park angle. Then I installed the lower brackets, made a cardboard replica of the upper mount, then attached the cardboard mount to the frame with magnets. I then used a piece of threaded rod with nuts and washers attached to mimic the shock. This gave me an idea of the angle and placement of the upper mount. The lowers are angled so this gives you an idea of how the shocks will angle. The lowers mounts are specific left and right. (The lower mounts for lever shocks are flat) I'm getting ready to do the rears and I'm still not sure if the lower bracket curves to orientate the shock eye stud above or below the spring. I'm leaning towards down. There's not much in the way of images for this either. (Sorry you have to rotate the photo.)

Rear 1950 down

Front rivet location found on a 50....for the next guy


Note :on my 50 there is an existing frame hole covered by the mount

Thanks, DADS50. That's the best picture I've seen of the lower rear mount.

DADS50, thanks for that pic. It got me looking closer. My truck's rear suspension had obviously been worked on at some point it it's life before I got it, and apparently someone decided to put them on oriented upward. I just checked the FAM and they do show the rear lower shock mount oriented downward like your picture shows. I'll put mine back together correctly.

Im glad you looked it up, when I saw your pic I was not sure either. Mine might of been wrong when I replaced the rear springs years ago.


My truck also has been worked on, and probably in a wreck before we got it in early 70’s. My front mount towers had a previous repair on it. I had to replace one.
Funny thing is I was driving for a few weeks with only one front shock absorber. Left front had a Broken tower. I felt no difference in ride with only one front shock absorber.

Many thanks for the continuing guidance. It has been very helpful. We had installed the rear lower mount with the pin below the spring. We knew we need that extra distance because we placed the upper mount a little lower than we should have to make all 4 bolts fit into the frame.

I am still waiting for Steve at Jimmy Carter to call me back from last week. Disappointing but not unexpected.

If you haven't already put the upper mount in place, I could give you hole locations for the upper shock mounts. I have the bare frame on my '51 in the garage and it's easily accessible for measurements.

Hello Kevin,

We would really appreciate it if you can provide some dimensions to help locate the front shock mounts.

We know that we can get a starting position by putting the lower bracket on the axle with the shock installed That will give us the forward angle of the shock. The key question is how high in the frame rail are the 3 mounting holes.

Based on your pictures it looks like the highest hole in the mount is exposed just above the top of the frame rail.

By the way, that is some great metal work on the cab and body parts!

As always, great support from this forum!

Here you go Rusty

These should get your brackets located, both height on the frame and angle with dimensions to two holes each. The remainder of the holes can be drilled to match the brackets you have. Dimensions are to center of hole/rivet.

Thanks for the compliment on the metal work.

ANOTHER BOLTER NOTIFIED ME THAT MY DIMENSIONS FOR THE REAR SHOCK MOUNTS WERE OFF. SO I'VE UPDATED THE PICTURE.

Thank you!

Hello to all,

i like to close out my threads to confirm the results.

Using the dimensions provided by Kevin (Thank you!) we drilled holes in the frame and mounted the brackets for the front shocks. I will say that access to the inside of the frame rail was tight. It was pretty tricky to install the washers and nuts.

One interesting observation is that the shocks we installed are fairly compressed in the neutral position. There is less than 2" of travel remaining. I could not determine if that will be a problem. The shock has a pretty good forward angle to it so one inch of vertical travel of the axle does not compress the shock one inch.