| |
Click on image for the lowdown. 
====
| | | Forums66 Topics128,050 Posts1,055,673 Members48,426 | | Most Online14,466
Apr 26th, 2026 | | AD Chevy Trucks  Over 6,000 pictures Brad Allen has an awesome collection of Chevrolet factory pictures that he has set up from film strips. Check them out!
Lots of work on Brad's part ... pure enjoyment (and references) for you!
| | THANKS!
For helping keep this great
old truck web site
on the Internet for over 30 years! and not clogged down
with Ads!  Again, thanks!
| | | | Joined: Sep 2002 Posts: 159 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Sep 2002 Posts: 159 | I am doing a frame off on a 56 pickup. I removed the shocks, and bought new ones. this is a 3/4 ton w/ lots and lots of leaf springs I didnt remove. i can not find a way to put the rear shocks back on. the stock shocks are not long enough, I've bought 2 other sets and their not long enough either. I did some jack work on the axle, frame, etc., and I cant get the two shock pins close enough to get a shock to slide on the posts. what the heck am I doing wrong??
56 stepside 3/4 ton longbed
| | | | | Joined: May 2006 Posts: 8,351 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: May 2006 Posts: 8,351 | Is the body still on the frame? Lack of weight on the springs, putting them at static ride hight, might be the problem.
Bill Burmeister
| | | | | Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 2,393 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 2,393 | I had that issue on the front set on my 3100. Dropped the engine in and all lined up.
Drew
| | | | | Joined: Oct 2001 Posts: 3,458 Extreme Gabster | | Extreme Gabster Joined: Oct 2001 Posts: 3,458 | Something is wrong- shocks should never be shorter than the free hanging height of the suspension or you can get broken shock mounts if you hit too big of a bump and overextend things. Either your suspension is messed up or the shocks you bought don't have enough stroke. I would suspect the shocks. Can you get the shocks you took off it back on? Maybe you have the wrong parts?
Paint & Body Shop moderator
A lone amateur built the Ark. A large group of professionals built the Titanic. | | | | | Joined: May 2006 Posts: 8,351 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: May 2006 Posts: 8,351 | Actually, the shock full travel being shorter than the suspension full droop isn't uncommon at all. I've had many times where once the shock was removed, the suspension will drop another 2" or so. Use of a jack to compress the springs to allow for installation is sometimes required to install shocks. I'm inclined to think that there needs to be a load on the chassis to compress the suspension enough to get the shocks on.
Bill Burmeister
| | | | | Joined: Sep 2002 Posts: 159 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Sep 2002 Posts: 159 | nothing on frame, shackles attached w/ enough leaf springs to hold a ton
56 stepside 3/4 ton longbed
| | |
|
|
| |
