The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk 1950 - Shocks

I looked at some info and it said that 1950 went to tube shocks and away from the knee joint style. I have a 50 and it has the knee style. Is there a conversion to the modern shock style?

I beleive You have to get the shock mt's and install them on the frame and lower spring U bolts and Your there ,I gave a fellow bolter the locations and I can take some pics if You want.



Pete

Jim Carter sells them.

http://www.oldchevytrucks.biz/47_55/full.asp?page=121

thanks, this is exactly what I was looking for. It seems logical that the tube shocks would be better than the level style. When I hit some bumps my whole truck will launch into the other lane.... not good at all...

I pulled the front and rear mounts from a wrecked 53 chassis. Get the bottom pieces as well. The u-bolts will be the same as you have now.
I also did some measuring of the bracket hole locations on the 53 chassis to help me set up the upper mounts. Lower brackets on the axles don't need anything special as they only fit one way.

You may want to check all your steering components also. Replace any warn parts and make sure everything is adjusted correctly. You would be suprised what a difference it will make.

George

This thread brings to mind: is there an advantage to going with modern tube style shocks? After looking at Carter's prices, putting tube shocks in would cost about $320 whereas 4 lever shocks at Carters would be $480 and Carter says that they outlast tube shocks 4 to 1. I was thinking of switching to tube shocks on my '47 1/2 ton. Any thoughts? (Not worried about originality)

Lever shocks look cooler, I wish I had them. Can't you rebuild the lever actions?

Why buy them from vendors that charge to much. These shocks can be purchased from your local flaps.

As info.... I am putting power steering on my 52 and had to move the driver shock to slant to the back. So I slanted the one on the passenger side to. If your 1950 is like my 52 the shock angle is 60 degree. Since mine already has tube shocks I measured the length before taking them loose (13 1/2"). To install slanted to the back I then stuck the angle finder on the shock and with the shock attached to the bracket I leaned it back till I got the 60 degrees, marked the bracket holes and drilled them.
All I had to do to the bottom brackets your going to get is to move them from side to side and they point in the right direction.

Don't know if this helps but just thought it might.

If you can get the top brackets at a decent price you should be able to do this for less than 100 bucks. PUt an ad in the swap meet... some bolter is bound to have an old chassis to get the top ones off of.

Just happened to be passing through thought I would offer my $.02

I have lever shocks on 3 of my 4 49's

as long as you keep them topped off with fluid they work fine, decent bouncy ride.
If they get low, BOUNCY ride. They have a piston that can wear along with the cylinder it rides in- Apple hydraulics in new york repairs lever shocks.

I use cheap hydraulic jack oil in my lever shocks. Check the level at each service(1000 miles)

I use motor cycle fork oil. Just another name for shock oil. A bit more pricey then jack oil but it comes in a range of different viscosities. If you are in it to the max, different viscosities allow you to tune or modify the stiffness of the lever shock.

I have swapped out my lever shocks as noted in my post above. I liked the lever shocks but they were leaking. Yes Apple Hydraulics rebuilds them but check the price!!
If could figure out how to get mine back to normal I would swap back to the lever type.
Achipmunk you say these shocks can be bought at my local FLAPS. Surely you are referring to tube type, not lever.

Thanks for the bouncy info. I will check this out... I guess i didn't think to check fluid. I guess with regular shocks you don't do that....

I don't mean to sound stupid, but I looked at my level shocks and can't seem to see where you would add fluid.

Any help?

Thanks tclederman.

Check out BowTie bits, a Kansas co, that sells rebuilt shocks (34-46) for 105 + core of 25,, google them online.