The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk '49 Knee action shocks

My '49 1/2/ton has the old knee action shocks and I would like to keep them. I am not totally convinced that the shock link and lower mount are correct. The shock link has a yoke at the top and threaded rod at the bottom. But the lower mount plate is angled and its at the opposite angle of the shock link, not perendicular as I would think it should be. I have not seen and good photos of this assembly as it would be on an original truck. Does anyone have any photos they could post or link or send to me?

Thanks in advance,

Ronnie

I have knee action shocks on three of my 49's. The only one I have here at the house is a 3600. It has the yoke with threaded rod, which is the double acting shock, my 3100, and 3800 both have single acting shocks, which have yokes at top and bottom.

My 3600 lower plates are flat. with the hole at the front of the spring U bolts. So that the yoke/threaded rod goes straight into the plate with rubber bushings on both sides with a cupped washer on the outside of each of those, then the nut.

I could not tell you about the others because they are kept elsewhere-

Sounds like you have double acting shocks- the have a big threaded cap at front and back- the shock arm mounts in the middle. Maybe someone replaced the lower mounts with tube shock plates for some reason?

does your shock look like this?
double acting



or more importantly, do the lower mounts look like these?
lower tube shock mount

It would not be to hard to get someone to make some replacement flat mounts, or check with Tom Myers in Miami OK. he will have some used ones that you could clean up and bolt on.

Hi Sam,

Thanks for your reply. So it appears that I do have the double acting shocks as in your link. The lower mount appears to be the same as your link but looks as if it's been replaced. They have the angle facing down which creates a greater than 90 degree angle from shock link to the bracket. I think maybe they got the left and right mounts swapped? So if I swap sides and flip them so the angle is going up it would be perpendicular with the shock link. Does that sound right?

Also the shock links are bend and worn. Know where I can get replacements or originals in good shape?

Thanks,

Ronnie

I have not seen any new replacements, just old units in good shape that are refurbished. I am pretty certain Tom Myer's truck parts in Miami ok(I do not have his number, It is a 39-55 Chevy Pickup salvage yard) would have some used brackets in good shape, You could also take your old ones to a local machine shop and have new brackets made- That is the only way I know of to get new plates.


Flipping them around so that the link is perpendicular is the way to go- that way the force rides on the bushings rather than side loaded on the bolt.

Mine were rusted and broken at the upper bushing nut. I cleaned them back and welded on some all-thread to bring them back to length. Got some sway-bar bushings that would normally fit my wife's Z24. All bolts up nicely.
If the yokes aren't too badly trashed, you could drill them out and use a full length of all-thread and either weld them up or just use locking nuts to hold it all together.

Good information,

Thanks Guys for you replys.

Ronnie