Apache Rear Shocks Help.

[Stevetoxic]

After putting up with the appalling ride of my 59 Apache for some time now I found the problem.
The trucks rear shocks were bottomed out, one is seized solid too.
Not suprisingly the ride was awful.
Having removed the shocks and driven it with none fitted the ride is truly transformed.
So, with Posies 3" drop springs all round which rear shocks and associated mounting brackets should I consider ?
I'm wondering if "air shocks" would work, I have a set on my Chevelle and its useful to be able to make slight adjustments.
Searching through parts catalogs has me more than a little confused.
The rear axle is from a later truck and needs the lower shock mounts removing and something more suitable fitting.
Any advice/suggestions welcome.
(Photos helpful too).

[OrrieG]

Air shocks ride hard, I have them on my 64 Chevelle and had them on the 59 truck before as load levelers. This time I just went with Rancho off road shocks. Figure out your brackets (I used the stock 74 axle mount which aligned with the frame side, I plated the frame) then measure the eye to eye dimension at static, and with the frame jacked up with wheel off the ground. The difference between static and extended needs to be subtracted from the static to get a compressed length; that get you the extended and compressed dimensions. Decide what manf of shock you want and go to the web site or a real parts counter with your dimensions and end configuration and they should be able to set you up. On mine I found that 74 4wd shocks for a 4" lifted truck fit perfectly. Your 2wd 3" drop will be much different. Oil and gas types all have their own characteristics, I will let others chime in on their setup and ride comfort.

[Stevetoxic]

Thanks Orrie, I understand how to get the measurements I need now.

Brackets on mine are stock upper and homemade (rough) lower.
Is there any advantage to having the lower mount below the axle - trying to understand why some are mounted 2" or 3" below the axle on a drop down bracket.
Currently my lower mount is along the axle centerline.

[OrrieG]

Mechanically no, but they may be doing that to get more travel length. Disadvantage is something to drag or hit stuff in the road. When I set mine up I made sure nothing was on the bottom of the axles, or front that could get caught in brush. I also kept everything tucked up above the bottom frame rail because from off road experience there were many times I was dragging axles and the frame over logs, thru ditches, into cut banks, etc. Our neighbor had a 71 challenger he lowered that his wife and mine got high centered on a drive way approach and it took half a dozen gallant young men to lift it so she could back off of the headers.

[mr48chev]

This takes a bit of work if you have not searched through it before but with this Monroe Chart you can figure out what Monroe shock will work with the correct ends on it and get the number. Then if you have a different favorite shock brand it is real easy to cross the Monroe number to other brands.

http://www.monroe.com/downloads/inst...ifications.pdf

Normally with measuring your static ride height you can figure how much compression and extension you have to work with. I guess you could always load up the back of the truck and bottom out the springs to see what the total compressed distance is but that might be the extreme.

[Rude Dude]

I used some rear shocks from a ford econoline van 1966 my axle is flipped on my leaf springs so they are lower than the posie 3 inch dropped rear springs.

[_Ogre]

i used the stock shock bracket and air shocks when i did my axle flip
at first i had monroe-matic shocks; sized off the monroe chart listed by mr48
then i went to air shocks using the shock number from the chart

[Stevetoxic]

Thanks for your replies guys, still got questions to ask you all.

What is the advantage of having the shocks angled toward the centre of the truck ?

Ogre, how did that shock bracket work when the axle was under the springs and the U bolts were the other way up ?

Thanks for the link mr48chev, very useful.

[_Ogre]

bracket is always on the bottom of the u-bolts
stock u bolts went over the springs, mine run over the axle

[mr48chev]

A little angle to the inside at the top in theory at least helps control body roll on turns. A guy would have to dig pretty dserteep in the suspension setup book to know if that holds true though.

[OrrieG]

I remember when I was figuring out mine I found a page that discussed shock angles. At vertical the shock is 100% efficient. At 45 degrees it is only 50% efficient. Ideally the angle should not be more than 15-20 degrees. But the stock rear were almost 45 degrees. Might have been to reduce body roll as Mr48 said or to act like a pahard bar.

[Stevetoxic]

Originally Posted by _Ogre

bracket is always on the bottom of the u-bolts
stock u bolts went over the springs, mine run over the axle

That picture has helped me a lot, thanks.

[roger55]

Originally Posted by Stevetoxic

That picture has helped me a lot, thanks.

You are welcome.

[_Ogre]

oh oh... didn't realize it was copyrighted

google found it by searching ''55-59 chevy truck rear axle''
i swear 80% of 55-59 searches come back here
as they should

[1958Warrior]

I've got stock lower and upper mounts and did the axle flip as well as Ogre, +removed a few leafs, I used 1958 Chevy truck front AC Delco shocks on the rear from rock auto:

https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo...325955&jsn=380

From the Monroe chart closest would be PN# 31000

The Ac shocks gave a little more extended length, both would hit the frame/ bump stop before bottoming out .

I ended up with 7" drop, but with your 3" drop springs and the lower mount being around axle centerline, may be comparable , but a tape measure will be your best friend there, and if you relocate the lower mount to stock location stock shocks wouldn't be far off with only a 3" drop.

[Stevetoxic]

Originally Posted by 1958Warrior

I've got stock lower and upper mounts and did the axle flip as well as Ogre, +removed a few leafs, I used 1958 Chevy truck front AC Delco shocks on the rear from rock auto:

https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo...325955&jsn=380

From the Monroe chart closest would be PN# 31000

The Ac shocks gave a little more extended length, both would hit the frame/ bump stop before bottoming out .

I ended up with 7" drop, but with your 3" drop springs and the lower mount being around axle centerline, may be comparable , but a tape measure will be your best friend there, and if you relocate the lower mount to stock location stock shocks wouldn't be far off with only a 3" drop.

Thanks for the info, the shocks I removed (Monroe Gas matic 59001) were almost identical dimensions.
The difference between mine and yours must be the lower shock mount, my shocks being bottomed out as the distance between mounting points is 12.5"
The lower mounting point is what I aim to change.

[1958Warrior]

Yep, need more than a 1/2" of travel , So your axle is flipped on top of the springs then correct?

[Stevetoxic]

Originally Posted by 1958Warrior

Yep, need more than a 1/2" of travel , So your axle is flipped on top of the springs then correct?

No, I have 3" drop Springs and an axle from a later truck mounted in the stock position.
Shock mounts on the axle look homemade and are welded to the axle, I'll get a picture later after work.

[LordDevlin]

Originally Posted by Stevetoxic

After putting up with the appalling ride of my 59 Apache for some time now I found the problem.
The trucks rear shocks were bottomed out, one is seized solid too.
Not suprisingly the ride was awful.
Having removed the shocks and driven it with none fitted the ride is truly transformed.
So, with Posies 3" drop springs all round which rear shocks and associated mounting brackets should I consider ?
I'm wondering if "air shocks" would work, I have a set on my Chevelle and its useful to be able to make slight adjustments.
Searching through parts catalogs has me more than a little confused.
The rear axle is from a later truck and needs the lower shock mounts removing and something more suitable fitting.
Any advice/suggestions welcome.
(Photos helpful too).

I remember your post talking about how bad the ride was... I had the same problem, what felt like the back of the truck jumping up in the air when going over a bump at speed.... came to find the same problem you did, shocks were bottomed out, only had about .25" travel left with the lowered ride height. Took some measurements and went off to the parts store, been running great for a while now.

[_Ogre]

Originally Posted by Stevetoxic

No, I have 3" drop Springs and an axle from a later truck mounted in the stock position.
Shock mounts on the axle look homemade and are welded to the axle, I'll get a picture later after work.

none of the shock numbers will work for you, as a flipped axle gives 7'' drop
determine the length you need jacked up in the air to sitting on the frame
and then use the monroe catalog to figure what shock you need
if you want air shocks, google the monroe shock number to find the application
then buy the air shock for that application