front shocks, solid front axle. Advice needed!!

[Coach529]

1949 3600

Running stock springs with a couple leaves removed.

4" lowered Sid's axle

Stock 50-54 lower shock mounts. I will be building the upper mounts so anything is possible.

What are the cool guys running for front shocks?

Thanks!!

[mr48chev]

The simple way is to get a pair of stock shock brackets off a 51/54 truck that someone is putting an independent front end under.

You could build them if you could fabricate good enough but the time spent might be better spent somewhere else.
Maybe this will work as Photobucket is slapping me up alongside the head today.
You should be able to see how the stock bracket is riveted to the frame and the angle it is setting at.


Those are going on another frame I have that has some not so good homemade brackets on it.

[NEWFISHER]

Those are the same uppers I'm running along with KYB shocks.

[Coach529]

I figured I could fab some front mounts in less than 1/2 hour each with scrap material.

The biggest thing is what kinda of shocks I get dictates what kind of mounts to make.

As you know the stock shocks had a stud at each end.



Seems like most stuff now days has an eye at one end and a stud at the other.

[NEWFISHER]

My fronts have the stud at each end, rears are the round eye style. I would fab a mount and tack it in place then floor jack a wheel up and down to cycle suspension and measure your max up/down to get the correct length shock based on what/where your upper mount is located.

[Coach529]

http://www.kyb.com/technical/documen...onsSecured.pdf

Ha.....found this great resource for shock info.

Looks like a KG5403 might fit the bill.

Stock on a 53-62 Corvette.

14.5 inches extended, 9.5 inches compressed. Off to the garage with a tape measure.

[Coach529]

Tough to say with out jacking it up.....but that shock may work. Might be a bit long though.

[NEWFISHER]

Originally Posted by Coach529

Tough to say with out jacking it up.....but that shock may work. Might be a bit long though.

Real world travel vs. shop/floor jack measurements are also different. " A little long" may never come into play when installed. Why did I just think of my wife when I typed that?

[Coach529]

Originally Posted by NEWFISHER

Real world travel vs. shop/floor jack measurements are also different. " A little long" may never come into play when installed. Why did I just think of my wife when I typed that?

[yossarian19]

KYB makes quality parts.
Part of making quality parts, though, is vehicle specific valving. The valving that works on a first-gen Corvette may not do that well under a truck.
Or it might work just fine.
I think the "best" approach is probably to contact Bilstein with your measurements & expected vehicle weight / desired load & see what they have. If it's an off the shelf application, figure on 75 a corner or so.

[Coach529]

Originally Posted by yossarian19

KYB makes quality parts.
Part of making quality parts, though, is vehicle specific valving. The valving that works on a first-gen Corvette may not do that well under a truck.
Or it might work just fine.
I think the "best" approach is probably to contact Bilstein with your measurements & expected vehicle weight / desired load & see what they have. If it's an off the shelf application, figure on 75 a corner or so.

That is actually a pretty good suggestion that I never thought of.

Thanks!!

[zimspad]

Originally Posted by yossarian19

KYB makes quality parts.
Part of making quality parts, though, is vehicle specific valving. The valving that works on a first-gen Corvette may not do that well under a truck.
Or it might work just fine.
I think the "best" approach is probably to contact Bilstein with your measurements & expected vehicle weight / desired load & see what they have. If it's an off the shelf application, figure on 75 a corner or so.

Having this same issue with finding shocks for the rear of my 51. Neither Bilstein or KYB returned my emails that I sent with measurements and weight. Has anyone had any luck with approaching shock selection with specific valving in mind? I can't seem to find information anywhere that makes sense of adapting a shock designed for one vehicle to another.

[Coach529]

I have actually decided on Bilsteins. I will be running a solid front axle and stock mounts in the front.

I will fab rear mounts.

http://www.performanceonline.com/194...ock-Absorbers/

[zimspad]

Originally Posted by Coach529

I have actually decided on Bilsteins. I will be running a solid front axle and stock mounts in the front.

I will fab rear mounts.

http://www.performanceonline.com/194...ock-Absorbers/

Won't work for me as I have a modified suspension.

[focusedontheprize]

Running the same front setup as you are..

Put my front shocks in last weekend. Went with Monroe Sensa trac shocks out front. Bought the upper and lower shock mounts through CPP.

http://catalog.monroe.com/catalogPar...dStatus=ACTIVE