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friction shocks: good, bad or what you thinking!!!

Re: friction shocks: good, bad or what you tinking!!!

Thanks Jim. It's not perfect, but it does work well under most condtitions. I would use it again.

Mike

BTW - The work in your car is very impressive! I always like seeing it.
 
Re: friction shocks: good, bad or what you tinking!!!

Hotrod46 said:
Been out of town for a few days at the Tupelo Car Show or I would've answered sooner.

Here's the setup I used on my 1/4 elliptic frontend. I wanted the friction shock look, but with the action of a hydraulic.

The rockers turn on poly suspension bushings and use heim joints for links to the axle. The shocks tuck up under the headlights.

The setup works pretty well, but the 2 to 1 ratio in the rockers limits their effectiveness some.

101_0395.jpg


101_0157.jpg


101_0162.jpg


Mike


that is nicely done. if you think the leverage in taking away the shocks ability to dampen correctly, get a stiffer shock. A high pressure gas shock will be stiffer. and the leverage may make it just right.
 
Re: friction shocks: good, bad or what you tinking!!!

My car still has friction shocks and it tends to dart around occasionally. I think a lot of it depends on what your local roads are like. For instance, in the north they're roads are rough due to all the potholes everywhere. In Louisiana, the roads aren't full of holes but they are a lot more choppy. They both create a rough ride but in a different manner. We have roads that would rival Fords test location where they used to film those F150's getting a good shock workout. I have noticed here that my car tends to start skipping over these ripples in the road. We did our first long haul last weekend and managed to put a few hundred miles on the bucket. On I 10 where the road quality was better the car was a totally different animal. It tracked well and only two times did it seem to wander around a bit.

I think this has some to do with why there is such a varying degree of opinions on what works and what doesn't. Not only is it based on each individual opinion but I feel it also has to do with your location as well.

Just my 0.02.
 
From Chester Greenhalgh
I used homemade (cost nothing) friction shocks on all my roadsters with never a complaint. I think they look very nostalgic and one inner tube will give you discs for a lifetime. It's a 5 minute maneuver to change them and working on your T is half the fun. On the rear I used chrome motorcycle coil-overs with 3 positions.(Used-$5)The weight is about the same on the back of a T-Bucket as on a big motorcycle so why lay out $300 for Carreras? One corvette rear end I installed, the only suspension was 4 Motorcycle shocks,but that was an experiment. Bill,are you out there? How'd that work out? If you remember, I hated the idea.("really scary shit!")
One other idea (Wasn't mine, but a customers) was to make the link between the friction shock and the top of the axle in a triangular shape with a 3rd hole for a tow bar. It pulled the frame and the axle both at the same time. I liked that idea,made them, but never saw them in use.
"All bullsh-t ends when your ass hits the saddle!" ChestersAlive (Don't know how,but I am)
 
That is a damn slick set up there Mike. I'm sure that it works quite well for you.

Jim

Hi
heres another idea. Friction shocks built in to the bell cranks. I got a company to supply disks of friction material cut to diameter. Have not run the T yet so cant comment on ride quality/problems etc.
Its another way to go

rear-friction-shocks.jpg

front-friction-shocks.jpg

Gerry
 
cool setup thanks for the pics



Hi
heres another idea. Friction shocks built in to the bell cranks. I got a company to supply disks of friction material cut to diameter. Have not run the T yet so cant comment on ride quality/problems etc.
Its another way to go

[attachment=3862:rear-friction-shocks.jpg]

[attachment=3863:front-friction-shocks.jpg]

Gerry
 
Well after just converting mine from friction shocks I would say don't bother. The hydraulic shocks make the ride so much smoother it is unbelievable.
 
Thanks Jim. It's not perfect, but it does work well under most condtitions. I would use it again.

Mike

BTW - The work in your car is very impressive! I always like seeing it.
Mike, I see that the shocks are almost completely used up with no real weight on the frame, I try and mount them pulled tight to the top in that part of the build, as they would tend to bottom out way too soon when mounted that close to collapsed with no weight on them.. Have you noticed this to be any problem? or does the chassis not move up and down that much?? I do like the looks of that setup, very nice, clean work... Ride safe :)
 
Junk where did u get your 4 bar ends. And are they straight or 5-11 deg
 

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