Shock repairs?

[Gino]

Hi everyone, is it possible to repair shock absorbers with success? Any info will be appreciated, thanks Gino.

[Ralph Moore]

Check on the V8 forum, Bill Wzorek rebuilds them, probably some others as well.

[Bob-A]

Do a search in the Model-A forum section and you will find all kinds of info! Just use the word: shocks

Bob-A

[28ACoupe]

I have done them. The hardest part is getting them apart. I believe the Les Andrews books have the rebuild instructions and Bert's sells the kits to rebuild them.

Getting the outer shield off is the easy part. You pretty much need a 1" impact driver to remove the inner "nut" though.

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Well, I think the original poster used the proper term in his question. Can they be repaired? Repaired likely only means cleaning them and putting in new oil. IMO, anyone can do that!!

Maybe I am just been involved in bad fate however out of maybe 10 sets of shocks I have (--or a customer has) had 'restored, I only recall ONE of them actually working correctly. The reason I feel this is the case is because most shocks that are used as cores for a rebuild are worn (good ones are usually not given up to be rebuilt). Therefore if the stator is worn or if the checkball is stuck, damaged, or missing, then the shock will have just a fraction of the resistance that it supposed to have. IMO that is almost the same as not having a shock, ...and definitely not what they were originally!!

So my question is how do these "shock rebuilders" actually repair the wear on the stator and in the housing so they function like they did originally?

[gwhite]

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I've heard nothing but good things about Robert Paul in Yoder, Co...He's rebuilding a set of shocks for me as we speak.

[jrelliott]

John Holland in Ohio rebuilds them also.

[Dick M]

John Holland does a great job at a reasonable price. He rebuilt my shocks about a year ago. After going over a speed bump too fast I had one shock begin to drip. Sent the shock back to John and he resealed it for a nominal charge. Great guy to deal with. John Holland's telephone number is 330-483-3896.

[Bill Underwood]

I used to build them years ago when there were build able cores.
Brent is exactly right. I am NOT berating anyone named as builders in this thread.
It is impossible to take the wear out of all the surfaces in a shock.
Internal pressure can be enhanced by adding higher viscosity fluid; they get tighter.
In really cold weather, they can be almost rigid!
Rigidity is not shock action.

[SeaSlugs]

Originally Posted by Dick M

John Holland does a great job at a reasonable price. He rebuilt my shocks about a year ago. After going over a speed bump too fast I had one shock begin to drip. Sent the shock back to John and he resealed it for a nominal charge. Great guy to deal with. John Holland's telephone number is 330-483-3896.

completely off topic but did they have speedbumps in the model A days?

i may have (had...) one good shock but im goign to say its safe to asume my other is junk - never good when you pull the truck outa the weeds and the drivers side shock has been disconnected and tied up to the frame with bailing wire 60+ years ago haha

[Greg Jones]

Brent, I think you are right in your description of shocks being "repaired" versus rebuilt. I presume that the shock guys who charge $50-55 per shock are actually "repairing" a decent shock that might not have seen a lot of use. Just my guess, after disassembling one of these things. I don't know what the mileage is on my Cabriolet, but does not appear to be a high-mileage car so my shocks were in good "repairable" condition. My rebuilder was able to repair all four. I do know that it brought tears to my eyes when I took it for its first drive with the shocks mounted. Amazing difference! I am sure if you get into rebuilding shocks you would quickly get up to the price for a nice set of Bill Stipe shocks (assuming you can still get them).

[whirnot]

Originally Posted by gwhite

I've heard nothing but good things about Robert Paul in Yoder, Co...He's rebuilding a set of shocks for me as we speak.

I have heard the same, and he has mine as well.

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Originally Posted by whirnot

I have heard the same, and he has mine as well.

Please understand that no one is making derogatory statements regarding Mr. Paul, ...it's only that the set I received from one of his customers did not have the proper working action.

I suspect many folks do not have first-hand knowledge of how Model-A shocks performed back in the day, --or when there is not any wear. So it still begs the question, how are these rebuilders restoring the internal parts back to original specifications so they work correctly?