Shock Link Assemblies

[Chris H]

I purchased a full set of Bill Stipe shocks about 2 years ago and have never installed them all. It is about time that I got them installed! My problem has been with the shock link assemblies. I have tried everything that I can think of to get the link ass'ys properly installed, and nothing works! I have literally spent hours in trying to get them together and no matter what I do, the ball seats keep turning inside the tubes and end up popping out onto the floor. I have even tried gluing the seats to the spring with super glue and they still pop out. When I did the front shocks, I thought I had it licked, with everything intact, and low and behold, there they were sitting there on the floor!

I guess you could say that I gave up at that point and decided to leave it for another day when frustrations were not so great. Well that was two years ago! Today, I decided it was time to start with the frustration all over again, and to my dismay, now can't find all the parts!!! I am sure they are around here someplace.

I have attended a few events of my local Model A club here lately and have been looking around at shock installations. Many, if not most, of the cars I have seen have the stock shock links installed, but there were a few with the dog bone links installed.

Are there any advantages to keeping the stock links over the dog bone links, other than maintaining originality? I have always tried to maintain originality, at least with original reproduction parts. This looks like one of those cases where using the dog bone vs the original link is an easily reversible change, should the need arise. I am simply thinking that, since I need to reorder the parts anyway, I might be better off just trying the dog bone link. Opinions, suggestions?

Totally frustrated!

[raventrone]

Chris, I just installed the tubular links, along with Stipe shocks. After struggling with the links I finally figured out how to get them on easily. I sent you a PM.


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[raventrone]

I'll write a detailed description of what it did to easily get them installed and post it here when I'm at a keyboard and not an iPad.


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[Big hammer]

Chris we are almost neighbors! I installed dog bones on my L31 Tudor and was very easy!
When you get more parts either way, PM me and I could give you a hand!

[A31Woody]

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Here is a consolidation of tips I read on the Ford Barn and other places that helped me do the job.

1. Install the shock arms on the shocks while on the bench.
2. Loosely attach the shocks to the frame. The more wiggle room you have the easier the install.
3. Use a liberal amount of grease to hold the bottom cups, spring and spacer in the tube and one of the upper cups. Leave the top cup and slotted cap out of the equation for now.
4. I used Mystic red grease, it's super sticky. Some people suggest you put the grease or greased links into the freezer for a while to make everything stick easier. I did not do this.
5. Attach the lower shock ball to the link.
6. Pull up on the link while using your "pinky finger" to push down the upper cup and spacer.
7. Push the shock link onto the ball. I was able to get it about 40% in and then switched over to the padded channel locks to press it in the rest of the way.
8. Make sure the upper cup is in the correct position before moving on to the last step.
9. Drop the upper cup on top of the shock link ball and attach the cap.
10. Snug down the slotted cap and install the cotter pin.
11. Clean up all the grease with rags and touch up any paint.

More info on my website http://www.a31woody.com/2017/02/inst...links-was.html