The Ford Barn

timmer2020 · 02-19-2022, 01:50 PM

I removed and took apart my shock. At the bottom of the shock there was 2 ball bearings. One was larger than the other but everything i have looked at and searched nothing tells me where these two balls go in the shock. There is no place in the rotor vane like most are shown. Just wondering if anyone can tell me where they belong?

rotorwrench · 02-20-2022, 01:30 PM

Houdaille, Ford, and any other companies that made shocks for the model A, manufactured three distinct types. All were very similar but different in the way the ball valves were included into the design. The wing shaft has one in it for fluid replenishment and each stationary vane of the shock body has a fluid regulator port with ball valve. I don't have photos to illustrate the differences but the one in your photo appears to have ports drilled & notched in the vanes that are first drilled straight down into the vane and then a smaller drilling on an angle with the ball dropped in so that the screw on cover plate will hold the balls in place. Some designs have the balls installed and staked so they can't fall out. The ones in the stationary vanes are to allow for more flow in the suspension compression phase and less flow in the suspension decompression phase for a 40/60 difference in function. I use the volume 2 booklet of the MAFCA Restoration series of books since it has more information than a lot of the different instructions I've seen on model A shock rebuilding. The Les Andrews manual is good but there are no photos and not much info on the ball valves.

Oldbluoval · 02-20-2022, 03:02 PM

The ones with the staked ball can be the dickens to clean and clear out. Many many years ago there was a series by one of the clubs that was explicit and accurate as to
shocks. The ones with the floating ball (removable) are the best bet. But rust and wear dictate!
I used to rebuild for others until it got to where about 1 in 30 were rebuildable. Done!

timmer2020 · 02-20-2022, 04:16 PM

Thank you for the information I can only really see where one ball would go in this shock can figure out where the smaller of the 2 balls go's

timmer2020 · 02-20-2022, 04:21 PM

Does the volume 2 booklet of the MAFCA Restoration book show the kind of shock I have pictured?

Oldbluoval · 02-20-2022, 04:33 PM

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I really can’t tell one thing because the photo of the inside is too dark. Probably nothing else to know as only one ball is in the ones with the “floater” ball. I guess you’re sure it’s a ball and not a piece of lead? The corners were filled with a bit of lead punched into each place where the reservoir partition meets the housing. Just a thought. Could be if ever taken apart before the original ball was lost in remaining fluid???
Anyway, there’s only one ball.

Kurt in NJ · 02-20-2022, 04:48 PM

A steel ball goes in each recess in the fixed vane as a check ball, it's what gives the 60-40 action

timmer2020 · 02-20-2022, 07:03 PM

Again thanks for the help. I will install the one ball and try it. I attached some more pics

rotorwrench · 02-21-2022, 10:59 AM

Some shock types have a ball in both vanes and some only have one in one vane only. A person can plug them off and the shock may still function but it would be a 50/50 type of shock action. In the second photo above, the little port right next to the wing should be the replenishing port. The ball is likely staked or pined in those.

It would be interesting to see how Stipe made his shocks.

02-20-2022, 01:30 PM	#2
rotorwrench Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 16,431	Re: shocks Houdaille, Ford, and any other companies that made shocks for the model A, manufactured three distinct types. All were very similar but different in the way the ball valves were included into the design. The wing shaft has one in it for fluid replenishment and each stationary vane of the shock body has a fluid regulator port with ball valve. I don't have photos to illustrate the differences but the one in your photo appears to have ports drilled & notched in the vanes that are first drilled straight down into the vane and then a smaller drilling on an angle with the ball dropped in so that the screw on cover plate will hold the balls in place. Some designs have the balls installed and staked so they can't fall out. The ones in the stationary vanes are to allow for more flow in the suspension compression phase and less flow in the suspension decompression phase for a 40/60 difference in function. I use the volume 2 booklet of the MAFCA Restoration series of books since it has more information than a lot of the different instructions I've seen on model A shock rebuilding. The Les Andrews manual is good but there are no photos and not much info on the ball valves. Last edited by rotorwrench; 02-20-2022 at 01:52 PM.

02-20-2022, 03:02 PM	#3
Oldbluoval Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Signal Mtn, TN (SE TN) Posts: 2,371	Re: shocks The ones with the staked ball can be the dickens to clean and clear out. Many many years ago there was a series by one of the clubs that was explicit and accurate as to shocks. The ones with the floating ball (removable) are the best bet. But rust and wear dictate! I used to rebuild for others until it got to where about 1 in 30 were rebuildable. Done!

02-20-2022, 04:16 PM	#4
timmer2020 Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2020 Posts: 4	Re: shocks Thank you for the information I can only really see where one ball would go in this shock can figure out where the smaller of the 2 balls go's

02-20-2022, 04:21 PM	#5
timmer2020 Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2020 Posts: 4	Re: shocks Does the volume 2 booklet of the MAFCA Restoration book show the kind of shock I have pictured?

02-20-2022, 04:33 PM	#6
Oldbluoval Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Signal Mtn, TN (SE TN) Posts: 2,371	Re: shocks Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) I really can’t tell one thing because the photo of the inside is too dark. Probably nothing else to know as only one ball is in the ones with the “floater” ball. I guess you’re sure it’s a ball and not a piece of lead? The corners were filled with a bit of lead punched into each place where the reservoir partition meets the housing. Just a thought. Could be if ever taken apart before the original ball was lost in remaining fluid??? Anyway, there’s only one ball.

02-20-2022, 04:48 PM	#7
Kurt in NJ Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: on the Littlefield Posts: 6,159	Re: shocks A steel ball goes in each recess in the fixed vane as a check ball, it's what gives the 60-40 action

02-21-2022, 10:59 AM	#9
rotorwrench Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 16,431	Re: shocks Some shock types have a ball in both vanes and some only have one in one vane only. A person can plug them off and the shock may still function but it would be a 50/50 type of shock action. In the second photo above, the little port right next to the wing should be the replenishing port. The ball is likely staked or pined in those. It would be interesting to see how Stipe made his shocks.