The Ford Barn

bunnyc · 07-09-2015, 07:41 PM

Spent the day installing this kit and have a few random observations.

I started with the front, since that seemed the easiest. The instructions that came with the kit had an incorrect photo (fig 4) on the orientation of the upper mounting bolt. The photo was corrected in the on-line instruction pdf. Not a big deal except the instructions said "assemble as in illustrations", which I did, and thought "that can't be right".
The front shock mount bolts did not line up in the vertical plane. The shock had to be pulled forward about an inch to be attached to the lower mount. This puts the rubber bushings in a twist.

None of the rubber shock bushings had metal inserts. I thought I usually saw this in other shocks to keep the rubber from being too compressed.

A couple things about the rear:
Washers as spacers between the bracket and axle housing. Seems a little shade tree to me. Could have tack welded a boss onto the bracket and it would have looked better.
The bolts used to hold the bracket onto the axle were a little short. I had to re-use the original castle nuts and could still only get half a cotter pin through the hole. The original castle nut slots are deeper than the ones in the kit; they extend down into the flat of the nut whereas the kit nut slot stops at the edge of the flat.

Oh, lucky me, both rear drum/hubs came off without the use of the puller I bought.
Just thought I'd ramble on about my experience. Your results may differ.

daveymc29 · 07-09-2015, 08:41 PM

Thanks for the post. I'm tackling this installation tomorrow. Today was the reinstallation of the Mitchell onto my car. I found that the shaft going into the differential wobbled a bit as I started to lift the Mitchell onto it, so I checked that out. I had to reset the ring and pinion preload. I think the re-pop gears I put in must have settled into their groove, or so I hope. It takes me a while to get them set up and then the rest of the day was spent putting the car back together. I'm old and slow so shocks tomorrow.

daveymc29 · 07-09-2015, 08:49 PM

So how did you find the online instructions? I have had no luck with anything about these shocks, even put in kit A 18014 for zero results.

bunnyc · 07-09-2015, 09:01 PM

Good luck with your install. It's not too bad. The second one on each axle goes faster that the first. My husband was working on his tractor in the next bay; he pretty much supervised me and made sure the bolts were more than "girl tight".
Hope you will post your experience when you're through.

bunnyc · 07-09-2015, 09:06 PM

Link to on-line instruction pdf
http://www.snydersantiqueauto.com/Co...d-4-15-475.pdf

daveymc29 · 07-09-2015, 10:26 PM

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Thanks, the site cam right up. I have therapy in the morning and hope to find time in the afternoon. I'm going to memorial Saturday for a guy I worked with and he'd appreciate, if he can tell what's happening in this life, that I remembered his love for cars and showed it by bringing mine. So hopefully I'll get the time.

daveymc29 · 07-12-2015, 07:59 PM

Bunnyc, follow-upend of the day I had to do the shock today, the car didn't make it to the memorial, but that's okay. He eventually was much more into boats. Shocks are on, a bit hard ride now but better than the endless bouncing with the used up originals, Directions were as you posted, the pdf file was more correct. I had to use the original shock bolts in the front as the nuts in my kid didn't fit the bolts and though there were five cotter pins in the kit, none of the nuts were castle nuts and none of the bolts were drilled for cotter pins. I didn't put the rear shocks to the furthest hole so they have about 1 1/2 inch less travel than had I done that. I plan to change them to the furthest hole and see if that reduces some of the stiffness in the ride. May have to throw a sack of wheat in the trunk to smooth it a bit. That made my truck ride better. this is a roadster so not much weight. Thanks for your helpful posts. How did you find the ride?

bunnyc · 07-12-2015, 08:42 PM

I put both the front and rear in the hole that extended the shock the longest. My old original shocks didn't work. Two were rusted junk and two leaked so bad I couldn't keep fluid in them.
I find the ride firm but controlled. Much better than before. I'm happy with them.
Glad to hear you got yours on with minimum problems. Enjoy!

daveymc29 · 07-13-2015, 10:06 PM

I too have now placed the shocks in the furthest extension holes. Made the ride considerably better. Thanks for sharing. I now like the ride. Best it has been since I bought the car in 1993, though I have had several sets of originals rebuilt, none lasted any more than a few months and the ride was always a bit to be desired.

Tacoma Bob · 07-14-2015, 12:15 PM

These look identical to the set I purchased years ago from another vendor. After years of driving the car I realized the front shock upper brackets were not allowing full travel when the car rebounded up.. I had to re-drill the holes lower about an inch or so.

07-09-2015, 07:41 PM	#1
bunnyc Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: KY Posts: 296	Snyder's shock kit install Spent the day installing this kit and have a few random observations. I started with the front, since that seemed the easiest. The instructions that came with the kit had an incorrect photo (fig 4) on the orientation of the upper mounting bolt. The photo was corrected in the on-line instruction pdf. Not a big deal except the instructions said "assemble as in illustrations", which I did, and thought "that can't be right". The front shock mount bolts did not line up in the vertical plane. The shock had to be pulled forward about an inch to be attached to the lower mount. This puts the rubber bushings in a twist. None of the rubber shock bushings had metal inserts. I thought I usually saw this in other shocks to keep the rubber from being too compressed. A couple things about the rear: Washers as spacers between the bracket and axle housing. Seems a little shade tree to me. Could have tack welded a boss onto the bracket and it would have looked better. The bolts used to hold the bracket onto the axle were a little short. I had to re-use the original castle nuts and could still only get half a cotter pin through the hole. The original castle nut slots are deeper than the ones in the kit; they extend down into the flat of the nut whereas the kit nut slot stops at the edge of the flat. Oh, lucky me, both rear drum/hubs came off without the use of the puller I bought. Just thought I'd ramble on about my experience. Your results may differ. Last edited by bunnyc; 07-10-2015 at 08:25 AM.

07-09-2015, 08:41 PM	#2
daveymc29 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Danville, CA Posts: 1,554	Re: Snyder's shock kit install Thanks for the post. I'm tackling this installation tomorrow. Today was the reinstallation of the Mitchell onto my car. I found that the shaft going into the differential wobbled a bit as I started to lift the Mitchell onto it, so I checked that out. I had to reset the ring and pinion preload. I think the re-pop gears I put in must have settled into their groove, or so I hope. It takes me a while to get them set up and then the rest of the day was spent putting the car back together. I'm old and slow so shocks tomorrow.

07-09-2015, 08:49 PM	#3
daveymc29 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Danville, CA Posts: 1,554	Re: Snyder's shock kit install So how did you find the online instructions? I have had no luck with anything about these shocks, even put in kit A 18014 for zero results.

07-09-2015, 09:01 PM	#4
bunnyc Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: KY Posts: 296	Re: Snyder's shock kit install Good luck with your install. It's not too bad. The second one on each axle goes faster that the first. My husband was working on his tractor in the next bay; he pretty much supervised me and made sure the bolts were more than "girl tight". Hope you will post your experience when you're through.

07-09-2015, 09:06 PM	#5
bunnyc Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: KY Posts: 296	Re: Snyder's shock kit install Link to on-line instruction pdf http://www.snydersantiqueauto.com/Co...d-4-15-475.pdf

07-09-2015, 10:26 PM	#6
daveymc29 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Danville, CA Posts: 1,554	Re: Snyder's shock kit install Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) Thanks, the site cam right up. I have therapy in the morning and hope to find time in the afternoon. I'm going to memorial Saturday for a guy I worked with and he'd appreciate, if he can tell what's happening in this life, that I remembered his love for cars and showed it by bringing mine. So hopefully I'll get the time.

07-12-2015, 07:59 PM	#7
daveymc29 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Danville, CA Posts: 1,554	Re: Snyder's shock kit install Bunnyc, follow-upend of the day I had to do the shock today, the car didn't make it to the memorial, but that's okay. He eventually was much more into boats. Shocks are on, a bit hard ride now but better than the endless bouncing with the used up originals, Directions were as you posted, the pdf file was more correct. I had to use the original shock bolts in the front as the nuts in my kid didn't fit the bolts and though there were five cotter pins in the kit, none of the nuts were castle nuts and none of the bolts were drilled for cotter pins. I didn't put the rear shocks to the furthest hole so they have about 1 1/2 inch less travel than had I done that. I plan to change them to the furthest hole and see if that reduces some of the stiffness in the ride. May have to throw a sack of wheat in the trunk to smooth it a bit. That made my truck ride better. this is a roadster so not much weight. Thanks for your helpful posts. How did you find the ride?

07-12-2015, 08:42 PM	#8
bunnyc Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: KY Posts: 296	Re: Snyder's shock kit install I put both the front and rear in the hole that extended the shock the longest. My old original shocks didn't work. Two were rusted junk and two leaked so bad I couldn't keep fluid in them. I find the ride firm but controlled. Much better than before. I'm happy with them. Glad to hear you got yours on with minimum problems. Enjoy!

07-13-2015, 10:06 PM	#9
daveymc29 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Danville, CA Posts: 1,554	Re: Snyder's shock kit install I too have now placed the shocks in the furthest extension holes. Made the ride considerably better. Thanks for sharing. I now like the ride. Best it has been since I bought the car in 1993, though I have had several sets of originals rebuilt, none lasted any more than a few months and the ride was always a bit to be desired.

07-14-2015, 12:15 PM	#10
Tacoma Bob Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Tacoma, WA Posts: 1,025	Re: Snyder's shock kit install These look identical to the set I purchased years ago from another vendor. After years of driving the car I realized the front shock upper brackets were not allowing full travel when the car rebounded up.. I had to re-drill the holes lower about an inch or so.