Hi all
I am currently rebuilding the front suspension and removed the shock absorber link arms to re bush them, once I removed the link arm on the drivers side it became obvious that the shock absorber on this side had no fluid in it, so requires replacement or rebuilding, these shocks are probably original and any access to them will be a major issue because of the rusted in caps.
so, I know of a British outfit that could possibly repair them but not one in the US, and I have no experience of rebuilding these, if it could be done by myself, I am thinking that they will be destroyed if I try to open them up, so does any body have a spare? does anybody have any experience of rebuilding these or is there a service within the US that can repair ?
I have a spare pair but the arms are cranked, where as the arms are strait on mine, and I cannot imagine I would be able to swap the arms over, unless somebody has done this,
any help appreciated, the pictures are the rear ones the front ones are the same I think
Vintage and Classic Shock Absorbers UK (Graham Brown) rebuilt shocks and supplied some new parts for my 3 1/2 SS100. The prewar hydraulic shocks are a different configuration but work similarly. I had a unique problem - when I dismantled the rear shocks they were embossed “Ford” - but Graham supplied rebuildable bodies and bushings etc. I recall being able to pull off the arms with a large gear puller. The most expensive part was shipping to/from the the UK from the US.
I can attest to the help from Graham at Vintage Shock Absorbers with a mix of parts I needed a year ago for a different pre-war make. Very helpful indeed and if they don’t have it or can’t help with the advice you need, I don’t know anyone else in the world who could. I think Graham is taking over from his father, so he had good training.
Hi, Yes I have used Graham of VSA when I lived in the UK, however shipping will be costly to the UK and back for such heavy items
I have found a vendor in the US in Wisconsin who can undertake the rebuilding of the dampers at a very reasonable price so I will be shipping them this week, some of of you may know them anyhow here is the info for anybody else that may need this service
world wide auto spares
Their description of the rebuild process
Our basic procedure entails a thorough cleaning of the shocks using a solvent and porcelain media tumbler, followed by aqueous ultrasonic cleaning and finally glass bead blasting. At this point the shocks are disassembled, inspected, and the internals components further cleaned. The bodies are then machined for an oil seal the ensure concentricity. The shaft is sleeved with a stainless sleeve to restore a proper sealing surface. The valves within each piston are disassembled, examined, cleaned and reinstalled. The piston bores are honed. The entire shock is then reassembled using new gaskets and seals, and filled and bled. After another cleaning operation, the shocks are primed and painted a gloss black enamel.
Pricing for the rear shocks is $133.40 each
Sometimes there are components inside that are broken or rusted horribly. These cases require us to use used parts, or to use some that we have had custom manufactured for us. These include piston wrist pins, the spring retainers for them, and the valve discs. If we find some or all of these problems in your shocks, we call you, as there will need to be extra work done, and additional charges.
When you receive the rebuilt shock from us, it is filled and ready to be installed. It will provide years and years of trouble free operation without leaks. We promise.
