Re: [Amc-list] : Gabriel "Classic" shocks...

[Tom Jennings <tomj@xxxxxxx>]

On Sun, 6 May 2007, farna@xxxxxxx wrote:

> I used a bar end shock for a while. The problem is the
> stamped steel lower arms on a 50-61 Classic and 50-63 Nash
> Rambler/American aren't very wide. You can barely srill a 1/4"
> hole in the top of the arm flange to bole the shock to it. It
> works using grade 8 bolts, but just so.

You're either more adventurous than me! I'm pretty conservative
when it comes to design margins and such. The shock would
induce twisting forces in a part not designed for that, and
it's already pushing half a century old.

> The bottom eye is larger than a normal shock. It has a 1"
> diameter two piece spacer (half slipe in the eye from each side)
> with a 3/8" hole through it. The bolt goes through the arms and
> spacer, squeezing the spacer between the arms and stabilizing
> the arms.

And the tension in those spacers ensures that the forces impinged
on the lower arm by the shock are transmitted vertically to
the lower arm, which is what it's designed for. The TSM warns
loudly that torque on that big bolt is critical.


> > If the trunnion cap holes in the arms are badly worn and
> no replacements can be found (big car arms will interchange
> if you change the inner rubber bushing though!),


Wow, 63 10 and 63 80 upper control arms fit in the 63 01 lower
arm position? That's very convenient! (After staring at the 01
suspension for a while it sure looks like there could have been
more parts commonality in the trunnion system; the 01 lower
trunnion is basically the same as the 10/80 upper, and with a
fabricated cap, the 10/80 upper part could have been used.)

> the trunnion
> caps can be welded in after the unit is assembled. The problem
> with that is the same -- in order to replace the trunnion or
> bushings one of the arms must be cut and replaced.

The only circumstance I would weld machined/heat treated
suspension parts to stamped/cold-rolled suspension parts is in
a gotta-get-home-road-trip-emergency basis, and then I'd replace
averything and throw the old ones in the trash. You know a hell
of a lot more about welding than I do (which is nearly nothing)
but I'd be afraid of subtle tweaked relationships in antique
car parts.

Then again for cars driven 1000 miles a year pretty much anything
goes (I know you, like me, drive yours lots more).
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