what are these?

[goshencars]

I am restoring a 1940 Special and need help. There are two tubes over the rear axle just behind the spring and I have no idea what they are. It looks like the PO made some plates he bolted to the the differential below them. Can anyone explain what they are. Thanks

[firstofeight]

I am restoring a 1940 Special and need help. There are two tubes over the rear axle just behind the spring and I have no idea what they are. It looks like the PO made some plates he bolted to the the differential below them. Can anyone explain what they are. Thanks

Yep. Some one in the past has "added" tube type shocks. Looks like it is broken. At least I do not see the end to the "axle" tube.

Ben

[goshencars]

Ben,
I thought at first the same thing, but there is no opening in the other end. It is a solid rounded end. and there is no flexibility at the mounting point. Any other thoughts?

[Bob]

I think I agree with Ben, the ram is mounted to the top and the shock is collapsed. The mount is broken from the bottom, tube or cylinder. If it is not seized, the tube would pull down exposing the chromed ram.

[telriv]

Someone in the past converted from knee action shocks to the more modern type. Obviously not mounted correctly via the broken shock.

[goshencars]

I am going to see if I can remove these an take some more photos. I appreciate everyone's help.

[bob k. mando]

yeah, i suspect the shock was mounted "upside-down" as well.

if this is the case, it may be possible to simply pull down on the shock body to extend the ram. however, as rusty as that looks, it may be completely frozen up.

it looks far, FAR too unstable to function as any kind of a bump stop.


New Philadelphia Ohio?

[goshencars]

Well you guys were right. I pulled on the tube and it extended. It was a shock but not like any I had ever seen. The PO had drilled holes in a frame plate and mounted them. He added a plate below for them to hit. It couldn't have worked very well because the rods were bent and they were jammed closed. I've taken them off and junked them. My thanks to all who responded.

[bob k. mando]

It was a shock but not like any I had ever seen.



if what you're saying is correct, there's normally a shackle at ( what on your units would be ) the bottom, so that the shock can be slid over a bolt mounted perpendicular to the action of the shock, like this, which has the bolt mounts on both ends.
hydraulic-shock-absorber-10283540.jpg

of course, your shock simply bolts up straight through the plate on the 'bottom' end, so that's what he used to mount it too the plate.


what is likely happened is that the PO hacksawed off this round 'eye', and simply allowed the bottom end of the shock to swing freely.

which is absolutely bonkers.


It couldn't have worked very well because the rods were bent and they were jammed closed


exactly so. it also wouldn't have worked for **** as a damper, as the shock would have had no effect at all while the spring was extending ( wheel falling into a pothole, say ), and wouldn't damp the spring on compression until AFTER you were well into compression.

the only way to make this arrangement work would be to either change the bottom mounting plate so that you could attach a 'normal' horizontal bolt ( would need a shackle ) to affix the shock too.

i suppose you could try to find a shock that has the same 'vertical' screw type attachment at both ends as what you see on the ones you have and then you could just drill a hole in the lower plate and attach it the same as the upper end is done.

i would be leery of that though, the rear axle is going to move forward and back as it rotates past the pivot point of the control arms and i would prefer at least one end of the shock to be able to rotate freely with that.