It's time to hang some new shocks on the old truck. The old ones still have paint on them, but they're factory original, and don't do their job anymore. Anyone have any ideas whether I should just go for repacement shocks similar to the original, or should I be upgrading? PS There are only front shocks; none on the back!

 

I would go for the new shocks not the original type. You should get a better ride that with the original type. BTW you could have rear shocks if you wanted. Just get a pair of shock mounts of a 48-52 F-1 and they will bolt on. Weld two home made brackets of the axle to get the lower shock mount. Bolt on the shocks and way you go.

 

Nathan;
Thanks for the advice. I'll pull a shock and take it in to a supplier. I'll measure bolt to bolt as it sits now. As for the rears....there's like 24 leaf springs on each side...I'll need a pretty heavy duty shock to do anything.
I took a peek at your site....well done. KB

 

Thanks too bad it won't be up to much longer. At the end of the school year they clean everything off the server for next year. Rear shocks are sort of wasted on an F-3. But since my original rearend was wrecked I'm now using F-1 springs with a Dana 44.

 

I called the Monroe factory and they gave me the shock replacement and if you give them the dimensions you need they will give you a number and I went to Napa and picked them up Ed ke6bnl

 

you should be able to get a pair of gas shocks from napa and paint them. the gas shock sould inprove the ride

 

Thanks for the advice. The factory originals were 7RC 8045 B1 (Made in Canada). I replaced them with Monroe Gas-Magnum 34803.

 

I still have the original shocks to. My other truck had some Power-Ride shocks with dates 56 and 59. On the original shocks the do have a date printed.