In my previous post about shimmy on my F4, I decided, because of the excellent feedback I received, that I would add shocks to the front. To add shocks I need to remove the springs and add a shock bracket is place of the bottom leaf of the spring. When I pulled out the spring the center bolt was broken just under the nut, so the spring fell apart. When I put the spring back together I used a 7/16" center bolt instead of a 3/8" like the original. I had to lightly ream the center holes for the 7/16" bolt. I found quite a lot of rust between the leaves. I cleaned them with my needle scaler and a wire wheel on my pedestal grinder. I also beveled all the sharp edges on the ends of the leaves where they rub the leaf above them. I will paint it before I install it back in the truck. Then I will remove the other one and repeat. I still have to machine the lower shock studs and drill the frame for the upper mounts. I will do that after I get the other spring done.






The new system here is going to take a little getting used to, pictures load totally different.
Thanks, Mark

 

Saturday, I pulled the passenger side front spring and cleaned it like I did the drivers spring side a couple of weeks ago. I had to replace several leaves in this spring as it was rust pitted a lot worse than the other one. I checked the "feel" of the drivers side spring, when I reinstalled it, against the rusty passenger side spring. I was amazed at how smooth and easy the cleaned spring moved. The truck has to ride a lot better when done. Today I painted the spring, u-bolts, and upper and lower shock mounts.

The cleaned and painted spring ready to reinstall.

These are the lower shock mounting studs I machined.

These are the upper shock mounts, painted and ready to install.
Thanks, Mark

 

That should make a significant difference. Are the shock mounts from another truck? Have you had to replace the bushings on the ends of the springs?

 

Howard, The upper shock mounts are from a '56-'66 F100-F350. Some applications used the same upper mount for both front and rear. The lower spring leaf with the shock mount eye is from a '71 F600 U-Haul truck that I parted out. I narrowed them to match my springs and used them in place of the bottom leaf. Ray, raytasch, gave me the idea of the shock mounts in another thread that I had posted on front end shimmy. He posted several photos to show what he had used for shocks and mounts on his '49 F4. He used the upper mount, shock and lower mount from a '56 F350. I already had the lower mounts, so I went with those, but used the same upper mounts that Ray used. I did make new bushings for the springs.
Thank you, Mark

 

I finished installing the passenger side front spring a few minutes ago. I drove the truck part way down my driveway to see how it rides. My drive is pretty rough and the truck rode much, much better and all the front end squeeks are gone. I don't have the shocks on yet, maybe this Saturday.
Mark

 

Wow!
You've done a fantastic job on that. I'm glad to hear that you can feel a noticeable difference just on your short test drive.

Keep up the good work!
Bobby

 

Hey Mark,
You've got some talent over there in Arkansas! Beautiful job on the springs & new
shock absorber set up!

Ben in Austin
1950 F1

 

Those look really nice! I bet Betsy would ride a little nicer if that was done to all four sets of springs. IIRC Ray Tasch added some shocks to the front on his Blue truck, but I never got around to doing any of that before the truck went to my son.

 

Thats good to hear but without squeeks and noises it won't sound like an old truck!

 

Thanks! Bobby. I really appreciate the kind words.I did notice a big difference in the way the truck rode.
Mark

 

Thank you, Ben! I really appreciate the kind words.
Mark

 

Thank you, Joe! I bet it would have made a big difference on Betsy also. Before I cleaned the springs, I could jump on the front bumper and it would hardly move. Now it move up and down really smooth. Ray gave me the idea for what shock mounts to use.
Thanks again, Mark

 

Ha Ha! That's true Abe, but I'm sure other squeeks and rattles will develop, afterall it still is an old truck.
Thanks, Mark