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I'm thinking of replacing the shocks on my 1978 F100 (302, C6). Upon inspection, I have quad shocks up front, but I'm not sure they're legit. The rear shock in each pair is attached via a bracket to the radius arms. Makes sense. But the front shocks (those in front of the coils) are attached to the I-beams with a bolt and a stack of washers. From what I've seen, quads required add-on brackets. Does anyone have info on quads? I believe they started the quads in 1978 - but I don't know if they were available on an F100...and they seem completely unnecessary on a 2WD, small, city truck with a 302, 2.75 rear diff gearing, and stock size tires.
Do I replace the shocks behind the coils and delete the fronts? Replace the quads? Thanks!
Passenger side - showing the pair of shocks on either side of the coil.
Rear shock in the front passenger pair
Front shock in the front passenger pair (note the stack of washers to build out the I-beam surface)
View of the front shock on the driver's side. The washers are easier to see.
Does anyone know the mounting bolt distance for an aftermarket sway bar? My truck doesn’t have a sway bar - but the holes used for the shocks look suspiciously similar to the holes required for a sway bar like this. I wonder if the PO yanked the sway bar to add more shocks.
I'm thinking of replacing the shocks on my 1978 F100 (302, C6). Upon inspection, I have quad shocks up front, but I'm not sure they're legit. .... etc ....
I think is a home grown addition. I never heard of a quad or dual shock option on a 2wd, only on some 4wd trucks.
Reminds me of Troopers I knew describing adding a second set of shocks to their issue police cars back in the '50s & '60s, getting a local mechanic to add brackets and the shocks, to enhance control at high speed on the roads of the time chasing rum runners, etc. I learned I knew both later, one was distant kin my Mom said, but I don't think I ever actually met him .... but the other (I was in Texas in 1957, but I met him in the '60s when he chased a Uncle to my Grandparents house as an overall clad kid sat there nearby under a pine on his bicycle .... then he was still working when I started in '78 .... was he took the picture below) told me some wild tales, and I am certain that the '57 Ford was well shocked.
In the '70s and even '80s, "some" simply drilled a 1/8" hole near the top of a new regular hydraulic (not gas) HD shock, mount it upside down in a vise and pump the fluid out by working the shock, then measure the amount and use a syringe or other means to refil it using a heavier weight oil (like MC fork oil, 30 or 40 wgt). A short spot of weld closed the hole without too much heat.
