Hi Folks. This should be a pretty straightforward topic, but I am finding that for whatever reason, it's not.
I have a 63 stepside that originally came with a 6 cyl. (Now it's got a mid-50's Lincoln Y-block, either a341 or a 317, mated to a Clark 5-speed--drives just like a dump truck, only quicker).

Problem is, while trying to locate some replacement shocks for the front of my rig, the local Schucks said they do not stock them, and I didn't bother to get a part number from them or put them on order. I rove down to the Autozone, where I was sold the wrong shock. Mainly because I told them I had a V8-wasn't thinking & didn't think the mounting design would be different anyway. They gave me a pair of Gabriel Pro Guard 61500s. Got under the truck to find that both ends of the shocks are threaded, not thru-bolt eyelets. So after returning them to the store, I got online and searched the forums here, found some good info, but didn't see any part numbers listed. It seems that the only Gabriel part number I can go with is the 82038 Guardian, apparently also called the Classic.
I was hoping for something a little more performance-oriented, something along the lines of a KYB, Biletein, etc. But not a "Classic".
Does anyone know a way to cross reference the 82038 number to come up with a decent fit? At least the Pro Guard is a gas shock. I'm not even sure the Guardian is. I like to corner harder than most (see my screenname), and while I'm not expecting the handling characteristics of an M3 in a 63 stepside, I like to put my foot into it in the corners.

So if there's anyone out there who knows of a shock that falls into this category, please let me know. I don't care if it's KYB (although I would prefer to go that route, if possible), Monroe, Gabriel, or whatever.

Right now I'm looking for the fronts, but I'll probably go for a load-leveler-type on the rears, since I will be hauling around sound equipment to a number of events this fall, and maybe even tow a car-hauler from time to time.

Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.

Brian in Yakima WA

 

If you want Bilstiens contact ICMenu Ask for Steve.

Bilstien may not have the Bayonet by Bayonet shocks yet?

I have classics on Christine with a 472 Big block. All the light truck socks for the front 61 to 64 are Bayonet/Bayonet type.

Garbz

 

Brian, first off...when it comes to any hard parts for your truck...no matter how seemingly minute....DONT GO TO SCHUCKS....I have a 65 and they dont get my business unless its for basic stuff...oils, sealers and so on...
For hard parts, I go to NAPA or CarQuest...I went thru fuel pump hell last year as some here may rememeber...CarQuest had the right part, no special order or anything like that...


I hope this helps a lil bit in future shopping trips..

- cs65

 

Yes, that does help, actually. Although my local store (well, the one of SEVEN!!! Schucks stores in Yakima WA that I frequent) employees know that I was an aftermarket reporter, so they go out of their way to help me. They were able to identify the external oil pump on my Y-block and narrow what engine I do have (still not really sure). But I'll definitely keep that in mind for hard parts.
I went ahead and ordered a pair of Monroe SensaTracs from NAPA for the front of my truck. A bit more than I wanted to pay, but still WAAY less than a pair of struts.
For the rear I'll probably end up going with the Load-Adjusters coil-type shock. I found those @ shockwarehouse.com for 80 bucks a pair.
Thanks for the help and the heads-up guys.

Brian

 

yep... napa or online... and online is only for things like headers and what not....

but if i need say, a generator for my 63, its off to napa i go.... its closer now that i actually live in darrington... shucks was where i went when i was living in snohomish, just because my dad swears by shucks[although lately hes been swearing AT them...]

plus napa is full of a bunch of old school guys how actually know their way around cars...

[the one thing i liked about shucks in snohomish... was there was 2 or 3 girls in there... although they know nuthing about cars... they where quite good lookin girls...]

but i went threw the whole fuel pump thing also with shucks....

 

Hopefully now that CSK was scooped up by O'Reilly, things will take a turn for the better. The execs there have been running the company into the ground for years.O'Reilly is a very well run company (although I know that doesn't necessarily mean they know cars)

I have been biased against NAPA for years, but as of late, I must admit they are starting to grow on me with that old-skool jobber feel. They're not afraid of using a paper catalog if they need to, as well. Have a good weekend, guys.

Brian in Yakima

 

in my napa....

they have all the paper catalogs right next to the counter... when they look crap up on the cmp, they go to the books and find the part numbers, then type that into the cmp, and order what the book says...

 

Motorcraft part number: AX-72-A Auto-Flex XD (replaced: C1TZ-18124-L Motorcraft AB-24)

How do you know that? Are you a stock broker, or an executive in the autoparts biz?

The reason I ask is, my BIL is Executive VP & Chief Corporate Attorney for CSK, which is HQ'd in Phoenix AZ.

 

No, like I said, I was a reporter in the aftermarket, and part of my job involved following (and digging for) the inner workings of these companies. There's a good chance your in-law gets the newsletter on his desk every Monday morning. These days, it's more likely it's emailed to him on Fridays.
CAO was nowhere near the worst in the industry (but they are big here in the Pac NW, so they have a direct impact on my life, as opposed to Autozone, who just recently moved here), and their scandals were few & far between when compared to some of their colleagues (like Sears, Exide, Safety-Kleen, Snap-on, zMax, Mendo, & a handful of others). Admittedly, the aftermarket is a very tough industry, especially in times like these when people tend to neglect their cars. But a company with the kind of footprint that CSK has made some amateur mistakes that they never should have. Their failed pay-on-scan inventory rollout in '03 is the first that comes to mind, violations of the Robinson-Patman act in '01/'02, failing to pay their vendors (ie. Nichols/Chilton and Superior Industries Intl.) and others I recall that don't specifically come to mind right away.
One thing they DID do right was start the tool-loan program, although not until more than a year later than AZO. From a consumer standpoint, just the fact that they have 7 stores in a town like Yakima (pop 70,000) tells me they should re-think some of their marketing strategy. This, in a town with 2 Autozones, 2 NAPAs, a Carquest, a Federal, and a couple of mom & pop import stores, as well as a dedicated speed shop.
Is Constantine your BIL? I don't know him. I remember Maynard Jenkins.

 

Not sure if this thread has been solved yet, but heres a link to some kyb shocks

LMC Truck Parts - Page 45

 

The thing I too like about the parts stores...any of them that are worth a darn, is having those catalogs up front and knowing how to use them...when it comes to getting the right part the first time, Im more then happy to wait for them to get it right, or help hunt in the books if need be.
As for too many stores in a given town...I gotta agree with you...Federal way has 2...1, their original store complete with new roof(it fell in a few yrs ago when we got some serious snow and ice) and their 2nd one is about 1/2 mile, if that down the street....their help is helpful and all, but if you dont know what you need should look like, try another store.
I too like the mom and pop type stores...for anything...candy, pop, chips or car parts...they usually have higher prices on many things, but I so love the atmosphere in the store...more homey like IMO.
As I said before with my fuel pump mess...the COMPUTER shows 65 having the 292....with 66 being 1st yr of the 352...How much of a PITA in all seriousness would it be to make that one lil tweak...I know theres others, but for something that easy I would think it would be relatively easy and the search stuff would go whereever its told to by the vehicle input part of the program.


As far as the Y block engine application...the only one used in F100 thru F350s in 61-6 that Im aware of is the 292 2 bbl engine...door tag code C, it wasnt used in 65 or 66 as the 352 2bbl FE was the only engine used and as I recall was also used into the 67 model year. The FE door tag code in 65 is D, and in 66 is code Y. So Y blocks used 61-4, FE's used 65 and 66


- cs65

 

AutoZone has had the wrong listing for the 61-64 2wd front shocks for several years now. I ran into the same problem and went with some Monroe Sensa-Trac truck shocks, #37186 from RockAuto.

You might be able to match them to a performance shock with similar dimensions.

Lower Mount: 3/8"-16 thread
Upper Mount: 3/8"-16 thread
Compressed Length: 14"
Extended Length: 24.25"
Travel: 10.25"

 

I ended up going with the 37186 SensaTracs. They're okay, I guess. No complaints. Just seems like a standard ride to me. I wish I had seen the gas-a-just KYBs. NAPA sells KYB, but didn't offer me the gas-a-justs. Oh well. I'll try them next time if they're still available.
Next project will probably be a pair of "coil-over"-type Load-levelers, or whatever they are called.
Thanks for the help guys.

Brian