My roadster bounces around a bit in the rear. T spring with leaves removed and lever shocks. Running stock gas tank with battery in trunk so not much weight back there. Ordered a new spring with reversed eyes from NE Speed Shop and going to switch to lever shocks and mess around with the number of leaves to see how that goes. http://nespeedshop.com/product/hot-rod-rear-spring-kustom-innovations/ My sedan has stock a spring with reversed eyes and tube shocks and rides great. Must be the extra weight of the sedan body. Actually have to pick up a few bags of mulch this weekend. Might take the roadster and throw them in the truck to see what it does for the ride.
Back then the ride was considered normal. It was a different time and no one knew that a Lexus would ever be invented. LOL Even when I was young a sign of a hot rod was a stiff ride and I wasn't even a consideration in the '30s. The old guys when I was young in the '60s used to say, " Rides like a lumber wagon, can't push the clutch, gas peddle is stiff as a boot and shifts as smooth as silk, yep must me a hot rod." One of the things that is killing you that isn't as bad on a later type of build is your tires. With a bigger tire that will not suit your build at all you can run 'em a little on the soft side and they will absorb a little shock. Example, on a '60s style roadster we used to play with we had 7.50s on the rear and 6.00s on the front. We finally ended up with 18 psi in the front to keep it from bouncing and had to run 22 in the rear or else screw the tires to the rims to keep them from spinning on the rim. It still handled pretty good and was still a little rough but way better then it was with normal tire pressures. OK a rabbit trail sorry. Lots of things to play with and it may never ride as well as you would like it too. Good shocks will help if you can find them that fit your build style or are willing to compromise. That should take a little of the bounce out of it anyway.
Using soft tires as extra suspension does sorta address the sprung/unsprung weight equation! If the tires were the only suspension, the whole car would be kinda sprung weight. If tire is handling some of the suspension movement and then some is also handled up at the spring...thinking about it hurts my head, so to hell with it. I suspect it would help noticeably, though!
Ok thanks econoline's are pretty scarce in these parts. filthy sand or cement bags are a whole lot easier to find.
They are heavy compared to an A roadster. I think. One thing that I have done for a long time is mount the spring behind the axle, I don't know if yours is set up that way or not. Seems to make for a better all around suspension.
No, mine is over the axle like the original A. Thanks. Ok, I eat my words.....for giggles and smiles, I pulled the shocks off the rear and took her for a spin on our very bumpy road......and yes, sans shocks......a way smoother ride. The shocks are way to stiff.......I think a much softer set just to allow the ups and downs to recover are in order. I'm starting to smile again.....not sure it's the complete answer but......I do like the results so far!
Smiling is a good starting place. So your done with the fat girls? Can I borrow them? Glad you're getting it worked out and thanks for the brain storming session. Bruce always has good knowledge to glean.
******......yes, I'll send the girls your way! I am, pardon the pun.....shocked at finding the shocks to be a big part of the problem! Now to find the right set......or do I really need shocks at all?
Shocks are a good idea, just find some that are less stiff. If you are going lever remember not all lever shocks are created equally. I posted a link to a shocks thread today let me find it for you. maybe you can glean what you want to know there.
Oh then just find shocks for a lighter car and avoid gas shocks ( or maybe its gas charged shocks ???)
When I move these shocks there is liquid moving around but can there be gas in there as well? Is there a formula for getting the right length so they sit at middle ground for movement? I thought we had these set up but I'm thinkin now we didn't.
Simple formula jack it up and see how far it is to the between the shock mounts. Now throw a come along around the rear and collapse it and measure again. you want your shocks to extend a little farther then the extended length and collapsed a little more then the collapsed length.
We will get it figured out........ I'll report back. Add to this....when I removed the p***enger side shock the stud broke off the bottom of the shock mount.......wasn't expecting that! these are a set of the new 40's repop mounts.
Yes, there is a formula. I kinda explained how you go about it. You need to know what the finished ride ht and weight and work backwards from there. Obviously, you are past that. I am a Strange Engineering dealer and can get you below market pricing on adjustable shocks, shoot me a pm if you want to go that way - theres' a knob on the side where you can change the shock rate etc and they are available in different lengths.
Why would you want to avoid gas shocks? As far as I know, the high pressure gas only reduces the risk of cavitation inside the shock, i.e. the formation of bubbles in the oil that make the shock absorber act "mushy".
oj.....thanks. i'll get it figured out and get a set that work properly. just took it into town.....about 8 mile round trip.....sure rides nice now with the shocks gone! I'd settle for that. even at a good price there in the US shipping here to Canada usually kills any of that. G-son.....sorry, can't answer that one....anybody?
Shipping to Canada is salty, you might try Ed Horton. They make tons of high quality parts and kits, it wouldn't surprise me they'd have a set of revalved shocks - like Pete & Jakes - as part of a kit for the liteweight roadster. They'd be worth a try. Ed Hortons' Welder Series, they too are an Alliance dealer and you'd get a special price.
In the '60s, there was an offshoot company from Monroe, called "E-Z Ride". Tube shocks, covered or uncovered, with all the optional ends, bayonet, loop, etc. The best thing was the option of rates. I used 30/70 on my roadster, ('A' on '32 rails, spring behind) That was 30% compressing, and 70% regress. In those days, weigh transfer was important on drag cars, due to limited availability of sticky slicks. Many g***ers were set up with 90/10 rates on the front, so the nose shot up instantly on launch. I think the Pete and Jake line are mostly 50/50, or very close... Avoid gas shocks. They are identifiable by their 'bridle'. (heavy nylon strap to hold them compressed for installation) Difficult to install when strap is removed... I used to snip the strap when handing the gas charged Bilsteins to a new apprentice. Fun to watch. Remember the Gabriel 'Hijackers'? Air line to the secondary chamber, you could raise the vehicle for that 'tall stance'. We had some ingenious Ricky Racers bragging about great handling shoebox Chevys. Yeah...Superior suspension. Hang it on the shock pins! Springs just along for the ride... 'Shocking'... a 'trade' in itself.
Some gas shocks are very stiff, stiff enough that if you miss the stud when it is extending itself you need a buddy to help you compress it again. On a light car they act like an extra spring. I can never remember if it is gas charged shocks that self extend or just gas shocks that self extend. Some gas shocks just use the gas as a coolant and others use it like a helper spring.
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