Technical Best rear shocks for a hot rod

I own a 29 ford roadster on a 32 frame with the frame not being notched replaced the shocks with Pete and jakes but I’m not really happy with them .I need to replace the rears, what are you guys using that you are happy with? Are ride tech rod shocks any good or Bilstein ?

 

On my old ‘31 Model A pick me up I ran Carrera coil overs. On “Effie” my ‘48 F1 I am going with Bilstein’s for starters .

 

I used Speedway hot rod shocks on the back of my 26 coupe. They are available in many different lenghts of travel

 

Aren’t those similar to to Pete and jakes ???

 

Why?

 

There’s a thread on here about bilstein Sounds like there great shocks

 

They bottom out i changed them out about a year ago… I was told it’s best to c notch the frame others say Pete and jakes arnt that great

 

Old school standard shock as far as I know. Pretty much the same as the old pre gas charged blue Monroematic shocks. Serviceable for normal driving but not very exciting.

Having sold and installed a lot of shocks back in my early working days I can say that years ago we didn't have a lot to pick from shock wise as far as performance goes. That and until the Trans Am/Z 28 and other factory performance cars came along that were actually built to handle. US car makers didn't put much effort into the handing aspects of shocks.

Remembering that we sold the blue Monroematics and the Yellow Monroe 500s back in the early 70's and the blue ones were adequate but not great and the yellow ones were often way to hell and gone too stiff for good ride or handling.

That said, now days there is a shock for every person's concept of ride and handling but some times it is hard to sort them out. Meaning, how do you want it to feel and how do you want it to handle. What works great in Texas might not work at all in Cali where from my experience the roads are severely neglected.

 

Ah, I run Bilstein's on all 4 corners of my roadster and on the rear of my 41 PU. I don't have any drive time on the truck but I do have a couple thou on the roadster and the shocks are very nice. I bit on the stiff side and my car is a heavy steel car. I much prefer the ride when I have a full tank of go juice and a p***enger over being solo. Make sure you install bump stops like you see in my pic over the axle. I have seen a slight mar on my painted axle from them making contact so they are doing their job. Shocks shouldn't bottom out, that isn't good on them or your kidneys.

 

i totally agree the roads out here in Texas are a bit rougher then the roads in Cali … just want some shocks that will give me a smooth ride while driving in these rough roads … $70 dollar set of Pete and Jakes aren’t cutting it … they have the look I want but they don’t give me the ride I want

 

Thank you for the pic man that looks great … do happen to know what set you go I went on there site and they have a comfort set and sport what would be the difference

 

Shocks do not bottom out if they have the correct travel related to the bump stops. If they do bottom out you will most likely break a shock mount or a shock.

 

What type of spring/springs are on the car? HRP

 

I’ve noticed some fluid should be a break but this is set number two I just changed out the shocks with what it had before … I’ve only ran the cars about 3k miles since I purchased them … I don’t mind spending the money on a decent set … just stuck on what brand to run

 

Delco Pleasurizers for the win

 

Never heard of this brand but thank you for sharing

 

Dammm you got me there

damn you got me there looks like your standard 10 leaf springs for the model a

 

Same. About the only other brand that I have had any success with is KYB. I use them when I cannot fine a Bilstein to fit (as I work on OT stuff, too).

 

Pleasurers. With a name like that I wonder if they come in ribbed?

I cannot say with certainty but I have a bad habit of buying anything that says the word "sport" or "performance" on it.

 

by the sounds of it seems like a lot hot rodders go for bilstein

 

Have you ran those shocks on any of your rides

 

Bilstein…you can thank me later.

 

Lol thanks but happen to know the different between comfort and sport

 

I have Pro Shocks on the coupe, they redesigned them a while back. I like them, they are a little pricey at around $100.00 each.

 

If you simply replace the shocks with the same size but from a different manufacturer, irrespective of the actual or perceived higher quality, you will be back in the same position in a short while, with a set of knackered shocks. You need to get the length correct. Bottoming them will destroy them. They are just not designed to work that way.

My p&j shocks have 20 or so years and about 80k on them and are fine. I have some Bilsteins to fit as I understand they perform better, but they are longer in the body, despite being the short ones, and are a touch wider in the top mount so will not fit without modification to the mount! Annoying! I do fancy using them as reliable reports claim the performance is noticeably improved.

Chris

 

Thanks for the info I’ll look into them as well

 

And I ran them on my coupe for 8 years and never bottomed out. Did you buy the correct length?

 

thank you Chris for the info appreciate you

 

Yes they are the correct length …idk if it’s the road condition here in Texas … like I mentioned the roads here are rough

 

If they bottom out, they are not the correct length.
Or, is it actually the diff bottoming out on the frame?
How much travel is there between the diff tubes and frame?
Pictures would help.

Did you build this ch***is?