Slick 60's

Does anyone know the width between the shock mounts on a stock 9" housing for a '61 F100 and the width between those mounts on a '68 F100 9" housing? The '68 has to be wider.

Frame widths are the same up until 1973. So Im assuming the spring perches and shock mounts should be just about the same. Just a guess on my part though.

They can't be the same. With the '68 axle that is in my truck, the axle end of the shock is closer to the outside of the truck which results in the upper end of the shock hitting the frame. It's significant enough that you can see it quite easily.

charliemccraney wrote:They can't be the same. With the '68 axle that is in my truck, the axle end of the shock is closer to the outside of the truck which results in the upper end of the shock hitting the frame. It's significant enough that you can see it quite easily.

I didnt say they are the same I said it was a guess as the frame widths are the same. In 73 the rear frame width behind the cab expanded out about 2 inches. Center to center on the axle shock mounts on the 65 9" 2wd axle is 32"s. Do the 61s have a different way of mounting the lower shock mount to the axle than the later models. As in it is a mount with the bolt in place as the newer axles like the 65 have a removable bolt. Would that be your difference. What is your measurement center to center on your 68 axle shock mount?

Edit: I pulled out the 61 service manual to see if maybe there was a measurement on the axle housing itself. No such luck. There is a picture of a 61 9" housing and yes the shocks are mounted on a non removable shock mount and from what I can see in the pic the mounts look to be quite a bit inboard of where the removable shock mounts are even on the 65 axle that I did get the measurement off of. Again Im just going by what I see in a picture in the Ford service manual. Someone with 61 will have to put a tape on the mounts to see where they are center to center and in relation to the spring perches. Also a measurement on how far they are from the backing plates if the axles are the same end to end.

I'll get measurements tonight. I'm just trying to take the easy way out. The housing I have does not have removable shock mounts. They are welded and look to be factory.

I measured my '62 uni today. It's 28-1/4" from inside to inside of the shock bracket on the rearend housing (or out to out on the shock bushings). Here's a pic of what is on my truck to be sure it's the same style mount as yours.



My shocks run basically parallel to the frame rails with an angle towards the front of around 15-20*. I would say there is no inward angle on them at the frame end.

SPark

Thanks for the measurements and pics on the '62.

My axle brackets are about 32" center to center. The frame mounts are about 26" to the center of the shock eye and that seems to jive with LM's axle measurements. So it looks like I have a fun welding project coming up.

Here's how it looks.



So the later axles don't quite bolt up in an earlier truck. Yeah, technically, it is in there but I do remember the shock being a pita and that was before I was so analytical and would figure out why. In reality, you need to move the shock mount for it to be right. I bet you could just make a spacer to take the place of the shock then use a longer bolt to mount the shock inboard, kinda like it is on the '62. Ya know what I mean? The '62 bracket looks thicker so I don't think I would mount the shock to just one side of the later bracket.

The '62 bracket is a simple "L" shaped piece of steel simply welded to the axle tube and a hole for the shock bolt that puts the bolt in single shear. Pretty flimsy by my standards but it seemed to have worked since '62. I would use double brackets made of 3/16 steel plate to sandwich the shock body and put the bolt in double shear.

SPark

http://www.circletracksupply.com/shock-mounts.html

Might look at these , cheap and easy
You can make the round end fit the axel tube easy, we mount them on top, on our jeeps to have nothing on botton side of axels to snag anything, and will give longer travel , but thats a diffrent hobby!
Danny

I used those mounts a lot on lower a-frames and upper frame rails on dirt late models and modifieds. If we didn't wreck and tear them up, they always wore the sleeved side into a bigger hole and got sloppy. I'm not too sure they are wide enough to put a bushed shock in either.

I always use these for bushed street rod coilover mounts on pro street type chassis.

http://www.speedwaymotors.com/Weld-On-C ... ,6985.html

Put one on each side of the shock and you can always drill the hole bigger to fit the stock size shock bolt instead of having to bush the shock bolt hole size down. You can also radius the end against the axle tube to 3" pretty quickly.

SPark

charliemccraney wrote:Thanks for the measurements and pics on the '62.

My axle brackets are about 32" center to center. The frame mounts are about 26" to the center of the shock eye and that seems to jive with LM's axle measurements. So it looks like I have a fun welding project coming up.

Here's how it looks.



So the later axles don't quite bolt up in an earlier truck. Yeah, technically, it is in there but I do remember the shock being a pita and that was before I was so analytical and would figure out why. In reality, you need to move the shock mount for it to be right. I bet you could just make a spacer to take the place of the shock then use a longer bolt to mount the shock inboard, kinda like it is on the '62. Ya know what I mean? The '62 bracket looks thicker so I don't think I would mount the shock to just one side of the later bracket.

Man those are close. Are you going to drop the axle cut the shock mounts off the axle housing and move them inboard about 1". to 1 1/2"s and reweld. It doesnt look that hard to do. Looks like the hard part will be dropping and reinstalling the axle.

The plan is to make some bolt on relocation brackets which will also lower the mounting point to get better geometry since the rear is lowered but I still have some thinking and figuring to do. I'm not sure if this housing is the one I will use when everything is said and done so I want to leave it alone. It's been like that for 13 years and over 20k miles so it works but it's definitely not what I'd call "right". I'm surprised I haven't noticed it sooner.

Here are close ups of the mounts



This helps illustrate the angle of the shock. Do any suspension gurus think the angle is something that warrants correction? They're about 50 degrees. To simply move them inboard will be much easier if that is really all that is needed.

I removed the shocks for some measurements. I noticed that the brackets on the axle were bent, caused by tightening the bolt. When straightened, the opening is about 1 1/2". The shock eye is about 1 3/8". Some research indicates that 1 1/2" is correct for the '68 shock eye width and about 1 3/8" for the '61 bushing. Further, the '61 shock bushing is 5/8" id whereas the '68 is 1/2". I'm going to set it up for a shock which is correct for a '68 because all of the other dimensions seem to be about the same. If it doesn't seem to work well, I can always open my brackets to 5/8" and use some washers or make spacers to take up the extra space.

It looks like the parking brake cables will work with the revised positioning. I thought they might be in the way. I'll know for sure once everything else is in place.

I also noticed that, say '65 4wd front shocks are 1.5" - 2" shorter than the stock '61 2wd shocks while the rest appears the same. I wonder if those would work for a slightly lowered '61 2wd.

charliemccraney wrote:I bet you could just make a spacer to take the place of the shock then use a longer bolt to mount the shock inboard, kinda like it is on the '62. Ya know what I mean?

Here's a pic to better illustrate what I was trying to describe. Obviously, use a shorter bolt. Also make a spacer to fit inside the axle bracket.



And, Here's what I've been working on for the past week or so



Left, before. Right, After. The camera angles don't match, I know, but you can see the change of mounting position in relation to the axle tube.






It's starting to look like there is something going on under there.



Now I have to paint them but I might mount them first and go for a test drive just to see if it seems any different, good or bad. The shock do need to be replaced, though but I can get new shocks ready while the pain dries.

I made a novice mistake and didn't make sure that the non-stock shocks would work. The shocks are for a '68, the axle is a '68, the bracket angle is the same, the dimensions came from the axle brackets, so I assumed they would work, but they didn't for whatever reason. Maybe the frame mounts on the '68 put them at a different angle. I had to support the truck by the frame to allow the axle to sag and ensure that there is enough clearance. When the axle is at it's lowest point is where the angle is the most extreme relative to the brackets.

My 63 had the lower frame rolled/bent out of the way.

My 66 shock mount is 12 inches in from the brake backing plate.

On the 77 rear I just bought the shock mount is also 12 inches in from the brake backing plate.

Since the 77 rear is 4 inches wider than the 66 rear, the perches and shock mounts will have too move in 2 inches per side.

Thats the skinny on 72- and 73+ rears.