Rear shocks

[Dutch]

Who has rear shocks on their truck? Do they make a huge difference running with no load? Are the parts available to add them to a truck that doesn't have them?

Looking at my '48 and wondering if I should think about adding rear shocks.

[Nick]

I have em on my truck, but I never knew what it was like to drive it without them. But think about it, its a one ton truck, those shocks aren't going to do much for smoothing out a stack of springs that are 12 or 13 leafs thick.

Just my two cents

Mounts are out there, and sometimes expensive since not many trucks had them.

[CSCameron]

Came on my truck, but have just now started driving it around a little. Don't have any idea if they help or not? Nick is right, with the 12 pack springs in the rear, I don't think they'll come into play until a substantial load is in the back. Here are a couple of shots of mine...

Clark

[Doc Dave]

The rear shocks are another accessory that many trucks did not have.
I decided to add them to my '52. I bought the mounts, but had to fabricate the "stiffener" plates for the frame, visible in your pictures. IT was not difficult to do this.
I only think the shocks work when there is a heavy load on the bed and you hit a bump.

[Dutch]

thanks for the insights, I think I will stick to the way the truck is for now. If I happen across the mounts someday I may add them but for now I'll go without.

I will probably take my spring packs apart and clean them up so they will be free to move and not a solid rusted mass. I have read that its not a good idea to paint the leaves except for the sides after they are back together. Does anyone have a special dry lube they use when assembling the spring packs?

[53Crusher]

Shocks

There is a complete shock set up on ebay. It's been posted for some time now. http://www.ebay.com/itm/1946-1947-19...ht_1955wt_1362

[preaction]

Hey Clark

I see in your pics your leaf springs are one stack, on my truck its 12 leafs, but above that there is another stack of 6 leafs is that aftermarket or a dodge set up ?

[53Crusher]

springs

Perhaps Cheyenne Dave will weigh in, he is currently working on a truck that has the somewhat rare overload springs that you might be describing.

[CSCameron]

I see in your pics your leaf springs are one stack, on my truck its 12 leafs, but above that there is another stack of 6 leafs is that aftermarket or a dodge set up ?

From my manuals, there were four options for rear springs:
1) 11 leaf - 2500lb capacity
2) 12 leaf - 2500lb capacity
3) 14 leaf - 2500lb capacity
4) 14 leaf - 3000lb capacity

I would imagine any other combination was a "custom" setup.

Clark

[bilfman]

I now feel fortunate I have a 46 and 47. The 46 had rear shocks and the 47 is my main truck I just put the shock setup on the 47 because it was there ,I was not aware it was so rare. Pretty beefy brackets on this setup.