I know this is probably relatively easy but I've never done it and I did a search but it wasn't really helpfull.
There is a cap with a hex head on top. Unscrew and pour in some "knee action fluid". This is no longer available at your local auto parts store but hydraulic jack oil is a good substitute. Clean away the dirt first, you don't want dirt getting inside.
Doesn't matter, whatever is convenient. Some can be got at from under the hood, others from in the wheel well. Usually you check them when doing a grease job and oil change. That model is supposed to be greased every 1000 miles.
I find it best to fill it, then "pump" it up and down to push out the air. Fill and pump until it stays full. fronts are easy. rears are a PITA
Hydraulic oil, I used it in my rear shocks on my '37 Nash. Fill, pump and refill until full. Smallest size I could find was a gallon, won't need near that much. Farm and fleet or auto parts stores all have it.
These days I don't think regular hydraulic fluid is any more expensive than the cheap 30 wt. Or a quart of jackoil at the parts house. The AW 12 That Stevie Nash showed is 12.99 a gallon locally at O'Reilly's and the ketchup bottle is a buck next door at Dollartree.
actually the ketchup bottles are 2 for a buck at dollar tree ... Oh and make sure you label your bottle as my wife was like WTH leave the ketchup on his toolbox , I was looking all over till I went to the fridge and there it was , I have had vinager on fries but not hyd oil ( probably wouldn't taste too much different than ATF )
I got liquid wrench hydraulic jack oil $9.99 a quart and it came with a squirt top on it. Haven't used it yet maybe tomorrow .
Ok that didn't help can anybody tell me how they have mounted piston shocks in the front . Pics would be great.
What exactly is the problem? when you refilled did you move the suspension up and down for a while (or drive over a few speed humps) then recheck the level? the stuff below is what should be used in these old shocks. Penrite Shocker Oil No.1 & No.2 are suspension oils specifically designed for lever arm and vane type shock absorbers fitted to cars covering the vintage and classic period. They contain anti-corrosion and anti-wear additives for enhanced protection.
Did the front knee action shocks leak ? Mine did in my 41 buick . I tried many different fluids over the years . I ended up with 30 w engine oil mixed with red grease -- I mixed the oil in a half used grease cartridge left in the grease gun then stir it together - put the grease gun back together - take the fill plug out and screw a grease zerk in and fill . If you want a stiffer ride you can jack it up and fill , otherwise just fill it at normal ride height . I have years on this method and the knee action shocks show elements of leakage but don't complete leak out ( in a 24 hour period ) like the hydraulic fluid that I tried first . Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
Try this -http://www.cbforum.net/forum/index.php?topic=22488.0 My shocks leaked out faster than I could pour it in! If you fill them with say, ATF, (which is a hydraulic oil), and leave them overnight, and youfind a large puddle on the floor, the seals are shot, and there is no easy way of repairing them. This link shows what is available, but the lower shock mount in this article (on the lower wishbone) looks very half-assed.
More than likely they're well worn, and regardless of how full they are the seals have no dampening effect once they're worn out. A temp fix is to use thicker fluid, but you'd have to drain what's in there first. There are kits available to overhaul some of these old knee action shocks, so might search the internet if you want to keep them. If I wasn't worried about keeping them stock, I'd weld on brackets and go to new style shocks.
Some of those old shocks need to be removed from the car to refill. The stock, rear shocks on my '37 Chevy coupe are like that.
If you do stay stock, I used Apple Hydraulics to rebuild them for my '46 Chevy. Good service and good return time.
I put Automatic transmission sealer-conditioner in the leaked-out lever shocks on my MGB GT about 20 years ago and it worked great on three of them, the fourth one I took apart and replaced the replaceable seals. Still ok now. I think this will only work if the seals are just worn and not cracked.
If your shocks leak here is an old trick. Carefully clean around where the shaft comes out of the housing (where the leak is) and wind string or a strip of rag around and around, as tight as you can. This forms an extra seal and will slow down leakage but won't stop it.
I own a 41 olds business coupe had the same thing but they leak bad.wanted way to much to rebuild them so I just fabbed in mounting brackets for regular shocks used qa1 shocks handles real good and the ride is quite nice.
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