I mounted my headlights on top of the shocks with a cut down model A bar across the model A grill shell when I first built this. Now that I swapped out to a 32 grill shell and lost the cross bar. The headlights have tons of vibration and look like crap. I am going back to the larger A headlights and cannot see a good way to mount these separate. Are my shocks too long? I cannot figure out what’s different. You guys do this all the time and I am stumped. My thought are to fabricate my own stands a little taller.
My highboys has these combo shock/headlight mounts welded to frame rail. No cross bar needed. https://www.peteandjakes.com/parts/part-1095-headlight-shock-mount-combo/ Phil
Obviously....... were they always like this ? If so how did they work? if not what have you changed? Sorry, but I can’t follow the rest of your post. Do you have a before picture ? Or is it the bottom picture ?
Why dont you use the stainless stands you have, but cut the base and rotate the stands 90 degrees to point frowards.
The shocks in the pics have been on the build from the beginning. No problems with the shocks at all, the reason for asking if they are too tall is to clear the headlights if I separate the brackets. I may need to go to shorter shocks. Terry, I think they will still be too short and hit the shock tops. I thought about making new ones from scratch and buying the cups to weld up, but I think they will be too high. I ordered a set of weld on combination brackets and I think they may work better. My cheapo angle iron brackets I milled out are bolted against the rubber on the shock top and vibrate like a rubber band..
I would shorten the upper shock mount and fit the light stands like I mentioned in my last post. That way you reduce the vibration on the shocks and separate the lights. That setup is pretty much what I am putting on my car, but I plan to run the headlight bar accross the front of my rad.
I have a headlight bar hanging somewhere now that you mention it. I will dig it out tonight and see where that gets me. I will need shorter shocks for sure.
Heat up the headlight bracket and bend it 90 * , cut it long enough to clear the top end of the shock , then weld it on top of the bend of the shock mount . just a suggestion.
are you just guessing on the shocks you need? the correct way to determine your shock is to have the mount's you are going to use, and you pull the shock all the way out, end of travel then push shock allthe way in, bottom of travel. that distance divided in half is where shock mount's go. go with the crossbar no matter what mount you use just look's right
yes, I just bought the Pete and Jake shocks and bent the F1 brackets. They favor the top of travel and not the middle with these brackets. I know the brackets could be shorter. I am new at all this so that is why I ask.
I used short P&J shocks. I shortened an F1 bracket and welded on a the end of a Model A light bar. No vibration driving.
With the rubber bushing on the shock top the headlight mount is never really bolted tight. Come off the metal shock mount with something welded solid. Or cut the stainless headlight mount to do what you need. Good luck, I love trying to figure out what looks good and what works right. Gary
give those uncovered street rod shock's you have to a streetrodder and get the correct covered shock's that look right on a early 4cyl hotrod as your's is.
that is the ticket, I like this. Now how to shorten the F1 brackets. Cut a good miter joint for the weld? Or something like a dovetail? I will sub this weld to someone other than me.
I did a set of Guide headlights recently, ground the rivets down and knocked them out. The mounting bolts were in bad shape. Used replacement stainless screws that have a rounded head with no slot which I found for Model A headlight restoration in the Snyder’s catalog. Also used new mounting bolts for the same. These photos on my thread 31a pickup build a a 31 coupe. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Here’s the photos, I’ve since blasted and epoxy primer them. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Are these headlight mounting bolts long enough? https://www.mikes-afordable.com/product/A13002.html Phil
I haven't had time, but want to modify a pair of model A rumble hinges to make a pair of headlight stands... mount the outer screw hole tabs [4 per side] to the frame siderails… heat red and bend the inner screw hole tabs [2 per side] to sit flat on top of the frame... making it a 90* mount. weld a model A style H/L mounting cup [from a plow truck] on top of the pivot hole... while still red hot bend the cup flat to the axle, but you must tilt the cups forward or model A lights won't adjust down enough… they should mount rigid and not vibrate as bad as some A conversions... front shock mounts ?
The bolt lengths are perfect, I’m using a cut down 32 headlight bar. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Tilt the cups forward for sure. As for shocks, I have not firmly decided yet. Mine have been on since I got it on the road, only 2 seasons with not much driving. It rides like a stiff haywagon. I only ride around local country roads mostly and dont go far. For a banger hotrod the local guys tell me to lose the shocks. I took them off and will drive it this weekend to see the difference. If all goes well, I will concentrate on just the light mounts.
my brother and a I had a former auto shop teacher that said ; never buy heavy duty shocks for an old beater... the almost dead shocks are what you need... we joked it was straight from the horse's mouth... with 20 years time it morphed into straight from the horse's arse… I never buy heavy duty for a streetrod !