Dropped 58 F100, napa shocks suck!!! Any better ideas to lessen the bounce?

I got a 58 F100 with the spring over conversion, cnotch in the rear, reversed eye mono leafs up front.. I measured and found the right shocks. I bought the Napa recommended cheapos.. Problem is I look like and ride the piece of shit lowered 92 Lincoln that is bouncing down the freeway.. Its terrible. And yes I measured right and the shocks fit perfectly with correct travel.. They dont have the strength for the truck ride rough and slams hard on every bump in the road. Rides like there are no shocks.. Any of you dudes running a nitro drop shock or can you recommend a decent riding shock that will eliminate the bounce and make it a safe driver..

 

Sorry, spring under conversion.

 

Bilsteins...talk to ElPolacko

 

Tire pressure worked for me............ keep letting it out until you get the ride you like.

Hope that helps.
Dave

 

Monroe, who makes NAPA shocks has several types and grades of shocks. Maybe your problem is with the cheapo version. Check into a radial gas filled made for HD applications.

 

Im wondering what application the Cheapos are for. If you put a shock of the correct length but its for a 1500 pound lighter application you dont have the right shock

 

Excellent shocks!

 

35psi in all 4 tires and Bilsteins

 

X4 on the Bilstien's Call ELpolacko at 602 278 6800

 

They dont have the strength for the truck ride rough and slams hard on every bump in the road.

shocks have nothing to do with "slamming hard on every bump in the road" unless the shock is bottoming out before the suspension

Rides like there are no shocks..

a car that has no shocks bounces down the road. shocks keep the car from bouncing 5 times every time you hit a bump.

sound to me like you have misdiagnosed your problem.

 

I have allways had good luck with monroe gas magnums on light duty trucks

 

Pictures. After that, more pictures.
If the shock angle is wrong, or the mounts are too close to the pivot points, the best shocks in the world won't work at all. Gotta show us whats going on there before you beat up NAPA. As mentioned, just because the shocks fit, don't mean they are sized or valved for your application.

 

I used the rear shocks from a 70's ford torino..they bolted right in..made by monroe and rode good.

 

When you tightened the bolts to the spring mounts, were the wheels sitting on the ground? Or the axle supported by jack stands? If not, loosen and re-tighten them now.

 

I put reversed eye monoleaves in the front of my '55 F100, after running a pair of stock spring packs I had flattened and reversed mainleaves on.
Truck felt like it was riding on 'air', (not like it sounds: it was 'lofty', whereas it no longer tucked in flat in corners...the 'resilient' ends of the monoleaves were soft, and gave way to annoying body roll. Gas shocks aggravated an already agonizing situation.)

I replaced the shocks with Monroe 40/60, (don't remember part#, sorry) and it became less intolerable. My son has an identical truck, same everything, except I run SBC and he runs SBF. His is worse, (stiff) and he and I are both refitting with reversed/flattened spring packs that we will 'tune' for our own, as his is lighter in front than mine. (60+ lbs)
One more thing: he added an anti-roll bar, (front) made a big improvement; but those Monoleaves have to go.

 

I bought the dropped shocks they recommended when I bought the axle and monos. Yes they are terrible too. I too have a friend at NAPA and went in and tried different shocks. No help. I even moved my front upper shock mount 2" up w no help. Yes my bounces around too. And I dont care for it. I also installed front and rear sway bars.

But its been this way for 4 years now. Its been to 2 times to TN from OH and once to SC from OH. So yep I still drive the shit of it.

If you find a solution pass it on! I haven't and quit trying.

Later,Bill

 

My '66 is the same way in the rear. Mono's and the shocks are at an extreme angle which leads me to believe they aren't doing much good. I'm guessing that the more you lay the shock down the less efficient it becomes, correct?

 

I'm running monoleafs up front (with a Sids 2.5" drop) on my 58. It rides ok but not great. Its rides like a lowered truck lol. A little bouncy but I dont have any body roll in the corners. I recently drove my buddy Jaime's 59 which has a Sid 3" drop axle reversed eyes leaves with one leaf removed. His truck drove perfectly. I'll be switching to the same set up at some point..

 

Read what 49ratfink said, shocks are typically not the problem if you have a rough ride unless they are bottoming out, that is typically a spring problem, either they are to stiff or you dont have enough travel in them, all typicall of a lowered vehical.

 

Thanks for the input fellas.. The shocks were measured off the jack stands, They were triple measured and tested for correctness before they were installed... I agree that the angles suck in the front.. And I did a spring under in the rear and left the stock leaf pack.. The shock that it computed out to be was actually for a 70 Ford Torino, like someone mentioned.. Which I know is a HEAVY car. I am thinking of switching to Bilstines but its a money factor. I am also considering putting air shocks in the rear.

If I haul anything in the back( like a 500lb. Cafe bike, small Sportster Chopper, it bottoms out..) The shocks are not holding the weight... We have tried a few pairs and different lengths from Napa and had the same results.. I am guessing its time to step up to the batters box and spend some real money on shocks..

If anyone has part numbers or a place to buy, let me know...............

 

Reversed Eye mono leafs in front (Which I know a ton of dudes run with no issues) and the full spring pack in the rear but converted to spring under (which I know other dudes do to).. I am stumpped, as well as a few of a few of my other fellow builders.......... The mission continues.

 

Dude shocks are not there to hold weight that is the springs job. Shocks are to dampen the spring bounce. If it is bottoming out your springs are not strong enough to do what you want them to do. No shock will fix that problem.

 

Correct about the shock absorbers, it is not their job to hold up a load they only dampen or absorb shock, hense their name , if it is bottoming out it is a spring problem, the issue you will run into is that you state that the truck rides rough but you are going to need even stiffer springs to carry the weight you want to carry which will only make it ride rougher, shocks cant and wont fix either of these problems.

 

Did you C-Notch your frame when you flipped the axle over the springs? I did the same thing on the rear of my 58. I went through two sets of airshocks before I finally bought some high quality gas charged shocks for the rear. The air shocks never semed to want to hold air.

 

If I haul anything in the back( like a 500lb. Cafe bike, small Sportster Chopper, it bottoms out..) The shocks are not holding the weight... We have tried a few pairs and different lengths from Napa and had the same results.. I am guessing its time to step up to the batters box and spend some real money on shocks..

good idea. why did you post for help if you are going to ignore the advice given?

 

Mid-70s Ford pickups have overload leaves at the bottom of the spring pack. They are as the Monoleaves in design: thick in the centers, tapering off to thin on the ends.
Most are 2-1/2" wide, and semi-arched. They add on by just removing 'U' bolts and replacing center bolts. You end up with your soft ride, until adding a load. (I have them on the rear of my '55 F100, and have carried 1,000 lbs. plus pulled a car trailer with my metal building on that! 800 lbs. tongue weight, No bottoming out.)

The 'downside' was when I added them, their thickness in the center (3/4") added to my curb height. When I tear the rear out to narrow it (1" on each side! Bummer!) I'll be able to flatten the spring pack and reverse the eyes for that desired stance...
But the overload leaves (1 per side) will stay. They are there for the load, otherwise you never know they're on there. Pick-n-Pull, $5 each! Long deal...

 

Funny part is that It was fine before we did the filp... Was not bouncy at all.. That was was with the stock old shocks and same springs, Now with new shocks and spring under it sucks.

Yes Frame is cnotched

Well, smart guy, Like others on here I am trying to pick the brains of others who have done the same or similar set up before me.. I am only one of many. The whole point of this site it to share knowledge between hot rodders? If you read back the whole point was to see if there was some better riding shocks... Seems like I am not the only one who has had this issue.. I like the bilstine idea.. I have never ran them.. Good to know there are others who recommend them.. Whole point for the thread... I dont know anyone personally or anybody else in my area with my truck.. Hence the questions..

 

The point is you are describing two different problems, bounce and bottoming out, which require two completely different solutions. Yes different shocks might help the bounce but you keep saying you need better shocks to support the weight so it won't bottom out and people are telling you that shocks will not help this problem yet you ignore that advise and continue to talk about needing different shocks so your truck won't bottom out.

 

I wouldn't put a mono leaf in anything myself,just doesn't seem like a good idea.
In my simple mind,it's asking a lot of one leaf,even if it is fairly thick.
Sounds like you don't have enough spring rate to me.
If that's the case no shock will fix it,short of an air shock.
That's my two cents,give or take a penny or two.

 

Yep,imagine if it the shock layed horizontal,it wouldn't be able to absorb shocks at all.The more vertical,the stiffer the ride.