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rather than rebuild the single-actions on our '40 kc, we're looking to upgrade to double-acting all around... are we better off buying ready-to-install units or finding used & rebuilding?.. the numbers shown on chev of the 40's aren't the same as our service manual...manual states 1731-c & d, while cot40's lists 1430-b & 1730-a... finally, aside from the shock units & the in-arm bushing, are there any other changes we'll need to make to install these?..  epi
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what fluid is now used in these knee-action shocks to keep them topped up...I assume you use something other than "g.m. shock insulating fluid"?.. epi
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Your refillable lever shocks (knee-action is a form of front suspension)can be filled with modern hydralic jack oil.
Gene Schneider
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epi, when are we going to see some photos of the truck?
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chev nut, thanks... epi
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gator, as soon as grumpy or someone can explain to this dinosaur in english how to post 'em... epi
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Backyard Mechanic
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By the way, I'd like to try to rebuild my single action shocks. I have two full sets of them, so I can make a mistake or two along the way. I see that The Filling Station has at least SOME parts available for them. Don't know about the seals, and I've seen warnings about taking them apart... not that it would deter me at first anyway.  I'll get adventurous someday and take one of them apart. I was thinking of using motorcycle fork oil, it comes in several viscosities.
Lenn
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grumpy, I did try to read your pic-post guide...I can upload my photos to, say, imagestation, but then what?.. you know, I've heard about the "danger" of rebuilding shocks...but, as I see it, it's not the spring pressure that is dangerously loaded at 24,000psi, but the stamping of the lever arm to the cam shaft...from my service manual, this appears to be the pressure applied to "rivet" the arm and cam to the shaft... of course, what do I know?..I've never done a shock rebuild before...perhaps someone who has can fill us in?.. epi
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Backyard Mechanic
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Backyard Mechanic
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I can't resist this: Which part of: "Task 2. Write your VCCA chat post, and reference your photograph: Go to https://vccachat.org/ Click on ENTER THE CHEVY CHATTER FORUM You may need to enter your password. Find or create the topic you want to post under :) Type the text you want in the post :) In the location that you want to put the picture, click the "image" button under "Instant UBB Code" :) Follow the instructions in the window that pops up. This is where you will enter the URL where your photo resides. :) Click on the "preview post" button. Your post and picture will show as it will look when visited on the forum. :) Close the preview screen and click "post message".  The challenge is in getting the URL correct. I usually visit the photo using a separate browser window, then cust and paste the URL into the dialog box. There ARE easier ways to do this, but WE may never get there!
Lenn
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grumpy, gee, seems like english to me...I'll give it another try... may I remove the "kick me" sign from my backside now?.. epi
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Backyard Mechanic
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Backyard Mechanic
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You may... hopefully you know I was kidding. The process is complicated, just try to explain it!
Lenn
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From pushing wrenches to typeing on computer key boards.....I think we've gone a long way!!!!most of us still don't know how to spell
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Maybe we should post the instructions somewhere here on site (maybe in the directions for the site?)that is easy to get to, others (me, one day) will need to know how to post pics in the future.
I'm sure I will need to read the directions again and again and .........
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grumpy, yes, I knew...and hopefully you knew I was joking, too... posting pics aside, we still haven't heard from anyone whom has disassembled knee-action shocks to tell us if my assumptions about the lack of hazards is correct... epi
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Backyard Mechanic
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Backyard Mechanic
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When talking Trucks its important to know what year
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lil' johnny, we're talking single-action shocks for our '40 1/2 ton... epi
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Chevrolet,
Really, your faced with a restoration versus preservation problem if you decide to use radial tires and drive the truck often. Radial tires will likely love a tube shock kit and you may end up storing those old single acting units.
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Backyard Mechanic
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Good suggestion lil'johnny, I'll see if I can break one down next weekend and post pictures.
I received a new catalog (March 03) from The Filling Station, and noticed they DON'T list repair parts or services for the single action shocks (I'm sure I saw them somewhere). Does anyone know if there is a supplier of a full kit? I guess there's a chance of finding a standard seal or other hardware that will fit, but not likely the piston and certainly not a sleave kit.
Lenn
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Backyard Mechanic
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Backyard Mechanic
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Grumpy, Since the "kit" was never offered by Chevrolet, I would think that the harder parts to find would be the valves and the piston cup. "Packing" washers and large springs should be common. A machine shop (or wheel cylinder rebuilder can easily re-sleeve & hone the cylinder bores with brass or stainless steel , if needed). Maybe the piston cup is some sort of brake cylinder size? If you disassemble them very carefully (use warm heat around the valves to gently unstick them from the threaded housing without "chewing" them up) and gently solvent clean the valve, I bet 50/50 chance they would be OK. Somewhere, in all my old information, I had a filmstrip of how to rebuild those single action shocks. Problem is the film has turned to vinegar and I must wet the film and press it between glass to scan it. I'll see if I can find some old specs and post a pic. I have a few other Parts Diagrams such as: Single Action Shock Chevy 1952 that may help ya. If you have a Yahoo password, then I can show you a very large file size; otherwise they limit your view to about 17K.
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Shade Tree Mechanic
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Shade Tree Mechanic
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Grumpy,
Steve from The Filling Station here. Glad you got our latest catalog. We do have a rebuild kit for single action shocks. Unfortunately, it is specifically for 1930-32 shocks. That kit is listed on page 162 of the March 2003 catalog. I think that a few of the parts may interchange beyond 1932 shocks, but I have not done any research on that issue. If anyone can give me any input regarding interchange, I will gladly add that information to our catalog. Currently, we list the fill plug (AF-97) for the 1931-42 single action shock, but that is all.
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Hey Steve. Thanks for the great service... I didn't expect to get ALL of the parts I ordered right away because of the back-order.
When I manage to get one of the double-action shocks from my '37 1/2 ton apart, I'll take photographs of everything and put together a few web pages describing it.
Better yet, what would you think of me sending you the parts so you could compare them to one of your 30-32 kits?
Lenn
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Before you go thru all the work of rebuilding a shock did you check to see if it really needs it?The single acting shock lever pulls down with resistance but springs up when its released.The double acting has resistance both directions and is the shock body has a big screw-on cap on each end of the shock.If the shock is filled with fluid, dosen't leak, and moving the lever indicates thats its working as it should don't destroy a good shock by taking it appart.....Up until twenty years ago Permatex brand hydralic jack oil had the instructions on the side of the can for using as a Delco Lovejoy shock fluid.I use ATF in my large knee-action units and I suppose that it or PS fluid would work well in shocks too-and its a lot cheaper than jack oil.
Gene Schneider
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Shade Tree Mechanic
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Shade Tree Mechanic
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Grumpy,
Sounds like a good plan. Send me the parts you need and I'll see what we can do. I would agree with Chevgene that many times the shocks don't require much in the way of rebuilding. However, you will find that most shocks of this age have had leaking problems. This would be the main reason to rebuild them.....to replace the seals & gaskets to prevent leaking. If it ain't broke, don't fix it!
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Backyard Mechanic
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Backyard Mechanic
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Good point Chevgene and Steve (we must be typing at the same time). I need to look closer at my shock collection (I have 8 from two vehicles). I know that the right front one from the chassis I am restoring was leaking, and that the left front was dry as a bone... I don't know if that means it had oil to leak or not.
One of the problems I have is I don't know how they should behave, so with your description I can check out the general behavior.
Is there a specification on how much resistance the shock should exert? I suspect it would specifiy how much time it should take to rotate a given angle under a given torque... Is this specification part of the rebuild kit for the '30-'32?
Lenn
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