De Soto Frank Posted September 10, 2007 Report Share Posted September 10, 2007 Car in need: 1941 De Soto S-8 ( same as '41 -'48 Chrysler/De Soto Dodge) Am looking for new Hydraulic shocks (no gas-charged, please). Kanter's does not have. Any over-the-counter sources / brands/part-numbers ? Short of finding new shocks, I need to replace the rubber eye-bushings in my old ones. Any known sources ? Car still has its factory shocks. Thanks, Frank McMullen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobT-47P15 Posted September 10, 2007 Report Share Posted September 10, 2007 I went with gas filled on the 47 Plym....seem to work and ride OK. Got em at NAPA.....cause he gave me the best price. O'Reilly had em too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Young Ed Posted September 10, 2007 Report Share Posted September 10, 2007 Now I'm wondering which type I bought from Napa. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
De Soto Frank Posted September 10, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 10, 2007 Well, it would seem that all new shocks are gas-filled these days. I put a pair on the front of my '60 Windsor, and believe that they have made the front-end ride stiffly enough to be harsh; not how a '60 Torsion-aire MoPar should ride. At any rate, Kanter wants $179 for four gas-charged shocks... I think I could find them cheaper... Bob, what brand did you get ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg g Posted September 10, 2007 Report Share Posted September 10, 2007 rear shocks for p15, gabriel 82156, monroe 5752. my fronts I got at NApa 5 yerars ago don't recall their numbers. Rear A body shocks are a reputed good fit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobT-47P15 Posted September 10, 2007 Report Share Posted September 10, 2007 Used the same numbers found in the info portion of the forum......whatever others have used. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Normspeed Posted September 11, 2007 Report Share Posted September 11, 2007 Frank, these 2 links to the Monroe website will provide a lot of good info for anyone who has their old shocks for measurements. The first link is a key to the mounting codes and length measurements: http://www.monroe.com/catalog_lookup/misc_app_docs/ShockAbsorberMountingStyleSheet.pdf The second link helps you to find the correct shock based on mounting code and extended/compressed lengths from your old shocks: http://www.monroe.com/catalog_lookup/misc_app_docs/ShockAbsorberDimensionChart.pdf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
De Soto Frank Posted September 11, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 11, 2007 Thanks, guys... Shel - I found Monroe # 5752 listed for the fronts for Dodge & Chrysler six for '46 - '50 at Rockauto - that shock has a 5/8" center-hole in the rubber bushing; did that fit the mounting pins okay? Norm, Great info - that's going into my reference file. Frank Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
De Soto Frank Posted September 14, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 14, 2007 Got my new shocks yesterday from Rock Auto; ordered Tuesday, in-hand Thurs afternoon. They are Monroe Sensa-Trac #5752, and should fit the front of 1938-'50 Chrysler 6 / De Soto / Dodge (except for some 7-passenger models). Installation couldn't have been easier - had both shocks changed and the car back on the ground within 1/2 hour. I think the old shock were ready to be replaced - there was about 1 " of "un-damped travel" in each unit, and the rubber bushings at both ends were crumbly and hogged-out (particularly the uppers). The upper shock mounting pins are quite worn, and should be replaced or built-up with weld & re-machined back to 5/8" diameter. Even though all the front-end pivot bushings are quite worn, the new shocks (with snug rubber mountings) took a lot of the "basket-ball dribble" out of the front-end. I spent some add'l time hosing down the front frame and suspension with kerosene, to try to soften 67 years of "Coatney" , then took the old bus down to the car wash and I got down & dirty. I have been using Castrol Super-Clean for general de-greasing, and the other night I finally picked-up a 1-gallon "Spectracide" garden-sprayer ("hudson-type") to dedicate to the application of Super-Clean... works a lot better on big jobs than those Windex-type squirt-bottles ! Word to the wise: before you go soaking the engine with degreaser and turning the hose on it, soak the distributor and spark-plug wires with WD-40, and try to cover them with a plastic bag. I once found -out the hard way that my ignition system "floods" easily. Even with the above preventative steps, I still had to pull the distributor cap, wipe-out the condensation, then fog the insides with WD-40 before the car would start and I could go home. The car is scheduled to go into dry-dock at a friend's house next week, where we will knock-down the front-end and rebuild it (finally !). Can't wait to drive one of these with a fresh front suspension ! Thanks to all for your help on the shock-absorber info. De Soto Frank Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Coatney Posted September 14, 2007 Report Share Posted September 14, 2007 Frank; Just curious if these shocks will fit a P-15 and how costly were they? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
De Soto Frank Posted September 14, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 14, 2007 Hey, Don... Well, here's what I concluded: Bernbaum lists the same shock fitting Plymouth /Dodge '39 thru '50, one number for the front, and another number for the rear. His numbers are different than for the '38-'50 De Soto / Chrysler 6. Went to RockAuto.com, and looked in both Plymouth and Dodge sections, for 1949 & 1950 model years... They are listing the following: Front shock - Monroe Sensa-Trac # 5752 - $18.86 ea. plus S&H Rear shock - Monroe-Matic Plus #31000 - $17.42 ea plsu S&H. These are the same shocks that Rock Auto listed for the De Soto and Chrysler... Am picking-up the rear shocks locally this afternoon. Sounds like they should work on your Plymouth; not sure why Andy lists a different p/n for the junior cars or what the diff would be ? Frank Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Coatney Posted September 14, 2007 Report Share Posted September 14, 2007 Thanks Frank; I recall my dad mentioning in 1956 after he bought a 1953 Cadiallic that the Caddy uses Chevy spark plugs. But if you tell the parts man the plugs are for a Caddy the price doubles for the same plug. Could someone use this same logic for Desoto shock absorbers vrs Plymouth shock absorbers:cool: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
De Soto Frank Posted September 14, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 14, 2007 Dunno... My experience has been that De Soto parts are usually made from "unobtainium"... My first suspicion about a different shock for the Plymouth would be for different valving, to suit a lighter car ? All four divisions shared the same control-arm pivot bushings ( both inner & outer) from '40 thru '54, but the Plymouth & Dodge use a differnent king-pin set through '56, and usesthe beefier De Soto /Chrysler pin from '54-'56 on the V-8 models. It would seem that the mounting and travel dimensions must be equivalent for the same Monroe shocks to work on both the junior & senior cars... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dbolter Posted November 16, 2017 Report Share Posted November 16, 2017 Thanks for this thread, I found it very helpful. I picked up a set of the #5752 & #31000 And they seem like a good fit for my 1938 Chrysler Royal Coupe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Young Ed Posted November 16, 2017 Report Share Posted November 16, 2017 9 hours ago, Dbolter said: Thanks for this thread, I found it very helpful. I picked up a set of the #5752 & #31000 And they seem like a good fit for my 1938 Chrysler Royal Coupe. Hey looks like you're just down the road from me and a few others. Check out our MN subgroup in here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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