L
Larry & Nancy Solheim
Guest
My on-going problems and dissatisfaction with the
banging from topping (and bottoming) of the Aldan
shocks has been well documented on this group. The
culmination occurred last spring while visiting Billy
Syx enroute to Seattle from SW Florida. To finally
resolve the disturbing, loud and potentially dangerous
problem with the fronts, we replaced the recently
rebuilt (again), $300+, ?new-tech? Aldan shocks w/
some 40-year old, used original Amphi shocks.
Finally, a smooth, quiet ride over bumps and potholes.
Unfortunately, the trip westbound (including side
trips through Shenandoah, Waynesville, and the ?Fifth
& Final . . . .w/ Dave the Wave? proved too much for
the venerable parts and one was leaking (& yes,
?banging?) by the time we reached the PacNW.
The Surplus Center ATV shocks had received some good
reviews from owners of early cars with lower and upper
cross-bolt mounts, so I set out to adapt them to
Amphi, a 1966 model with the through-hull,
bayonet-type, upper mount.
Forming a ?U? bracket from 3/8? flat bar was rejected
as the form depth was larger than the required 1-1/4?
inner width, so I designed a very elegant machined
component and then rejected that as the 2pc prototype
cost was more than I was willing to spend. (Ah, to
have my ?pre-retirement? machine shop back). I
settled on modifying a piece of 2 x 2 x 1/4" wall
square tubing, by cutting out the wall with the weld
seam. 7/16? cross-holes (to match the new shock) and
a 1/2-13 tapped top hole (for the mounting stud to
Amphi) and I was in business. I ended up using 4ea
1/2" flat washers per side also to insure Amphi was
properly leveled when the adapter clevis was mounted
and the shock mount bushings were compressed. The
lower Surplus Center shock mounting bushings were
drilled out to 12mm to match the existing Amphicar
mounting hardware.
Using an air impact wrench, I installed the Surplus
Center shock into the clevis using the 7/16 bolts (to
match the shock bushing). 2ea 3/8? flat washers were
used each side of the shock as spacers for the clevis.
The air impact wrench was also used to mount the
clevis into Amphi, compressing the inner and outer
rubber mounts. 1ea rubber mount (under a flat washer)
was used inside the trunk and 2ea rubber mounts were
used between the 1/2" spacer washers and the hull.
The lower shock mount was bolted into place on the
swing arm w/ another 3/8? flat spacer washer on either
side. (You may want to look for .06?thick, 7/16
diameter flat washers for this application (or drill
3/8? washers out to 12mm) to match the Amphicar 12mm
mounting bolt. I?ll put the clevis drawing and an
simple installation cross?section into the FILES
section.
Amphi sits nice and level and (so far) after about 65
miles & 5 swims, all remains well. I am quite
impressed with the springs on the Surplus Center
shocks. They handle a fully loaded Amphi quite
nicely.
It is nice to finally have a good performing front end
and to have spent less than $75.00!
--LarryS
__________________________________
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banging from topping (and bottoming) of the Aldan
shocks has been well documented on this group. The
culmination occurred last spring while visiting Billy
Syx enroute to Seattle from SW Florida. To finally
resolve the disturbing, loud and potentially dangerous
problem with the fronts, we replaced the recently
rebuilt (again), $300+, ?new-tech? Aldan shocks w/
some 40-year old, used original Amphi shocks.
Finally, a smooth, quiet ride over bumps and potholes.
Unfortunately, the trip westbound (including side
trips through Shenandoah, Waynesville, and the ?Fifth
& Final . . . .w/ Dave the Wave? proved too much for
the venerable parts and one was leaking (& yes,
?banging?) by the time we reached the PacNW.
The Surplus Center ATV shocks had received some good
reviews from owners of early cars with lower and upper
cross-bolt mounts, so I set out to adapt them to
Amphi, a 1966 model with the through-hull,
bayonet-type, upper mount.
Forming a ?U? bracket from 3/8? flat bar was rejected
as the form depth was larger than the required 1-1/4?
inner width, so I designed a very elegant machined
component and then rejected that as the 2pc prototype
cost was more than I was willing to spend. (Ah, to
have my ?pre-retirement? machine shop back). I
settled on modifying a piece of 2 x 2 x 1/4" wall
square tubing, by cutting out the wall with the weld
seam. 7/16? cross-holes (to match the new shock) and
a 1/2-13 tapped top hole (for the mounting stud to
Amphi) and I was in business. I ended up using 4ea
1/2" flat washers per side also to insure Amphi was
properly leveled when the adapter clevis was mounted
and the shock mount bushings were compressed. The
lower Surplus Center shock mounting bushings were
drilled out to 12mm to match the existing Amphicar
mounting hardware.
Using an air impact wrench, I installed the Surplus
Center shock into the clevis using the 7/16 bolts (to
match the shock bushing). 2ea 3/8? flat washers were
used each side of the shock as spacers for the clevis.
The air impact wrench was also used to mount the
clevis into Amphi, compressing the inner and outer
rubber mounts. 1ea rubber mount (under a flat washer)
was used inside the trunk and 2ea rubber mounts were
used between the 1/2" spacer washers and the hull.
The lower shock mount was bolted into place on the
swing arm w/ another 3/8? flat spacer washer on either
side. (You may want to look for .06?thick, 7/16
diameter flat washers for this application (or drill
3/8? washers out to 12mm) to match the Amphicar 12mm
mounting bolt. I?ll put the clevis drawing and an
simple installation cross?section into the FILES
section.
Amphi sits nice and level and (so far) after about 65
miles & 5 swims, all remains well. I am quite
impressed with the springs on the Surplus Center
shocks. They handle a fully loaded Amphi quite
nicely.
It is nice to finally have a good performing front end
and to have spent less than $75.00!
--LarryS
__________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Mail Address AutoComplete - You start. We finish.
http://promotions.yahoo.com/new_mail
