Air Shocks/Shocks and Changing Rear Tires

[lalessi1]

On an older thread JimNolan posted this about using 1956 Ford rear shocks;

"Been working on my car all day. Cut 1/2" off the wheel lip so I'd have more room to get tires off and on. Didn't help. Sooooo. I decided to take the shocks off to see if that would help. Well I'd say it helped. Without the shocks I can put a 27" tire straight onto the hub without touching the fender. I couldn't believe it, it dropped the tire below the fender. All this time I've been whining about not being able to change tires without a problem. But, I still don't want to disconnect the shocks to change tires so I started researching shocks. The 57 Ford takes a Monroe Matic 31069 shock. It has 10.750" compressed length and 17.250" extended length. I put the car on it's wheels with a full tank of gas and found out I had 5.5" of travel still left in the shock before it bottomed out.
  Then I started researching different shocks and found that the 55 Ford took the 31125 Monroe Matic Shock. It has a 12.25" compressed length and the extended length is 20.750". To do the math for you that's 1.5" less compressed length and 3.5" more extended length. That means I can drop the tire down 3.5 more inches to change tires. For my application I can't see where I'll be lowering the car another 4.0" for the shock to bottom out. And, I don't think I'll hit a bump that'll drive the wheel up another 4.0". That's a long way. Napa will have the shocks here tomorrow and that's what I'm putting on the car. Jim PS. I'll just be more carefull crossing rail road tracks."

This is a link to that thread  http://57fordsforever.com/smf/index.php?topic=2674.msg15175#msg15175

I am very interested in pursuing this as a way to ease rear tire changes. My issue is I want air shocks and I am running Gabriel Hijackers now. I did a little research and here is some info for consideration. I have Gabriel 49105 shocks, they do not list a separate part number for the 1956 models. Monroe however lists two part numbers for 1956/1957. The Monroe air shocks MA739 are for 1956 Fords and the MA705 are for 1957 models. Here are the extended and compressed for the above part numbers:
       
                                             compressed length     extended length         travel

         Gabriel Hijackers 49105           11.23"                   18.21"                  6.98"
         Monroe Air Shocks MA705        10.875"                  17.375"                6.5 "
         Monroe Air Shocks MA739        12.375"                  20.875"                8.5 "

It would be interesting to know the OEM Ford specs on the rear shocks. An interesting note...I can change my tires now with out undoing anything (225/60, 15x7, 4.25 BS) but it is very tight. the Monroe MA705's would be worse that what I have now. I would like to go to 235/70 tires at some point the MA739's would make that easy.

[RICH MUISE]

Rockauto..MA 739, 45 plus change plus 9 something shipping....54. pretty darn cheap! Monroe does not include hose kits any longer with the shocks...add another 15. I was going to order them and remembered  I hadn't made a definite decision on my rear end yet.
As long as we're talking shocks, what are you guys using on the front??

[hiball3985]

I put Gabriel's on mine originally but one failed after a few thousand miles. I always had good luck with them in the past but they don't seem to be as good as they were years ago, like everything else  So I have KYB on it know, so far so good. I have never liked Monroes and the couple of times I used them on other cars when nothing else was available the results weren't good.

[48flyer]

hiball,
What part numbers are you using for KYB shocks?
I have them on a 48 Ford Coupe and love them. I'd like to run them on my 57 as well.
Thanks

[RICH MUISE]

Me too...heard Aalot of good things about KYB..in fact they're the choice of the Subaru crowd as well.

[hiball3985]

I only have them on the front. KYB-KG4515. I got them through the www.kyboutlet.com, $67 for the front pair. I have read good and bad reviews about these people but I took a chance and all went well..

[Thor]

I copied this off the Rock Auto website. Shows the front shocks hiball3985 listed as well as others. I didn't include the economy shocks as  I doubt anyone on here would want them. Top one is for the  Fairlane. I know it lists them as retractable hardtop shocks but if you select the dropdown box on the website it does not differentiate between any of them. The Bottom one is for the Custom.   

[lalessi1]

I am running KYB 343127 ( Carquest 1923127) shocks in the front. Don't know the difference between these and the KYB-KG4515's , I got mine ridiculously cheap on eBay, $44.00 for the pair including shipping. If I could afford them I would run Bilsteins.

[hiball3985]

I am running KYB 343127 ( Carquest 1923127) shocks in the front. Don't know the difference between these and the KYB-KG4515's , I got mine ridiculously cheap on eBay, $44.00 for the pair including shipping. If I could afford them I would run Bilsteins.

The 343127 is a standard OEM replacement, the 4515 is suppose to be more of a performance model. I considered Bilsteins  but couldn't find them for a 57.

[lalessi1]

Bilstein makes (or at least they did) a shock listed for later model Fords that will fit '57s. Kanter has them listed still I think.