Delco Lovejoy Lever Action Shocker Rebuild

[wangwilko]

I need information on the rebuild of these shockers.

There was a great article posted last year about pulling apart for repair.

I don't know how to get the shaft out when you do not have the bolt holding the rocker lever to the shaft.

 

This photo is of mine., no bolt

 

Not sure if what appears to be a pin bellow mounting thread which has been cut off.

I was thinking this needs to be drilled out??

Any clues would be appreciated, I may need to cut shaft in half to see what is going on in there.

 

 

[MikeC5]

I have a pdf copy of an article on rebuilding the Delco Lovejoy.  It's 9 MB total.  I could email it to you if you want to PM your email address.

[ply33]

A couple of years back Taylormade on this forum rebuilt the Delco-Lovejoy shocks on his 1930 Dodge and posted a couple of threads about it. I've found one at 

I recall at least one other thread but am unable to find it at the moment. Taylormade is still posting progress reports on his Dodge so maybe you could PM him for details, hints, etc. 

 

[jpage]

Depending on what year they are may determine how hard they are to get apart. I started on the ones on my '36 Dodge and decided just to clean them out as opposed to a total rebuild as they were pressed together. They do work but seep a little at the outer seals. There are several companies in America that rebuild them  but don't know if there are any in Oz.

[Spinneyhill]

1. DON"T cut anything. It may be irreplaceable.

2. can you rotate the lever to bring up whatever is in that right hand hole in your photo, where it is in deep shade?

[wangwilko]

I have read Taylormade article which is well done.

His lever had the bolt which needed to be undone, mine does not have that bolt.

Spinneyhill, rotating the lever reveals no clues, the holes are threaded for the bolt to mount to the chassis.

There is nothing in there except the thread.

I think that the cut off plug looks to cover something up and may reveal clues if drilled out.

It is at the exact line of the shaft with the lever attached.

When you rotate the lever this pin / plug does not move.

 

[Bush Mechanic]

Unfortunately I have not yet worked on one of this brand, but it appears to be built on the same principals as the Armstrong units on a number of British cars. I have re-bushed Armstrongs, and fitted new seals. The single arm models, such as those found on the rear of MG's, have a blanking plug in line with the shaft, which you mentioned yours appear to have. With Armstrongs, I drill a hole in the plug, (actually a 'Welsh' plug) and prize it out, then after marking the correlation of the shaft and the internal lever, I press the shaft from the body of the shocker. Armstrongs have a spline, and are 'staked'?  and require careful set-up in the press. Does that appear to be an acceptable procedure for your units?

Mick.

[Spinneyhill]

Have you looked through the restorecarsclassifieds.com web site http://www.restorecarsclassifieds.com/wiki/

 

There are many manuals there, but to find what you want you will have to spend a bit of time poking around and downloading stuff you might not want.

 

If you would like to show us a good picture or two of the whole unit  and tell us what make and year of car we might be able to find some information for you.

Edited March 12, 2018 by Spinneyhill (see edit history)

[Spinneyhill]

Is this your shock absorber? - from http://delcoremyhistory.com/Products/shockabsorbers.htm

This might be one of the patents... https://patents.google.com/patent/US1592373

But this one has a bolt.

Another patent, also 1926, also with a bolt. http://www.freepatentsonline.com/1698640.html

 

Maybe the shaft is a friction fit and you can push it out?

Edited March 13, 2018 by Spinneyhill (see edit history)

[Sasha39]

Looks like something from a Chev 1934-46  https://www.chevsofthe40s.com/detail/15764/Chevrolet_Shock_Left_Side_Front_Single_Action_1430ca.html

 

Edited March 13, 2018 by Sasha39 (see edit history)

[Sasha39]

Also one on ebay at the moment https://www.ebay.com/itm/323091440025?rmvSB=true

 

[Sasha39]

Article on how to rebuild the shock, you might be able to contact the writer Rickbop from Michigan. https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/lever-shock-rebuild.794463/

Hope it helps

 

[Spinneyhill]

Looking at the picture above, it looks like what MoToR's Manual call a Delco [8] and it fits:

Chev 35-36 ED, FD front and rear; 35-39 EA, FA, HA, JA rear

Buick 35-36 40 rear

Chrysler 35-36 CZ-6,7,8 rear

De Soto, Dodge 35-36 rear

Plymouth 35-36 Standard front and rear; 35-36 Deluxe rear.

Pontiac 35-36 Std front and all rear.

 

They call it "single acting with external relief valve".

 

[wangwilko]

Spinneyhill, you are correct with model this is for 1936 Desoto rear, I will start reading on weekend, the photo from Sash39 looks the same.

As you can see above one of the threaded holes is this plug or pin which has been cut off.

Bushmechanic, Mike I think what you are saying would be required for mine. I believe the plug needs to be drilled out then pressed from that side.

What do you mean by stacked.

Peter

[Sasha39]

"When you rotate the lever this pin / plug does not move."

Sound to me as if you have a broken shaft, that pin/plug would be the Shaft that holds the ARM and CAM in place and I think that you will find that the shaft is splined so as to hold the cam in place possibly the arm as well, that's the side to press the shaft out from.

When you rotate the lever does the cam move with the direction of the lever? and if it does. does the piston/valve assembly slid up and down? might be that the piston is seized down the hole.

Any way I think you got a job ahead of you, good luck! 

Edited March 14, 2018 by Sasha39 (see edit history)

[wangwilko]

Sasha39, See the plug above the threaded hole near 3" on tape.

That is the plug that does not rotate when you move lever, I think you will find the one in your photo will do the same and not rotate/move..

I believe you are correct that the shaft is splined and the cam is pressed onto it.

The cam did move the spring up and down when the lever was moved.

I have the spring and piston out but now looking at getting the shaft and lever out, when you jiggle the lever in and out the cam moves in and out but not that plug.

I am not going to let this beat me so will keep everyone posted.

Peter

 

 

[Bush Mechanic]

15 hours ago, wangwilko said:

What do you mean by stacked.

 

 'Staked', but not sure of the correct term. Meaning  metal is punched into a depression in the adjoining part to lock it in place. I called it 'straked' until I was corrected. 

 

By the hefty appearance of the cam in your unit, I doubt if provision for staking has been included. Most likely just relies on an interference fit on a spline. The Armstrong units require considerable force to start the cam moving along the shaft. If there is more than about .010" slop in the shaft,  new seals alone may struggle to rectify the problem, necessitating re-bushing. As the shaft normally turns in the actual casting, without bushes, I ream them and press in bushes, then ream the bushes to size. Tedious, but the company in Victoria 'reconditioning' them in the past seemed to be painting them black and returning them. I had a pair from them, at some expense, which leaked badly before the resto had even turned a wheel! On checking, I found that they each had different rate valves, (neither correct for the vehicle) and were not even the units which I sent for reconditioning! Another lot sent through a second party came back as bad. It was then that I started rebuilding them myself. At least you experience the satisfaction  of having restored them.

[Dave39MD]

From the 39 Chevy service manual, the JA that Spinneyhill lists above;

 

 

Edited March 17, 2018 by Dave39MD (see edit history)