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m38 shocks

Posted: Sun Aug 19, 2012 7:34 pm
by 1948willyman
removed shocks cleaned and painted now mixed up on what is front and rear. two of them has plate also welded to them anyone know if these are front or rear noticed this after it was too late probally should just replace but they still seem to be ok
thanks

Posted: Sun Aug 19, 2012 8:35 pm
by wesk
Original Monroe shocks have their part numbers stamped into the shock housing. I suppose your paint was heavy enough to hide these.

Original Monroe shocks were the same lengths. Difference front to rear were the rear stone guards. WWII jeep and M38A1/M170's used shocks with longer lengths in rear.

The plate you are referring to is I believe that heavy reinforcement found on the rear shocks that are meant to be stone guards.

Usually nowadays you only get one choice in shock part numbers for all four locations.

The quickest way to ID the shocks is to measure their extended and contracted lengths. If all lengths are the same and all have the stone guard tubes it will make no difference which corner you put them on.
If only two have stone guards they go on the rear.

If lengths differ then the long go on rear.

Posted: Mon Aug 20, 2012 5:04 am
by TomM
WWII jeep and CJ2A(from memory) had metal plate stone guard on front shocks. M38 has stone guards on rear shocks.