Anyone seen such a twin shock set-up ?

[Kai]

Here are two photos of my front and rear shock set-up. Anyone seen this before? It did not come from the factory like that, but also does not look what like what I see in catalogs. I am new to the Bronco. So please don't beat me up for silly questions.

Kai
Hanau/Germany

 

[okie4570]

Didn't come from the factory like that, and as you'll find out after some time, previous bronco owners were notorious for adding anything and everything in peculiar places on broncos lol.

 

[nvrstuk]

Welcome aboard!

Those aftermarket front and rear dual shock placements are what we called the "Standard" back in the late '70's, '80s and '90's.

These dual shock mounting areas were designed to help with all the little suspension and ride quality issues that Broncos were notorious for.

You have literally dozens of options on what to use now for an Early Bronco suspension system...all boils down to what YOU want out of your Bronco (and how much coin you want to spend)

Will you be driving your Bronco around town or on the Autobahn? Makes a big difference for the suspension and probably braking system you might like to start upgrading...

I notice in the rear you have what I believe are called the "Duff Torque Tamers" from way back... these are mounted above the leaf spring to help reduce rear spring "wrap" as we call it... these are "old skool" but work quite well on stock springs.

Good luck and have fun...can't be too many Broncos over there!

 

[Broncobowsher]

Fenderwell exit headers as well. That is an old build.

As stated, Before the mid 90s that is what you got for double shocks. Old school. The rear looks to have been sagging so on top of the double shock arrangement someone also added helper springs.

Starting in the mid 90's is when the big tube style shock hoops came to market. And several different long travel rear shock setups as well. Soon after good single shocks came common and most everyone threw away all the double shock.

 

[tatersalad]

Pretty much standard stuff from 25 to 30 years ago. My rear dual shock setup from duffs is same but with a 10 leF pack. In the front I have a hoop setup but the one you have in the pic was available then. If memory serves me it was a weld in piece of flat stock and an f150 shock.

 

[Timmy390]

Done more than seen it.....Hell, I set mine up that way. Yes it was 20 plus years ago....LOL

Tim

 

[Rustytruck]

Me too. Looked in a Bronco catalog and bought the latest and greatest as better shocks became available. Started with stock Ford shocks, then added red airbags inside the coil springs, then went to Monroe shocks, Then Gabriel Baja riders. Then Rancho 5000, then dual Duff 70/30 all around. Then single Duff 70/30 up front and single Rancho adjustable 9000 in the back.

Life of a long term Bronco owner always changing something.

 

[nvrstuk]

Dang Rustytruck, did we have matching Broncos!! ?

Had airbags in mine by Aug '76!!

Gabriel Adj E shocks...best thing on the market back then!

Now I don't run shocks or springs...can't wait to see what's coming next...

 

[blubuckaroo]

I kept mine intact without the shocks as a reminder "form over function."
We can be talked into anything if it shows up in a color catalog. %)
BTW, they're still available.
https://www.dufftuff.com/Double_Rear_Shock_Mounts_1966_77_Bronco_p/5500.htm
https://www.tomsbroncoparts.com/pro...rear-shock-mounts-66-77-early-ford-bronco-new

 

[Rustytruck]

Dang Rustytruck, did we have matching Broncos!! ?

Had airbags in mine by Aug '76!!

Gabriel Adj E shocks...best thing on the market back then!

Now I don't run shocks or springs...can't wait to see what's coming next...

Not matching Broncos just the same catalogs. Back then popularity of Broncos was getting bigger and all the good magazines had stories of Bronco upgrades. Old Four wheeler mags, PV4WD mags, Offroad even 4wd sport and utility. Now all the mags are junk and cover Jeep crap not worth the paper they were printed on.

Pre internet was a very different world 30 X 10.5 X 15 was a huge tire that would take you everywhere you wanted to go. Back then the Best tires were the Armstrong tru trac. the Norseman radial and the gates commando. Oh Jackman rims or wide steel rims from stockton wheel or even chrome reverse wheels were hot. Oh don't forget the old hood air dam fad. Mine was blue and is still sitting in the rafters. You didn't have an offroader without the front push bar. Had to have the lights too Kc Daylighters, Marchal and Cibie and rallye fog or driving lights

I graduated high school just when the last real Bronco came off Fords assembly line. It was interesting times back then. You waited every month for the catalog you bought ( yes I said bought) or the new monthly magazine. 30 days was a very long wait. Remember ordering parts by mail and sending a check. 3-4 weeks to get what you ordered was normal. Go to the Ford dealer and order a part it came from Detroit in 2 weeks after looking it up on microfiche slides.

I love it when I see old time capsule Broncos.

 

[Rustytruck]

And back to the Bronco above that old shock with the overload spring I believe was the old 4 way anti sway shocks. It did everything, cured sag, was a better shock and acted as a sway control as a captive extension spring. They didn't survive the market very long. I haven't seen one in 30 years.

 

[jmangi62]

I have that rear dual shock set up, it's old school but I like it. ;D

 

[Kai]

Thank you all for your replies. I am not going to change this for now. Just wanted to hear what I have and now I need to drive it for a while to get a feel for it. Right now it is on jack stands awaiting a new exhaust system. Need help here as well and will write a new thread for that.

Kai
Hanau/Germany

 

[sykanr0ng]

If you are going to drive it anywhere but dirt roads and slow, low traffic streets the first thing I would change is to put on front disc brakes.

 

[DirtDonk]

Hah! You guys are so young...
Try 50 years ago!

Those mounts were super popular in the very early '70's and I'm pretty sure they were available at least by the late '60's.
I'm sure you meant "a really long time ago" when you said 20, 25 and even 30 years ago. But that ain't nuthin'
If you start counting those years for real, you start to realize just how long ago some of these things came about.

Friend's '72 had them put on when new by the dealer. And that was 46 years ago for cryin' out loud!
They were racing these things in Baja at least by '67, right? I bet some thinking into dual shocks got started immediately at that point.
I wonder when the ones (just like the ones we're discussing here) were installed on my '68? Maybe just a few years ago? Maybe all the way back?

Makes my head spin just saying that many years have just blown by in my own lifetime.
Probably what my dad said when looking back at all the things he remembered. Like when air planes first started taking passengers, and most of his neighbors still rode horses!

Head spinning is probably what makes my eyes roll all the time these days.%)

Paul