Accessory KW Road Smoother Shock Absorbers

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Aussie16
Posts: 263
Joined: Sat Jan 05, 2019 9:24 pm
First Name: Warwick
Last Name: Landy
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1916 RHD Canadian Touring 1916 Pickup 1926 Fordor 1925 Dalgety Tourer 1916 Speedster
Location: Trarlagon Victoria Australia

Accessory KW Road Smoother Shock Absorbers

Post by Aussie16 » Fri Dec 29, 2023 6:52 pm

Hi All. I have what I think is a complete set of KW Road Smoother accessory shock absorbers. The rears seem to be pretty self explanatory as to how they mount and operate but I am unsure as to how the fronts are installed. Does anyone here have a set on a car they can photograph or any original sales brochures or information? These will hopefully be going on to my 1916 Speedster chassis project. Thanks in advance. Wishing everyone all the best for 2024.
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Allan
Posts: 6609
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 7:21 pm
First Name: Allan
Last Name: Bennett
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1912 van, 1917 shooting brake, 1929 roadster buckboard, 1924 tourer, 1925 barn find buckboard, 1925 D &F wide body roadster, 1927LHD Tudor sedan.
Location: Gawler, Australia

Re: Accessory KW Road Smoother Shock Absorbers

Post by Allan » Sat Dec 30, 2023 1:07 am

Warwick, when I built my speedster, the spring set-up was standard. The car was light enough that I thought I could delete two leaves from the rear spring. No way! if handled like a bucket of slops.
In the end, we locked both front and back shackles at one end, and this stopped the bump steer problem and made the car manageable. I can't see how adding extra components to the suspension system will improve the handling of a lightweight car.

Allan from down under.


greenacres36
Posts: 156
Joined: Sun Sep 27, 2020 3:50 pm
First Name: Brian
Last Name: Williams
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1926 Tudor, 1915 Runabout
Location: Prospect, Ohio

Re: Accessory KW Road Smoother Shock Absorbers

Post by greenacres36 » Sat Dec 30, 2023 1:35 am

Are you sure those are road smoothers? I have a set for the rear that are like pneumatic cylinders with a spring inside. Of course, they are plum wore out. rebuildable for sure. They were already on a roadster that I have when I bought it. They did make it ride smoother, but I didn’t see that they were necessary and I really did not trust them. I sure as heck would not trust them on the front.
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TRDxB2
Posts: 6260
Joined: Tue Jan 08, 2019 4:56 pm
First Name: Frank
Last Name: Brandi
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: Speedsters (1919 w 1926 upgrades), 1926 (Ricardo Head)
Location: Moline IL
Board Member Since: 2018

Re: Accessory KW Road Smoother Shock Absorbers

Post by TRDxB2 » Sat Dec 30, 2023 2:02 am

It appear that KW used th label "Road Smoothers" for more than one style of shock absorber
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But this version of the KW's look very similar to "Duplex Shocks"
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The past is a great place and I don't want to erase it or to regret it, but I don't want to be its prisoner either.
Mick Jagger

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