Hey guys, on old trucks there are these weird shock absorbers(pic) I was wondering if there was only one of them for the front axle or two and if the other is put on the other way around.

I need the info for a BTR-152 since I could only find the pic for the right side. I would appreciate any information, thanks in advance.

In the post I was only refering to the lower left illustration and bottom photo

There was one on each side, a mirror image.
I don't recall ever seeing two on each side
but even at my age, I still haven't seen everthing ..... yet!

Thanks Grumpyoldman, that's exactly what I needed

those are called leaf springs and are still in use today on british army wagons,

Leaf springs are used on alot of stuff. they'll take more weight than a Shock absorber.

If you look in the lower left of the photo, where it shows the front suspension, the shock absorber is the L-shaped piece that goes from the leaf spring to the frame. That is what he is referring to.

there is one to each wheel. The front ones are normally on the outside of the chassis rail while the rear ones are inside the chassis rail.

Now I have never seen anything like this, but it has to be some kind of stabilizer arm, it is way to flimsy to be a shock absorber, and it looks like an hydraulic line going to the unit the arm hooks to.
This is almost the same way it would look for an airride system, but we know it hasn't got that. The way they show it hooked up if the spring comes up it will raise the lever which will turn the pin it is mounted to, and with that line going to it, somehow they must of had some kind of hydraulic assist load leveler.
There used to be a lot of things they put on trucks, that never done the job they intended them to do, it usually took many deaths before they realized it, and they never would listen to the people that drove them.
My bet is stabbilizer arm, what do you think?

Well that's what shocks looked like until the advent of the modern shock.
You would actually rebuild these, repalcing the worn bushings, seal, and internal parts,
when the newer shocks were invented, you actually would rebuild these also, replacing the piston rings and valves, and refilling with oil. Eventually the totally sealed shock evolved that we just now replace.

Oh, I believe in some part of the world they were call a "vibration damper"

It must look a lot bigger in real life then it does on the picture

Now I have never seen anything like this, but it has to be some kind of stabilizer arm, it is way to flimsy to be a shock absorber, and it looks like an hydraulic line going to the unit the arm hooks to.

Straightedge, the line that you see in the picture isn't going to the shock absorber, I believe it is the air break line, or the CTIS going to a compressor

HeavyArty, thanks for clearing up what I was pointing out!

Knutent valve...definitly a Knutent valve

Here's a web site explaining the operation of the lever type shock absorber.

http://www.singercars.com/4ax/armstrong.html

Those in the photo and drawing maybe are from a different manufacture,
and probably are since they are large truck ones.
several manufactures made them, including one called the Hardford friction lever
shock asborber.