79 F350 No shocks in back

Is that a guess based on extensive experience with older F350s?

It was my first take too but then after a close examination I can find
no evidence of removal. I see holes in frame that probably held the upper
bracket but I suspect the lower bracket would have been welded to
axle housing. Is that correct or do they use some kind of bolt on
lower bracket too.

If welded to axle housing is the norm them I see nothing indicating
removal. Not even a small bump left.

After some heavy google/images searches I've found enough seeable
images of ford rear ends to see that the lower bracket is not welded
but appears to be held by a heavy u-bolt.

So apparently some felt a need to remove the raer shocks.

Trust me, it had shocks when it was built. Either you overlooked the
mounting brackets or someone removed them or swapped out the rear
axle.

TheSnoMan.com

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While I am not familair with that model, they all had shocks from
factory as did every vehcile made and appproved for use on US roads.
Some used brakes welded to axle, some have brakes attached to leaf
spring plates and U bolts but again, they all had them.

TheSnoMan.com

Yeah, I see you are right. I've found a few pics on google and can
see the lower bracket was bolt on job so apparently someone felt a
need to remove the shocks and brackets long ago.

Can you think of any reason someone wouuld remove them?

It has a sort of homemade mount of a flat bed and fifthwheel ball on a
very heavy plate that is mounted to the frame with eight 3/4 in ubolts
welded together to make the span across the frame.

The bed itself sits ontop of 2 4x4 boards cut to match the contour of
the frame and again mounted with heavy ubolts.

I'm guessing maybe those shocks were in the way of all that or something.

Articulation of axle in suspension on uneven ground. Shocks typically
top out and limit downward axle travel in suspension on a truck.

TheSnoMan.com

Way back when, I did work in the evenings for a lawn service company. he
had a '79 F-350. No shocks on the rear. Upon investigation, I found out
they were built that way from the factory. They don't really need them
anyway.

--
Steve Barker

Negative. They were built without them.

--
Steve Barker