Dave Herrod Posted April 20, 2014 Report Share Posted April 20, 2014 (edited) I have finally got time to get back to putting the TR back together. Having been told that they are made on the original machines, I decided that I would take up one of the suppliers offer on a pair of rear shock absorbers. However, having stood them upright for a few days and worked the lever up and down literally dozens of times I still get no resistance in one direction and can barely move the thing in the other. Having delved a little deeper I found that both shock absorbers are over filled and one of the cover fitting screws is a self tapper which makes me question the quality. Am I missing something in preparing these for use? Edited April 20, 2014 by Dave Herrod Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RobinTR6 Posted April 21, 2014 Report Share Posted April 21, 2014 From memory shouldn't there be quite a bit of resistance in both directions . Don't know about the self tappers but they don't sound rite. There's a thread on here recently with a specialists shock company recommended by someone who's ad theirs done and is a happy bunny. I'm sure the Tr shop will be reasonable and it won't be them doing the work anyways. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
McMuttley Posted April 21, 2014 Report Share Posted April 21, 2014 Also keen to know too as I will be ordering replacements Monday. Research on prices seems to suggest (Exchange / New): Revington 52.50 / - Rimmer 32 / 94 Moss - / 92-97 TR Shop - / 82 Not sure whether these are standard are uprated. I am going with new Revi springs, bushes etc, so I suspect I will go with their levers too ? Stevson Motors in Birmingham are the guys that probably half a dozen have recommended to me for re-furb Quote Link to post Share on other sites
John Morrison Posted April 21, 2014 Report Share Posted April 21, 2014 Second Stevson motors, as folk who know what they are doing! John. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stuart Posted April 21, 2014 Report Share Posted April 21, 2014 (edited) Stevson do a proper rebuild service http://www.stevsonmotors.co.uk/Stevson%20Motors%20-%20Homepage.html Stuart. Edited April 21, 2014 by stuart Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ashley James Posted April 21, 2014 Report Share Posted April 21, 2014 (edited) The shock absorbers sold by Moss are exactly as the originals having been built on original machinery by the company that bought out Armstrong. I had trouble with uprated ones on the TR and they were replaced with standard ones that seem fine, but on the Healey there are uprated ones that seem fine. Edited April 21, 2014 by Ashley James Quote Link to post Share on other sites
scotty Posted April 21, 2014 Report Share Posted April 21, 2014 Classics monthly have a write up / instructions this month of reconditioning lever arms . Looks like they used Steveson motors too. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted April 21, 2014 Report Share Posted April 21, 2014 Hmmm, Hi Dave, a damper usually damps in one direction only. When going over bumpy ground the wheel is allowed to travel upwards only compressing the spring. If the damper was solid in this direction there would be no need for the spring and you woulod be flung from the car. As the wheel drops the spring wants to push it faster than gravity allows so the damper comes into play and, wait for it - damps the recoil - incredible. So with your new dampers in the verical position you should be able to lift the arm fairly easy but it would be very stiff pushing it down. Roher Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Dave Herrod Posted April 21, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 21, 2014 Hi Roger, That is very interesting. I had always thought that they were intended to work in both directions and I believe the manual alludes to this. I will check later as car, shocks and manual are at the lock up. D. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted April 21, 2014 Report Share Posted April 21, 2014 (edited) Hi Dave, visualise it another way. The body of the car needs to stay still when the wheels are bobbing up and down. Under normal conditions the body is settled on the springs (slightly compressed). When the wheel goes up you require ther spring to give - which it does. If the damper took hold on the way up then the body would be lifted - not good. On the way down the wheel needs to get there quickly but under control. If the damper didn;t work the body + gravity would compress the spring too much and it would rebound upwards. The damper should a have a small damping action in the upwards direction and a large action on the way down. Roger PS - the sencod from last paragraph explains it. http://auto.howstuffworks.com/car-suspension2.htm Edited April 21, 2014 by RogerH Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tony Millward Posted April 21, 2014 Report Share Posted April 21, 2014 Normal shock absorbers work in both directions, I find it strange that lever arms would only work in one... Tony Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ashley James Posted April 21, 2014 Report Share Posted April 21, 2014 (edited) Normal shock absorbers work in both directions, I find it strange that lever arms would only work in one... Tony Shock Absorbers definitely damp in both directions, just less on the bump (up) and more on the rebound (down). FWIW I'm used to rebuilding and re-valving Rolls-Royce & Bentley Shocks, which were probably copied from Cadillac, but bear a striking resemblance to Armstrongs. They're just bigger and more expensively constructed. Edited April 21, 2014 by Ashley James Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jean Posted April 21, 2014 Report Share Posted April 21, 2014 When I bought my Konis I was told that standard Konis work only in one direction, to understand, as Roger mentioned soft in one and hard in the opposite, racing shocks would work in both Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted April 21, 2014 Report Share Posted April 21, 2014 Hi Folks, it is a matter of degree. Indeed they have resistance in both directions but they are more restricted in one direction that the other. Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Dave Herrod Posted April 22, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 22, 2014 As one has zero resistance in one direction and is, at times, almost impossible to move in the other ditection , and the other is the exact opposite, I have concluded that they can both go back whence they came. I will see if Stevson can make anything of my collection of leaky worn units. Thanks for the replies. Dave. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.