Lever arm adjustable valves

[trchris]

Hi all

Has anyone fitted adjustable valves into the Armstrong lever arm dampers? If so which were used  and was it worth it as I’m contemplating fitting some to the  4a

Chris

[harrytr5]

+1

Regards Harry.

[Waldi]

I have them but not fitted yet.

Waldi

[stuart]

These are the ones generally used https://ajbengineering.com/products/armstrong-lever-arm-adjustable-damper-valves/

Stuart.

[Chilliman]

8 minutes ago, stuart said:

These are the ones generally used https://ajbengineering.com/products/armstrong-lever-arm-adjustable-damper-valves/

Stuart.

That's the ones I have - not cheap but a pleasure to have the adjustment facility especially if you are frequently altering the ride characteristics according to the cars use as I do.

[henktr]

I fitted them and it was worth it

regards Henk 

[Hamish]

On 1/2/2023 at 12:42 PM, Chilliman said:

That's the ones I have - not cheap but a pleasure to have the adjustment facility especially if you are frequently altering the ride characteristics according to the cars use as I do.

I can’t see a price when accessing the site on my phone. Can someone share the cost ?

[Quicksilver]

On 1/2/2023 at 1:32 PM, stuart said:

These are the ones generally used https://ajbengineering.com/products/armstrong-lever-arm-adjustable-damper-valves/

Stuart.

Thanks for the direct link.

the text says they are adjustable from soft to hard, how does that compare to the standard damping...? (is that more the soft side or the hard side...) 

 

Marcel.

[brenda]

Hi, just had a look but can’t find a price, you probably would be better contacting.

Mike redrose group 

[Quicksilver]

5 minutes ago, brenda said:

Hi, just had a look but can’t find a price, you probably would be better contacting.

Mike redrose group 

and post it here....

[Chilliman]

19 minutes ago, Hamish said:

I can’t see a price when accessing the site on my phone. Can someone share the cost ?

Two valves plus p&p £168 - that was two years ago

[rcreweread]

In case it's of interest, Ian at V & C Engineering also stocks these and sells them at £70+Vat each + postage, so very similar price.

Cheers Rich

[Drewmotty]

If you are just using your car on the road you probably don’t need the adjustability but just need to tune the shocks to your suspension. It’s not a difficult thing to do although it may take a few tries and a bit of road testing to get things where you want them. 
I’ve described how I uprated mine in this issue of “In the Garage”

https://www.tr-register.co.uk/group/devon/social-report/2021/04/1827/In-The-Garage-april-2021

[Hamish]

Thanks guys

 

[BlueTR3A-5EKT]

My worry on a sidescreen chassis would be tearing the mounting bracket off unless it had been reinforced/welded.   We did all this harder shock lark years ago using twin piston shock absorbers as viewed below.   
 

 The twin piston units do still exist but are getting frightfully expensive   You need a pair of genuine TR shocks and a pair with the twin piston body, then build the twin piston types with TR arms correctly orientated.

Q for IanC.

Am I correct in writing the factory rally cars had IRS shock bodies with the earlier type of arm.   The chassis brackets would need to have been enlarged to accept the bigger shocker.

Edited January 3, 2023 by BlueTR3A-5EKT

[ianc]

My TR2 had the pathetic shocker mountings, and the righthand one broke free of the chassis.

Here's a photo of the beefier and reinforced mounting for the larger rear shockers on the VC cars.

I am no expert on the shockers - I'll ask Tony Sheach whether he might add info here.

The shockers on 4VC are not adjustable, but I believe Tony uses adjustable shockers on Beastie.

Ian Cornish

[david ferry]

53 minutes ago, BlueTR3A-5EKT said:

My worry on a sidescreen chassis would be tearing the mounting bracket off unless it had been reinforced/welded.   We did all this harder shock lark years ago using twin piston shock absorbers as viewed below.   
 

 The twin piston units do still exist but are getting frightfully expensive   You need a pair of genuine TR shocks and a pair with the twin piston body, then build the twin piston types with TR arms correctly orientated.

Q for IanC.

Am I correct in writing the factory rally cars had IRS shock bodies with the earlier type of arm.   The chassis brackets would need to have been enlarged to accept the bigger shocker.

Peter,

That’s correct. Works TR4s had the larger DAS10 dampers with a larger chassis bracket to enable fitment. ‘Normal’ sidescreen cars and TR4s had DAS9 dampers.

[TR4Tony VC]

Hi all

My experience is that changing the springs and shims in the valves only goes so far and essentially when ‘maxed out’ the temperature of the oil in the single piston DAS9 (TR2 to TR4) shocks becomes the bigger issue and ultimately the piston seizes and destroys the shock body, so there is a limit to what you can achieve using the single piston DAS9. The turret does bend on the chassis, but that’s more a function of sticky modern tyres and around the same time the shock link will fail, but some stiffening of the turret does stop that. I’m sure for many that won’t be a problem, but for me it was.

The four works TR4’s used the bigger bodied DAS10 and the turret was reinforced as Ian C’s picture of 4VC. This was a modification to the chassis from day 1 for these cars as the use of the DAS10 with a special arm on it was on the cars for their first event. I assume that this came from the experience of the Le Man’s cars but I’m sure someone will team me otherwise. The DAS10’s with the bigger reinforced chassis turret do work well and as far as I know all four of the VC cars still have this set up, and the original shocks (which tells the story I think) are still fitted and certainly 3VC and 6VC have been rallied really hard in the last few years with modern tyres and magnesium wheels on them, so all the strain you could think.

The are are other options and Pete’s pictures of the twin valve DAS9 is the first and probably easiest and most effective. They bolt straight on and if shimmed properly make a huge difference to the handling at the rear and I would think would suit most owners. You can get them now and again and they cost less than a set of decent tyres.

There is an adjustable twin valve DAS9 variant which I have used (and still use) on BST82B and they just allow you to play with the settings which does make a decent difference in the cold / wet. They do need a chassis modification to allow the big brass adjusting knob to fit, but apart from that it’s fairly straightforward. As far as I know these were mostly made for the Sprite, so usually they need a change of arms too, then setting up properly for bump and rebound. Derek Stevson is a master at this and imparted all I know.

The holy grail is a set of adjustable DAS10’s and the MGB used them in period - you can obtain these as the bodies are now being remade and as far as I know you can get a new arm on them that works for the TR4 too. These need to be revalved and correctly shimmed up and when done right work well, but need the larger turret on the chassis of the TR4 and / or the later arm on the TR4a to TR6. I assume the turret on the bridge also needs some reinforcement but I’ve never done that, so someone I’m sure can help. There Is an IRS specific TR variant but these were made in really limited numbers for the TR5 / TR6 with the correct arm peened and stamped on - I’m told in the low dozens so exceptionally rare. I actually have a NOS pair of these which I periodically toy with using but I don’t have an IRS car anymore to try them on, but I expect much as the MGB type on the TR4 (ie transformative).

Lastly, there is a larger body ‘heavy duty’ DAS10 adjustable shock in existence, produced I’m told for an Aston Martin with a much longer body (more oil) derived from the Selectaride shocks and basically has the same characteristics as the smaller type. I had a set of those that I didn’t use and I believe are now on a race car somewhere in the UK and I would have thought will cope with anything.

Regards

Tony 

 

[trchris]

The small adjustment on the original valves look’s interesting as I’m only looking to moderately stiffen the rear and it looks an easy and cheaper option to start with

Chris

[TR4Tony VC]

[TR4Tony VC]

[TR4Tony VC]