Front suspension

Post by **53buick** » Tue Jul 22, 2008 1:10 am

Hi All,
I want to uprate the front suspension on Paula's traveller tomorrow as the roads around here are awful and the car keeps hitting the bump stops.
I was going to fill the shocks with thicker oil, any recomendations?
also, how do I drain them, are there drain plugs???

Ideally I would like to fit tele shocks but I have run out of money and my job doesnt look very secure so a shoe-string budget is where we are...

But...after all that time on the brakes, the car is finished and looks and goes great, many thanks for all the help given.
;)
Spence

Post by **polo2k** » Tue Jul 22, 2008 2:32 am

I read the other day that the oil shreds after a while.
I also read that the oil can be changed for somthing thicker.
I wouldnt want to bet my house on this but iirc they use engine oil but please CHECK THIS!
is it hitting at the front or the rear?
If its the rear then the springs could be tired (pretty common)
I actually painted my fronts today (hammerite smooth and they look a full $1,000,000) and there is a drain plug (somewhere around 19mm ish) they go from the centre of the car outwards.
Once they are dry I would be tempted to strip them a little to check that everything is as it should be.
once thats done, chuck some oil in, tighten them up and test.

Post by **MoggyTech** » Tue Jul 22, 2008 3:00 am

Check difference in height between the inner eyebolt pivot pin center and the lower trunnion pivot pin center as follows.

1: Make sure car is on level ground with correct tyre pressures and unladen
2: Measure distance from ground to outer pivot pin center
3: Measure distance from ground to inner pivot pin center
4: Subtract the two and you should get 41mm

The pivot pins in question are at either end of the wishbone assembly.
If the distance is much less than the above, the torsion bars will need to be adjusted, using either the vernier adjusting plate on the center cross-member (each hole raises or lowers car 1/4") or by moving the back portion of the wishbone, one spline down on the torsion bar, which gives a one and a half inch height increase.

If it's due to poor damping, drain dampers and refill with motorcycle fork oil, or engine oil if you want more damping. Fork oil should be enough if the dampers are working as they should.

If you do adjust the torsion bars, it's a good time to replace all the suspension bushes, since you have to take everything to bits anyway. Poly bushes last ages, and firm up the suspension a great deal, but you get a slightly harder ride.

Post by **Peetee** » Tue Jul 22, 2008 7:47 am

I have put heavy duty motorcycle fork oil (20 weight) in the suspension of 3 Minors now with different results. All the cars had what I considered a more controlled ride with very little loss of comfort but on one vehicle the oil proved to be too much and 3 dampers failed and leaked. I would ensure that your dampers are in top condition before you consider heavier oil.

Post by **alex_holden** » Tue Jul 22, 2008 8:23 am

Careful you don't lose any of the small valve parts that come out when you undo the 'drain plug.'

Post by **53buick** » Tue Jul 22, 2008 1:54 pm

I have undone the drain plug and grey yuk came out....smelly too.
As for filling it back up, is it just the single 1/2" bolt on the top or is it the whole panel or do I have to remove the shock to fill it?
help appreciated...

Post by **alex_holden** » Tue Jul 22, 2008 2:12 pm

Just the small plug. Clean around it first to avoid dropping any grit in the hole.

Post by **53buick** » Tue Jul 22, 2008 2:53 pm

well that is wierd...
the drain is out, i have removed the whole top section, all 6 screws and the shock is full to the brim with flid but nothing is coming out the base.
the drain plug came out with a piston and spring on each end as such.

i have just connected the airline to the drain and gently released air and i am getting bubbles to the surface of the resevoir but still nothing flows through.

I have not absorbance at all now.
I have a spare morris so I may rob the shocks off that as I have a show in 3 days time!!!!!
but I dont have a puller....
bugger...

Post by **alex_holden** » Tue Jul 22, 2008 3:24 pm

You don't need a puller to take the dampers off but it is a bit of a hassle because you have to support the car under the chassis and then release the spring in the torsion bar. I suspect you just need to move the arm up and down to pump the fluid out. Usually refilling them through the tiny filler hole and getting all the air out is the tricky part.

Post by **bmcecosse** » Tue Jul 22, 2008 4:07 pm

With the drain plug out - and the top filler plug removed (NOT the whole top plate!) jsut gently bounce the car on the suspension - the thin/grey/smelly oil will soon pour out! Top up with whatever you are going to use (20W50 works well - but straight 30 or 40 will give even better damping) and keep bouncing to wash through all the smelly old oil. then replace the drain (with valve and springs and little spacers) and top up and keep bouncing to work all the air out. This may take a while - and in fact you should check again daily for a few days - topping up as you go. Check the 4 horizontal mounting bolts are tight - but don't snap them off! I've never had any problems with this - and even used EP90 in the past in Rally Minor. But if the damper was already leaking (ie had no oil in it) then obviously this fresh oil will leak out too. You must not allow the car to bash the bump stops - it will soon ruin the inner wing. Better to raise it slightly on the torsion bars if the increased damping doesn't keep it off the stops. Ohhh -and DO make sure the front bump stops and re-bound stops are all present and correct!

Post by **Packedup** » Tue Jul 22, 2008 4:27 pm

I replaced the fluid in the 4 door I had - Bought some 20 weight fork oil (the thickest I could find, realy wanted to go 25). Removed the valve assembly at teh bottom, and as suggested, bounced the car up and down to empty the nasty old stuff out. Then it was just a matter of putting the valve back in (after a quick clean up) and filling the damper. A few bounces between topping up got them working smoothly and seemingly air free. The BoL says you should take the dampers off and work them on the bench to fill the chambers, but I appear to have managed fine with them on teh car

Post by **53buick** » Tue Jul 22, 2008 4:53 pm

Wow, that was hard work....
I put the top back on and connected my airline to the top filler hole and eventually the oil came out like sludge...
it was horrid!
Now full of
w40 grade oil and seems alot better just bouncing it in the garage.
I am going to get Paula to take it out for a spin in a mo to see if it is better.
The bumpstops are missing so I ordered new ones today but seeing I have lowered it a little to far I think it is going to have to come back up again also.

Thanks for your help yet again.

Jobs left to do today are....fitting a metro oil filter housing and giving her an oil change.

Paula drives a 2000 model 1300 fiesta as her daily and she was so suprised earlier today when we came up our hill in the traveller in 3rd, Paula went to change to second but I told her not to and the old Morris just pulled like a little soldier.
Her fiesta struggles in 3rd..lol

Post by **bmcecosse** » Tue Jul 22, 2008 8:13 pm

Bet the Fester is a lot higher geared though!