Front shock mods

Post by **mombasamoggi** » Mon Oct 13, 2008 5:10 pm

Hi there
The name is Marc and am currently living in Diani Beach Kenya.
Have just finnesd restoring a 67 4 door with major rust. I am looking for a sollution for the front shocks as the roads here are not the best! i see that thre is amod available but due to the logistics and cost to import it would be appreciated if some one had some sketches od dia of the mod .
many thanks

Post by **bmcecosse** » Mon Oct 13, 2008 6:34 pm

Welcome aboard! The front dampers can be improved greatly by simply draining out the old thin/smelly oil and refill with the grade of your choice. Standard oil is 20SAE - and will show an improvement over old oil! But you can upgrade the damping by filling with more viscous oil - SAE 30 or 40 or 50. Each makes for improved damping. Just make sure the 4 mounting bolts are nice and tight - but take care, don't break them off.
You can add telescopic dampers - and this is also very worthwhile. They have to mount to the lower suspension arm (usually a clamp or weld-on bracket) and then you must secure the top of the damper. One system uses a plate that clamps under the original damper mounting bolts - but this places high loads on these bolts so is not recommended. A much better system uses a fabricated mounting which is welded to the inner wing just where the cross-member re-inforces it on the inside, and this is a very much better arrangement. I had some pictures of these mounts - but recently lost them in a computer mis-hap. But some one will be along shortly with pictures - i'm sure! For rough roads you really MUST make sure the rubber bump stops are present both front and rear, and the little re-bound stops should be present too under the front damper arms in the slot in the inner wing. If the stops are not there you will quickly ruin the bodyshell!

Post by **alex_holden** » Tue Oct 14, 2008 11:54 am

If you have rough roads then I would stick with the standard soft suspension - that's what it was designed for.

Post by **Luxobarge** » Tue Oct 14, 2008 11:59 am

alex_holden wrote:If you have rough roads then I would stick with the standard soft suspension - that's what it was designed for.

I agree - I've driven on African roads (Tanzania) and if you put much thicker oil in the dampers it will make the suspension feel really hard, and will reduce its compliance - and this is the LAST thing you need on your roads, you will shake the car apart. Hard/stiff damping is a great improvement when on a race track for example, but would be a major pain on rough roads.

Just change the oil for standard, maintain the suspension and dampers well, and that's about the best you can do IMHO.

Cheers

Post by **bmcecosse** » Tue Oct 14, 2008 9:42 pm

If really rough I agree - but DO change that oil because the old stuff loses all it's 'chain links' and become runnier than water and ends up doing virtually nothing in the damper. Usually smells strongly of 'fish' when you drain it off!

Post by **rayofleamington** » Tue Oct 14, 2008 11:51 pm

Having driven down west Africa I'd say the first problem was the rear axle.
The weight of the axle and the cart springs allows it to go in to a resonance on any corrugations, and the limited travel makes the car buck around a lot on bumps and potholes. Increased travel and better dampers on the rear may be worth looking into.

Front ride height can be changed easily - but it's essential to have VERY strong inner wings where the bump stops fit - otherwise the bump stop will be gone. Without the bump stop the suspension can overtravel and this will yield the torsion bar as well as punch a hole through the inner wing.

Post by **mombasamoggi** » Wed Oct 15, 2008 12:49 pm

Thanks for all the help! will try and solve
The other trouble I have found in the last few days is that the brakes are hard and not stopping ! I have serviced the slaves and put in a kit on the master ,Bled the breaks but still not right> the pedal gose to the floor when you push the break pedal????

it is bleeding correctly ?

<br>

Post by **Matt** » Wed Oct 15, 2008 3:47 pm

Seals in the master cylinder?

Post by **mombasamoggi** » Wed Oct 15, 2008 4:07 pm

Will try again ,thanks do you have a diagram of seals etc I dont have a manual,when I opend it up the previous back street mech had drilled a through the rubber non return seal !!!!

Post by **bmcecosse** » Wed Oct 15, 2008 6:06 pm

The 'hole' mod is sometimes done if disc brakes have been fitted at the front ? But the pedal should certainly NOT go to the floor - so first adjsut the brakes up so they are skimming the drums (but you can still turn them) and then bleed them through starting at the back and working forwards.

Post by **rayofleamington** » Wed Oct 15, 2008 9:02 pm

if you can't get rid of the long pedal, after many attempts at bleeding, close off the front or rear by removing the pipe and fitting a bleed nipple - that should tell you if the remaining part of the circuit is full of air.

For other brake tips, try here:
http://www.mmoc.org.uk/index.php?name=P ... 8468#78468