old damper kit questions

Post by **ohc_turbo** » Fri Dec 04, 2009 6:20 pm

Hi, wondering if anyone has the same kit as me and knows the origins

it was on a really rotten mog that i bought for spares and i took off the front shocks over a year ago and cannot remember how to put it back together, doh!

ive figured out the bottom mounting point as it was fairly simple as it sandwiched the lower arm by two plates bolted together. The Top is the problem as i can figure how it bolts on

these are the two parts i have for one side, ive got two of each in total. now ive figured out the large metal section bolts infront of the standard damper removing the two bolts nearest the wing and rebolting. Now where and how does the little angled piece go? im sure the damper would have to have be mounted by two bits of steel like the larger top one in the photograph??

please if anyone has a photo or any kind of info of this setup.

also some side questions does setup use mini dampers?

and i heard confilcting report either to drain the original dampers oil so its just used for a top location for the king pin or to still use the original damper and use eithr normal engine oil or thick engine oil with the added dampers.

cheers for info

Post by **aupickup** » Fri Dec 04, 2009 6:35 pm

its the owen burton kit

the shaped part of the bracket goes alongside the original dampers and bolts on to the extra 2 holes in the bulkhead

you have to make a slot in the inner wing for the bracket to come through and then attach the top of the new teles

Fri Dec 04, 2009 8:06 pm

are you sure dennis? I seem to recall that the shaped bit sits on the font of your original shock absorber the two bolts pick up the holes in your shock absorber.

yes you are right you need to cut through your inner wing and do not forget to drain out the oil from your shock absorber, remove the er...( something which I can not recall and then fill with a lighter oil.

Post by **aupickup** » Fri Dec 04, 2009 8:35 pm

you remove the valve part by cutting it off but still leaving the thread so the it can go back in

anf yes it does go in the 2 spare holes on the bulk head
if it went behind the damper there would be 4 holes in the plate and the plate would need to be longer

Post by **bmcecosse** » Fri Dec 04, 2009 8:54 pm

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Keep the original damper working - in fact - don't bother fitting this very poorly made kit at all. Just drain the old oil from the dampers - and refill with new SAE 30 or 40 engine oil. The difference will amaze you. There is nothing wrong with lever arm dampers (they are just folded up tele-dampers anyway!) - they just need the oil changing fom time to time - something you can't do with tubular teles.

Post by **billlobban** » Sat Dec 05, 2009 11:43 am

pm sent

Post by **ohc_turbo** » Sat Dec 05, 2009 12:15 pm

bmcecosse wrote:NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Keep the original damper working - in fact - don't bother fitting this very poorly made kit at all. Just drain the old oil from the dampers - and refill with new SAE 30 or 40 engine oil. The difference will amaze you. There is nothing wrong with lever arm dampers (they are just folded up tele-dampers anyway!) - they just need the oil changing fom time to time - something you can't do with tubular teles.

It's not the best kit in the world but it does open up avenues for off the shelf uprated items. I'm sure there's nothing wrong with the original items

do you have tele dampers fitted?

I'm sure I read on here that greater damping force comared to the weak torsion bar gives good results so use both in tandem

Post by **bmcecosse** » Sat Dec 05, 2009 2:32 pm

Yes indeed! More damping IS the answer - so - even if you do add this kit you should keep the original dampers working too. The 'trouble' with this kit is that it puts additional strain on the damper mounting bolts - since it uses the same bolts to mount the top bracket. rather better kits have a separate mounting which is welded to the inner wing panel. But I maintain that simply uprating the oil in your standard dampers will give you plenty of damping! I did have additional tele dampers on the front of my car (NOT mounted as per this kit) - but have now discarded them and with SAE 30 oil in the dampers the suspension is fine. I suggest you at least try it first - the cost is negligible. SAE 30 oil in Tesco - for lawn mowers!

Post by **Matt** » Sat Dec 05, 2009 10:22 pm

I have teles on the front of my car, I suspect its the OB kit.

Either my dampers are dead (quite likely) or they just arnt up to the job (equally likely) if you are going to fit them keep some oil in the original dampers. However I would suggest putting new oil in the original dampers as BMCEcosse suggests and see if you are happy with that

Post by **billlobban** » Sun Dec 06, 2009 10:40 am

OHC if you want to see what your kit originally looked liked check out the new post on For Sale section