>>  Hi folks - As I was tooling along over the wkd going kerrrr plunk over every
>>  road seam, the thought occurred to me "...how would I know if my rear shocks
>>  needed replacing?"
>>  Thanks, 
>>  Dave (oh my aching back) McCoy




Hello Dave,


That's an easy question to answer because my Mog needs rears shocks right now.
I know this because the filler-nut on the top of the rear axle is trying to wear away a hole in the wooden hatch directly above it.


also, the driveshaft rubs more loudly than ever on the driveshaft tunnel.  It rubs somewhat in the best of times on hard cornering, but when the shocks are floppy, it rubs even on normal acceleration from a standing start.


Before replacing the shocks, however, check to see if the $*&% Whitworth nuts that hold them in place are tight.  My continually come adrift to the point where I finally drilled and safety-wired the little so-and-so's.


The current market price for rear Armstrong levers are:


Morgan Spares: 518-789-3877
$199 each for new from Morgan factory
$107 each to rebuild your shock (about 2 week turnaround - UPS permitting)
$117 each to rebuild with heavy duty valving (very stiff)


Olde Worlde Restorations 215-947-8720
Price unknown - Penny didn't return my phone call from yesterday, but in addition to new shocks, she sells a Spax tube shock conversion kit.


Does anyone know a cheaper source than Morgan Spares?


Joe DeLuca
Sparta, NJ
'62 yellow 4/4
------------------------------------------
> There would be less confusion if we called them hydraulic dampers.
>Of course, on a Morgan, there is not enough travel in the suspesnion to get a
>decent up-and-down bounce going anyhow, showing that Morgans never needed
>hydraulic dampers in the first place!


An interesting premise (the need for dampers at all). Having replaced my
old Armstrong dampers with a set of adjustable gas telescopic units I can
vouch for the desirability of decent shock absorbers. Not only does the car
handle better but the ride has improved to the point where pot-holed roads
(common in the land of OZ) are no longer approached with any trepidation.


The Armstrong shocks are mounted very flat on a Morgan. This means that the
oil level needs to be watched carefully otherwise air can enter the valves,
diminishing their effectiveness. Another improvement is to brace the
mounting plates (a threaded rod across the car from one plate to the other
is one way). I found that the mounting plates were flexing rather than the
lever arms moving in response to the axle movement.


The very best solution is to


        a. Remove the Armstrong units.


        b. Wrap them in greaseproof paper and store them in a box under the
bench.


        c. Fit a telescopic rear shock absorber kit.


This can be done without even drilling a hole anywhere and your spinal
column will love you for it!


Cheers


Steve Moore
----------------------------------------
> >>  Joe several years ago I bought some rear shocks from Bill Fink. Bill started
> >>  using tube shocks on the rear of all the Morgans he sold well before the
> >>  factory made the conversion. He use to  remove the lever shocks and had a
> >>  box full of new take offs, At the time he was just about giving them away.
> >>  Might want to check with him on the off chance he still has some left.
> >>  Bob Nogueira


My thanks to Bob and Arlin and everyone else who responded with Bill Finks phone number.  I never knew Bill was the guy in charge of  Isis out on the Left Coast.


Bill does still have Armstrong levers at $75 each, a rare bargain indeed, and a fresh pair are winging their way to me as fast as UPS can pull themselves back together.


I will also consider the recommendations to replace the leaf springs, but that sounds like a genuine pain in the patoot since the original nuts and bolts haven't been turned in several decades.  Think I'll wait and see how the new shocks do first.


Joe DeLuca
Sparta, NJ
'62 yellow 4/4
-------------------------------------------
Date: 15-Feb-1999 21:20:36 
From:  
Subject: Re: Selecta-ride 




Linda,
Besides being used on Morgan Competition Models, Armstrong Selectarides were also used on Aston Martin, in certain years. Check with
Apple Hydraulics,
Calverton New York
(800) 882-7753


An old catalog suggests they aint cheap rebuilt!
Thanks for the Moto Lita info sometime ago!
Cheers,


Fred Kuzyk
MSCCC Webmaster
Visit the Morgan Sports Car Club of Canada Web site at:
http://members.xoom.com/msccc/
------------------------------------------------
Dear David,
I understand you would like to know about our telescopic rear conversion.
1. Been in production 18 years/used in competition.
2. Extremely well made, zinc plated and come with a fitting instruction sheet if requested.
3. Much cheaper than the Morgan factory tube set up, ours are less than £100 for brackets.
4. Because of the position and inclination of the shocker, helps anti wind up of the axle.
5. The Morgan dealers like them so much, they buy from us to use and also to re-sell.
6. Koni shocks in stock to suit this set up.
Hope all this helps.
Best wishes,
Melvyn Rutter.
-------------------------------------------------
On my 1964 +4 which drive on the street and also race,  I use the standard
lever
shocks which have been stiffened up by adjusting the valving and by changing
the
fluid to Castrol R  40 SAE oil.  Except on the roughest race tracks, they
provide all the damping that is needed, in my opinion.  All of the shock
conversions that I have seen make access to servicing the battery  more
difficult as well as not really
having any benifit that I have been able to dicern.  The weakest point in  a
Morgan frame is just under the rear axle.  I would certainly not want to cut
any part of the frame in that area.  The best thing that I have found to do
for the rear suspension of any Morgan is to thoroughly lubricate the leaves
of the rear springs and to stiffen the rear shocks ..  This will have the
effect of softening the ride over small bumps and preventing bottoming over
large bumps.
                                                    Regards, Greg Solow


-----Original Message-----
From: Bob Tescione <mogman@rpa.net>
To: morgans@Autox.Team.Net <morgans@Autox.Team.Net>
Date: Thursday, December 10, 1998 12:10 PM
Subject: Tubular rear shocks and Negative Camber Plates




>Fellow Morganeers:
>
>I think I may have mentioned this in a previous posting, but never saw
>much follow up on it. Im considering replacing the lever arm shocks at
>the rear of my Mog with a tubular shock conversion. The car is only
>driven on the street (and not even that lately).
>
>Is there any reason (other than originality) that I should not consider
>this?
>
>Is the tubular support design that is offered inherently stronger than
>the lesser expensive and simpler bracketing made of angle irons?
>
>What is the number of the Koni shock that is offered for that rear
>Morgan application. It seems I should be able to buy it in the US with
>out having to pay for importation to the UK first.
>
>Any of you who have already done this conversion-Do you like it?
>
>Another similar suspension topic:
>Do the zero or negative camber conversions for the front of the Morgan
>offer any advantage for street driving?
>
>Thanks for your help and comments.
>
>Bob Tescione
>mogman@rpa.net
>1951 Plus 4 roadster
>Western NY Morgan Owners Group