Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[Roger-hatchy]

Can anyone advise me
I have replaced the shockabsorbers on the DLM with the same size, new, shocks that were on the car before,

Rears are OK with wheels on the floor, and on a jack, not at the limit of travel and plenty of room to compress and extend

The fronts I am not too sure about, they are an the limit of extention with the car on wheels and the engine in.
To fit them I had to put some weight on the chassis to get them on.

Is this right.

I would have thought they should be about middle of travel at rest, or are they being used as a travel stop, seems extreme to me.

The Neighbour who is helping me has restored a 1953 Ford Pop, and has been with the sidevalve club for a number of years, He recons the car might have been built for hil climbs / mud plugging and the shocks are like this as spring travel limiters.


On another tak, why can one not buy anything, well most things, motor related on line without the sellers telling you what they think you should have and not what YOU want

I have the part number for the shocks that would sit centred at rest, being as the DLM has a modified front end I don't know what the original shocks came from.
But it seems that online sellers can not understand part numbers without a make of vehicle or a registartion number.

I even phoned one to be told they need the make and model to ensure I get the right part, got lost when I told him Make and model - DLM1
Registration 1UHX

[peter scott]

Hi Roger,

I assume they are telescopics. It does rather sound as if they are serving
to limit suspension travel but I wouldn't have thought they were designed to cope with such forces at the full extent of their travel. Perhaps you could weld in a new upper mounting a few inches further down so that the springs and shackles provide the travel limit rather than the shock absorbers.

Peter
_________________
http://www.nostalgiatech.co.uk
1939 SS Jaguar 2 1/2 litre saloon

[Phil - Nottingham]

I always give a recent car/modelyear that I know part will fit if poss.

It avoids a lot of problems and argumenst and you cannot force them to sell you anything

Apart from the Tick the Box culture that has taken over now in any firm with modern car stock they are obliged to sell something fit for purpose and may be liable for any claims from you and third parties if it fails -

Halfords are hopeless for selling anything that is not matched to a car/model/year and none of ours are listed now except for a few Mini bits
_________________
Rover P2
Rover P4
Rover P5 & P5B
Land Rover S2 & S3
Morris Mini Traveller Mk2

[Roger-hatchy]

Hi Peter

Yes they are telescopics, this is another mod from original Standard 9
spec.

As the vehicle will have a bit more TLC than 'lets see what it will do across country' I will be changing the shocks to ones that are central, or there abouts, with the fittings that are there, I have sourced the part number for the Monroe shocks that fit my requirements, will have to phone around tomorrow.

I said about having put some weight on the chassis to fit them, was only about half inch needed, measured the height of the front before fitting the engine, has dropped half an inch, when I lift the the front of the floor, yes it is that light, then drop it back there is about half to one inch of travel.

Hi Phil

I have got into the habit over the years, early 70 with a VW beetle rebuild, that was anything but standard as well , everytime I buy anything motor related the part number goes in the book.
Halford are only good for a laugh.
I have a couple of possible sources, but where I live it's at least a 10 mile round trip for anything.

Still life would be boreing without these little problems
OH to be bored

[Roger-hatchy]

PS to last
Ref my quip about anything but standard

Must be me an cars, just had the Volvo 850 MOT'd
Neede new brake callipers, would have done it but they were cheaper than I could source the parts.
They had problems getting them as they are not standard for that car