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Bump stop front

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AUSMHLY

AUSMHLY

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Hi all. 64BJ8.
Attached is a photo of my front bump stop. Both the left and right ones have tears in them. About 1/2" maybe?

How/why does this happen?
Hitting the spring?
Something out of alignment or in need of repair that makes this happen?
Should I be concerned?
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif Roger
 
Can't tell exactly from the pic. They do get some wear & tear. Depends on how hard you hit bottom & how often. Are they old and or brittle. I have some very old ones that take a lot of bumping, front is lowered a bit, but they show no signs of distress.

They should be pretty well centered in the springs when the springs are loaded. In the pic it appears that the suspension is not loaded. As it is loaded, the stops should come more into alignment with the spring centers. If your shocks weren't good there would be more wear & tear on the stops.
D
 
Hi Roger, would you believe you got bad springs!. OH check the front shokkies too---Keoke--- /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Hi Dave. They look sorta new. Both have a gash in them. Assuming from the spring hitting in the same place all the time? What's that all about. Yes in the photo they are not centered, for I have the car on jacks, which is why they look tilted. Good eye.

Keoke, I trust the front shocks are good. Healey Surgeons put rebuilt ones in, when I had the PO bring them the car to check out. PO just had the front shocks rebuilt by Apple, and Healey Surgeons didn't like the work. Advised me to have them replace them. So I did, trusting them. Being I am the new owner, the shocks have less than 200 miles.

That would leave the springs as maybe bad? How do I tell if they are bad?

And just for fun, I do I tell if the fronts shocks (really)are good.
Roger
 
PO just had the front shocks rebuilt by Apple.Like I said Roger, check the Shokkies too! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif. Best thing I know when old springs are suspected to be bad is to replace with new.---Keoke
 
[ QUOTE ]

PO justr had the front shocks rebuilt by Apple.Like I said Roger, check the Shokkies too!--- /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

My bad, what are shokkies? It's a learn as I go.
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

PO justr had the front shocks rebuilt by Apple.Like I said Roger, check the Shokkies too!--- /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

My bad, what are shokkies? It's a learn as I go.

[/ QUOTE ]

Them things from the Apple orchard Bruce didn't like.-- /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Hi Roger,
If the springs are reasonably good, there should be about two inches of clearance between the top of the rubber bumpers & their upper contact surface. This clearace will give about four inches of compression travel at the wheel. Plus, it's ok for the bumpers to hit once in a while which would give an additional inch of compression travel.

At the same time, I would expect about one inch of clearance between the lower side of the shock arm & it's rebound bumper below it. This would give about two inches of rebound travel at the wheel.

Measure this compression distance (clearance) after the jacks are lowered & the car rolled forward or back a bit. If it is just lowered, the wheels will be in a bind & the suspension will not be in it's normal position.

I still don't know what to make of the pic. Are the bumpers securely mounted to the lower spring seat. It almost looks like the rubber was damaged previously by some kind of tool. Some strange pry bar or spring compressor. I've seen some pretty well pounded bumpers that didn't have cuts or gouges in them.

I think I might try replacing the rubber bumpers & try it for a while. See if it happens again. Especially if the above measurments are within a half inch either way. My car is lowered a bit in front, has about 2.5 inches of compression travel, & the 40 year old rubber bumpers aren't even marked. I just use them as part of the suspension.

As has been said, good compression damping in the shocks will do a lot to ease the strain on the rubber bumpers. I don't know how to describe the correct feel for good shocks. I do know it is a lot stiffer than a person would suspect. I thought my old shocks were pretty stiff, but the rebuilt ones were about three times as stiff. It's just downright hard to move the front bumper either up or down quickly. Certainly can't bounce it at all. Maybe Peter at NOS Imports can better describe how they should feel.
D
 
Hi (again) Roger,

Did you attend the LBC show in Hayward, CA a few weeks ago? If so, then we were parked next to each other (Red/Black Healey 3000 Mark II).

Your BJ-8 is definitely a beautiful example and very correct in many regards. However, the car’s ride height did appear to be noticeably lower in the front, even for a Healey, and being lowered could have limited suspension travel and allow the bump stop(s) (left and right?) to make contact with something like the upper mount more often than usual. This also stresses the shocks since they are now doing double duty compensating for the springs. Aside from the bump stops are there obvious signs of rubbing or contact with the upper mount? Perhaps the lowered spring, when in full compression, manages to pinch then split the bumper stop.

The lowered look is visually attractive since the fender gaps are nicely filled, but it could result in something less that a desirable ride. GONZO
 
Hi Neighbor, Gonzo

I wish I was at the show. No, my car is currently sitting up on 4 jack stands in my garage. I finally got it out of the body shop, who had it 19 months. It's now been in my garage the last month and a half. I work on it every night after work and full days Sat and Sun. If all goes well, I'd be happy to drive it in August. We should meet, being your so close to San Leandro. Cheers, Roger
 
Ummm.. how can I say this? Healey Surgeons would have given the car good shox, shokkies? shockers... lever shocks. Peter C.
 
Bruce musta gotten them off of a MGB then Peter,---Keoke /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/devilgrin.gif
 
Hi Roger,
Okay, recall your trials and tribulations with the body/paint shop and sympathized with your frustrations back then. Now that you have the car, I’m glad to learn that you’re making good progress. I could definitely help you along where I can. Let’s plan to exchange contact information through PM to make arrangements OKay? I’m presently working to help revive a neighbor’s very original and well preserved BJ-8 and it won’t be long before it’s on the road. Perhaps we could both lend a hand. Whatdayasay to that? GONZO
 
Hi Gonzo,
Always happy to help others.
Speaking of small world. I was at San Leandro Radiator today and the owner told me that another guy just picked up his Austin Healey radiator. Wonder if it was your friends?
Cheers, Roger
 
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