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Front Tube Shock Kit
- Thread starter Morris
- Start date
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Got pics of it installed? How many cash American dollars?
George Zeck
Jedi Warrior
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Morris -
I can come what little hair I have with those. They're pretty. Looking forward to the project.
Tx-
George Zeck
I can come what little hair I have with those. They're pretty. Looking forward to the project.
Tx-
George Zeck
OP
Morris
Yoda
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Finally got around to doing the math on materials expenses. It looks like the kit will cost $170. The shocks the kit uses run $17-$25 a piece. Shipping is $10.40. So the total price for front tube shocks is $230.00. That's a durn site cheaper than any other front tube shock set up I have seen. :wink:
R
RonMacPherson
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Re: Pictures at last!
Query, the shock mounting bolts, I hope, are high strength... Mazda went to a single bolt through on their latest batch on the rear.. Which by itself is an engineering faux pax, referencing Carroll Smith's books... But found out that Mazda is using a special(supposedly super hardened) bolt.. But it needs to be not too brittle or it may snap.
Alternative way would be to fabricate some sort of ushaped bracket that would cover both sides of the shock throughbolt.. That would spread the loads better than through the shock mounting bolt.
Query, the shock mounting bolts, I hope, are high strength... Mazda went to a single bolt through on their latest batch on the rear.. Which by itself is an engineering faux pax, referencing Carroll Smith's books... But found out that Mazda is using a special(supposedly super hardened) bolt.. But it needs to be not too brittle or it may snap.
Alternative way would be to fabricate some sort of ushaped bracket that would cover both sides of the shock throughbolt.. That would spread the loads better than through the shock mounting bolt.
davester
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Re: Pictures at last!
What exactly is the advantage of using this kit? My understanding is that the most significant weakness of the spridget front suspension is the lack of upper arm triangulation and the bad camber angle. My intention is not to rain on your parade Morris, but this kit doesn't appear to rectify either of those so I wonder why one would want to install it.
What exactly is the advantage of using this kit? My understanding is that the most significant weakness of the spridget front suspension is the lack of upper arm triangulation and the bad camber angle. My intention is not to rain on your parade Morris, but this kit doesn't appear to rectify either of those so I wonder why one would want to install it.
OP
Morris
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Re: Pictures at last!
The shock mounting bolts are M12x1.75 grade 10.9. I have driven over 10,000 miles on this set up and the bolts show no signs of fatigue or wear.
The advantage of this kit is that the tube shocks improve the handling of the car. It is much stiffer in corners and smoother on the highway. I have tube shocks on all four corners and I love the way my car performs. Previously I had non-rebuilt lever shocks that where in good condition. The difference in handling and ride is night and day. I found the ride and handling with lever shocks to be sloppy at best.
Whether tube shocks are better than a good rebuilt stock damper is a point of extreme contention. I prefer the feel of tube shocks over the lever shocks. Many people feel strongly that the stock levers are superior. But very many people believe that their car will be improved by upgrading to tube shocks. My kit is intended to serve those people without bankrupting them.
As for upper link triangulation and camber, I am working on that problem as well. But it is going to be some time before I crack that nut. It's easy enough to manufacture a new upper link. The challenge is manufacturing it in such a way that it will be affordable to the average Spridgetteer. I think many of us would like to install the Frontline kit, or something like it, but the price tag is too $$$.
As for supposed "engineering faux pas"... if you are bothered by them, I recommend you stay away from Spridgets. :wink:
The shock mounting bolts are M12x1.75 grade 10.9. I have driven over 10,000 miles on this set up and the bolts show no signs of fatigue or wear.
The advantage of this kit is that the tube shocks improve the handling of the car. It is much stiffer in corners and smoother on the highway. I have tube shocks on all four corners and I love the way my car performs. Previously I had non-rebuilt lever shocks that where in good condition. The difference in handling and ride is night and day. I found the ride and handling with lever shocks to be sloppy at best.
Whether tube shocks are better than a good rebuilt stock damper is a point of extreme contention. I prefer the feel of tube shocks over the lever shocks. Many people feel strongly that the stock levers are superior. But very many people believe that their car will be improved by upgrading to tube shocks. My kit is intended to serve those people without bankrupting them.
As for upper link triangulation and camber, I am working on that problem as well. But it is going to be some time before I crack that nut. It's easy enough to manufacture a new upper link. The challenge is manufacturing it in such a way that it will be affordable to the average Spridgetteer. I think many of us would like to install the Frontline kit, or something like it, but the price tag is too $$$.
As for supposed "engineering faux pas"... if you are bothered by them, I recommend you stay away from Spridgets. :wink:
R
RonMacPherson
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Re: Pictures at last!
Stay away from them??
I have a driver 6 and two project 6's...
Stay away from them??
I have a driver 6 and two project 6's...
Scott_Hower
Luke Skywalker
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Re: Pictures at last!
Smith would never sanction any suspension component mounted in single shear.
The stuff held in tension looks good to me.
RonMacPherson said:
Smith would never sanction any suspension component mounted in single shear.
The stuff held in tension looks good to me.