>
> >A couple questions about shocks:
> >
> >1) can lever shocks (79 Midget) be refilled or should they be replaced?
>
>
> >2) if they can be refilled, is it worth it (the stuff obviously leaked out
> >once...)?
>
>
> You can try refilling them, though, and it's fairly simple
> and cheap. Be sure you don't use motor oil; it will slowly
> dissolve the inner seals and make your shocks leak. Use either
> motorcycle fork oil or Armstrong lever shock damper fluid,
> which we just discussed here recently -- it's available from
> many of the usual mail order sources.
The motorcycle shop I went to said the stuff was safe for British
motorcycles. He had the stuff from 2.5 to 30 weight. I'm an
autocross freak, so guess which weight I bought.
> >4) How do you refill them?
>
> You can refill the fronts on the car. Let's see, on the Midget
> it's that big nut just inside the fender liner. Pull this off
> and be careful -- the little spring inside it is the valve, the
> part that makes the shock work. Don't lose that part! Pour
> in a small portion of your newly acquired shock fluid and move
> the car up and down to work the piston back and forth inside
> the shock. I've had good success by filling the shock to the
> top of its orifice, then slowly pushing the valve into place
> to keep from displacing too much fluid. It's been a long time,
> though, and I've had MGBs for a while -- they're different.
>
Look, there is a reservoir on the top of the shock. It has a 5/16
Whitworth (actually 5/16-22 British Standard Fine) bolt for a plug.
The bolt runs horizontal, so you need a bit of small tubing to fill
the reservoir. See discussion elsewhere on the Whitworth wrenches. I
have ordered one from Moss now for $6.50.
--
Login name: phile In real life: Philip J Ethier
Phone: 298-5324
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