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TR-3A: Shimmy at 50 MPH. Bad shocks?

To: triumphs@autox.team.net
Subject: TR-3A: Shimmy at 50 MPH. Bad shocks?
From: John Cowan <jfcowan@earthlink.net>
Date: Mon, 16 Aug 1999 09:13:41 -0700
   My '60 TR-3A has developed an increasingly annoying shimmy at about 50
MPH which has now reached the point of feeling unsafe.  It's not so
noticeable when driving more slowly and diminishes again as speed
approaches 60 MPH.  This is happening despite the fact I recently replaced
the tie rod ends, had the front end aligned and had the front bearings
relubricated. 
   A friend suggested the problem might be bad shocks.  This is certainly a
possibility since the car sat for 28 years until 1995 and I don't remember
replacing them when I was first driving it.  Other symptoms are consistent
with this hypothesis.  The car dives to the outside on sharp turns.  And
when I push on the right front fender, it rebounds up, down and up to a
stop.  The left rebounds up and down to a stop.  
   I plan to add a sway bar sometime and would like to choose shocks that
are higher than average performance, but don't necessarily want to spend
$115 each for Konis.  Any recommendations?
   If I have this work done, I'd like to take it to a suspension shop
rather than the local LBC mechanics.  I'd order the rubber bushings and the
lock tabs myself.  This seems prudent enough, since the work isn't overly
complicated.
   Any comments or suggestions would be appreciated.
   Thanks.
John Cowan

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