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RE: TR6 rear shocks: lever or tube?

To: "Robert J Carley" <rcarley@uoguelph.ca>, <triumphs@autox.team.net>
Subject: RE: TR6 rear shocks: lever or tube?
From: "Gene Garrison" <gene@garrison-grafixx.com>
Date: Tue, 25 Jan 2000 20:23:24 -0800charset="iso-8859-1"
Importance: Normal
Robert -

This may not be a problem for you so this may not help, but here's my story.

For the first few years I had my '73, I had a vibration between 50-55 MPH.
Felt like the whole car was bouncing up and down, not just coming thru the
steering or whatever.  Did everything I could think of; wheel balancing,
alignments, etc.  New/stiffer rear springs.  The rear (lever) shocks were in
good shape; I bought "real" lever shock fluid for them and that made no
difference.

Finally, based on a recommendation from somewhere, I did a tube shock
conversion.  Reduced the problem down to something barely noticeable.

The idea is that the lever system always has some amount of "play".  That
is, you can always move the suspension up and down some distance without the
shocks resisting, because you're compressing the fluid in different
directions.  Tube shocks, because there's no "leverage", have much less
play.

Anyway.  The final trace of vibration finally went away last year when I got
rid of the wobbly steel wheels and put on Panasports.  Which may have solved
the whole problem in the first place.  Except that I couldn't afford them 10
years ago.

I guess I should put the levers back on and see how they do now?  Hmmmm...
I've got a free half day this weekend!

- GeneG

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-triumphs@autox.team.net
[mailto:owner-triumphs@autox.team.net]On Behalf Of Robert J Carley
Sent: Tuesday, January 25, 2000 6:20 AM
To: triumphs@autox.team.net
Subject: TR6 rear shocks: lever or tube?




Could someone explain the benefit of converting a TR6 from lever arm
shocks to tube shocks at the rear?

My rear shocks are strong, and I have used slightly heavier oil in them.
There is no bounce in the rear of the car, nor is there any pronounced sag
on acceleration. i.e., if you push down on the rear of the car, the body
only slightly goes down, and then immmediately returns to normal.

I have heard people state that the tube shock conversion gives better
cornering, but is this in comparison to a TR6 that has poor lever shocks?

Is the conversion that much better than lever shocks in good shape?

I am looking at ways of making my 6 corner better.  If I don't have much
power (standard engine), at least I should have fun in the corners.

I have stock springs (excellent), all nylon\poly bushings front and rear,
spax shocks (non-adjustable) on front, stock front sway bar, and Pirelli
tires on KN minilite replica wheels.

Also, would stiffer/lower springs help that much?

Robert Carley
Ontario, Canada
73 TR6






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