Front dampers

[nicbowman]

Hi All, nearly got my 92 4.3 back on the road, front suspension bushes were shot. Just fiddling with the original Koni damping setting and noticed that one front damper is knackered. Now, I'm not tight, but I have not even got to drive it yet (only got it in Nov), and I would like to get it together in origianl form and have a go before I start spending big money. So here's the rub, any one got an original front Koni going begging? Small donations available, etc.

Cheers.

Otherwise, its let's replace all at the same time, £1000 bill! Help, the mrs is watching!

[GreenV8S]

£1000 will get you a set of very nice dampers, but you don't have to spend that much. Have a look at the prices for Protech, Gaz etc.

[nicbowman]

Cheers, you are right, £540 all in for Gaz. Now that's cooking. Excuse the poor pun. I have an offer of a new 'old' koni, so might do that. I still want to know if I need to do the steering rack, rear suspension bushes, etc. Cash is not an issue per se, but it comes to value sometimes? It's not what you can afford, it's how much value you attach to it. Or am I alone in thinking that?

[GreenV8S]

The old dampers are all well worn by now so it would be a very bad idea to only replace some of them. One new damper with three old ones is a lot worse than four old dampers.

Edited because apparently your car only has four dampers.

>> Edited by GreenV8S on Saturday 25th February 21:13

[the gazman]

GreenV8S said:

The old dampers are all well worn by now so it would be a very bad idea to only replace some of them. One new damper with four old ones is a lot worse than four old dampers.

[BIG DUNC]

Hi Nick,
I have a '92 4.0 which I assume will have the same front dampers. I was going to change them in the near future because they will be off the car anyway for other work, and as I expect the dampers are original it seems like a good time to change them. However, I believe they are in good condition apart from the fact they are getting on a bit. You can have the matched pair for a small donation, but you will have to wait a couple of weeks as they are still on the car and I am very busy at present. Let me know if this is of interest.

[GreenV8S]

Fourteen year old dampers, do they have any oil left in them at all?

[BIG DUNC]

Thats why I thought that since I was taking them off anyway, I would put new ones back.
I have loads of history / reciepts etc that came with the car, but cannot find one relating to front dampers.
They are not leaking oil, and it feels OK on the road. Having said that, I will be disapointed if I don't feel an improvement with news ones....

[nicbowman]

The konis are adjustable, if you take them off the car, remove the spring, undo the top and remove the bump stop, replace the top, push the slider right down, engage and twist! Friendly on-car adjustment. I think I will invest in some new all round, sod the expense!

Nic

[GreenV8S]

nicbowman said:

The konis are adjustable, if you take them off the car, remove the spring, undo the top and remove the bump stop, replace the top, push the slider right down, engage and twist! Friendly on-car adjustment. I think I will invest in some new all round, sod the expense! Nic

Yeah, real friendly isn't it! I think if you stiffen them up to try to compensate for knackered fluid and air bubbles etc then you will suffer a significant loss of ride quality for a relatively small improvement in damping - that's my experience anyway. If they're knackered they're knackered, it isn't just a matter of winding them up a bit to compensate for them 'going soft'.