Thursday 17 May 2007

DHC Front suspension upgrade

Today I reassembled the front struts for the DHC. For this I mostly used parts I had lying around, such as the struts off course, springs, Koni dampers, and some new parts;


As the original top "bearing" is rather nonexistent and prone to excessive wear I opted for the Ford Sierra strut-top-bearing conversion (I could have opted for the same solution as used under 't Kreng but I just wanted to keep it simple for the DHC). To do this properly you have to machine a recess in the top cones so that the bearing sits inside rather then under the cone. Which looks like this on the drawing board;


And like this in real life;


After the machining was done it was time to reassemble the struts. It's important to put them securely in a vice, this makes it all so much easier. Off course spring compressors are a must as is a vice-grip to prevent the damper rod to (slowly) move down. Adjust the vice-grip so that it just doesn't touch the damper rod, put some cardboard around the rod and clamp it with a vice-grip;


The rest is fairly straightforward, although the gaiters did give a little bit off a struggle when I tried to get them over the strut tubes;


Next thing to do is put the (old and by now reconditioned) brake calipers on the struts and put everything under the car. But I'll first switch my attention to 't Kreng, as she has to be ready for La Carrera Caledonia in the first weekend off June.

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