----- Original Message -----
From: "Alan" <asalvato@tampabay.rr.com>
To: "Robert M. Lang" <lang@isis.mit.edu>
Sent: Wednesday, January 22, 2003 11:52 AM
Subject: Re: front end rebuild
> My car has had these unknown stock type shocks on it when I bought it with
> unknown mileage; and have traveled another 30,000 + miles. Still work
fine.
> If you have a need for $200 shocks, thats fine.
> I'll probably still buy the stock type.
> Its whatever floats your boat.
> Cheers
> Al Salvatroe
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Robert M. Lang" <lang@isis.mit.edu>
> To: "Alan" <asalvato@tampabay.rr.com>
> Cc: "Bob Fabie" <RFabie@erols.com>; "6pack" <6pack@autox.team.net>
> Sent: Wednesday, January 22, 2003 10:48 AM
> Subject: Re: front end rebuild
>
>
> > On Tue, 21 Jan 2003, Alan wrote:
> >
> > > I had called TRF awhile ago to inquire about shocks and whoever I was
> > > talking to said that the Koni's were really over kill, because the
> front
> > > end doens't weigh that much.
> >
> > ????
> >
> > I don't get this at all. First off, on a stock TR6, the front comes in
at
> > over 700 pounds per corner. While not extremely heavy it's not light
> > either. But the SPRINGS are what controls weight transfer. The shocks
are
> > there to dampen the harmonic motion in the spring (gross understatement
of
> > basic physics).
> >
> > But there are two things about the Konis that are good. First off, many
> > Konis are rebuildable. This is a really good thing, because shocks do a
> > lot of work and they wear out either from just plain wear or from lack
of
> > use... but they do wear out. With you $200 Koni pair of shocks, you send
> > 'em in (with some $$$) and you get to re-use them. With your brand-x
> > shocks, this is not always the case.
> >
> > But the other thing about the shocks is this - if you want performance,
> > you start with tires. The idea is get the best rubber you can. The next
> > step is the shocks. Shocks are instrumental in keeping the rubber on the
> > road and thus improve the handling. In fact, shock technology is so far
> > advanced now that race teams have shock dynos and the run all the shocks
> > (teams carry multiple spares at the professional level) through the dyno
> > so they know _exactly_ how they perform. Shocks are crucial to handling.
> >
> > Bottom line - if you buy $80 shocks, you get $80 shocks. If you buy Koni
> > (or Carerra or other higher end (like Penske)) shocks, you really do get
> > what you pay for and then some. I understand budgets as well as the next
> > guy, but it always amazes me that someone will spend $xxxx on a _paint
> > job_ and then make up for the outlay by putting $xx shocks on a car.
> >
> > Oh well.
> >
> > > The front shocks are still one of the few things I haven't replaced.
> They
> > > are blue but there is no name on them.
> >
> > They could be replacements (like Monroe) r they could be stock. It seems
> > to me that the originals were blue in the two TR6's that I had access to
> > way back when (but I could be off base).
> >
> > > The car originaly had 2 or 3 shims in the front, but after I wore out
a
> set
> > > of tires after 1st acquiring the car, I had the front end aligned and
it
> > > required a couple more shims to streighten things out.
> >
> > The frames on these cars can twist pretty easily - there's no golden
rule
> > on how many shims you should have. Get the car on a rack and get it
> > aligned. If you wind up with 3 shims on one side and none on the other,
so
> > be it. However, chances are pretty good that if one side needs no shims
> > that the frame has been tweaked sometime in the car's past.
> >
> > > Bob, do you know what the KYB part # was?
> >
> > I don't have a clue, but I'm probably not the "Bob" you're addressing
> > here.
> >
> > :-)
> >
> > > Al Salvatore
> > > 76tr6
> >
> > C ya,
> > rml
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------
> ----
> > Bob Lang Room N42-140Q | This space for rent
> > Consultant MIT unix-vms-help |
> > Voice:617-253-7438 FAX: 617-258-9535 |
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------
> ----
|