[TR] TR3 Rear Shock Absorbers

[Randall]

> So, I'm interested to hear what others think on this
> topic.  Are TR3's too stiff, or not stiff enough?  

Big complicated topic, IMO.  First of all, there are many different kinds of
'stiffness'; for example friction between the leaves is not the same as high
spring rate, which is not the same as damping rate from the shocks.

IMO, anything you can do to reduce friction in the spring is good.  I've
even tried putting bearing needles between the leaves (which I understand
was an old hot rodder's trick from the 40's) which I felt worked very well
until the needles fell back out.  If I ever have the project TR3's springs
off the car, I plan to try putting Teflon between the leaves for the same
reason.

Might be that if you get rid of enough friction; it will need more damping
than stock.  Mine was definitely a bit bouncy with the needles, but the 20
weight fork oil in the shocks seemed adequate at the time (or maybe it was
because the needles fell out before I made another decision).

The stock spring rate seems pretty good; although here again a little more
rate wouldn't be a bad thing once the friction is reduced.

On the TR3A, I wanted more rear roll stiffness so I installed a rear sway
bar (in combination with a front bar, of course).  I wanted to eliminate
that sudden transition from understeer to severe oversteer, when the axle
hits the frame on the inside. (This is the part that Car & Driver referred
to as "Throwing up its hands and bumbling off backwards".)  But it does
definitely depend on where and how you drive; the extra roll stiffness does
increase wheelspin in hard turns which is a big no-no on the track.  The
only time I had the TR3A on the track, loosening the rear bar and cranking
down hard on the front knocked most of a second off my third run (of course
increasing experience might have had something to do with that as well).

So my suggestion is to put it together stock first, and then see which area
needs improvement for your driving habits.  If any.

-- Randall