After draining from both sides, I flush them out with Kerosene (UK
Paraffin).
I remove the
large nut at the inside top, remove the valve, spring and shims etc.
I also remove the small (1/2" I think) bolt in the 'knob' at the outside
top. Drain one side at a time then flush. If you haven't done this
before don't be too shocked (!) by the hugh amount of tiny alloy
particulates suspended in the oil.
Now fill the outer part first with fork oil or ATF and replace bolt.
With the lever arm tilting slightly downwards (held in a vice is ideal)
add a little oil at a time to the large hole that the valve sits usually
sits
in. Move the lever arm up and down *very* slowly. Use the full travel.
Keep adding oil until you can't add any more and no bubbles are
visible. Straighten up the shocks, replace the valves and associated
bits (wrap a rag around the shock to catch the overflow). Replace
and tighten the large nut.
With the shock level, top up the outer section again untiloil dribbles
out the bolt hole and replace the bolt.
If the shocks aren't chronic leakers, and don't have any play in the lever
arm shaft (where the lever arm attaches to the body), then they will be
almost as good as new.
For simplicity, Auto Trans Fluid is for all practical purposes, identical to
Armstrong lever arm damper oil. If you would like them stiffer, you can
use motorcycle fork oil at 30wt or even 40wt. Be warned that 40wt will
almost certainly cause leaking around the shaft by they will be stiffer!
The 40wt will probably also cause faster internal wear. Remember that unlike
modern telescopic shocks, there are no blowoff valves and the like in
a lever arm shock. The stiff oil results in proportionally higher internal
loads
and the shocks aren't all that wondrous to start with. However, if it isn't
your daily driver, the roads are really rough, then it probably won't make
any practical difference.
Mike
-----Original Message-----
From: Ulix Goettsch <ulix@u.washington.edu>
To: Evangelos G. Makris <emakris@hol.gr>
Cc: spridgets@autox.team.net <spridgets@autox.team.net>
Date: Wednesday, June 03, 1998 7:06 AM
Subject: Re: servicing lever dampers
>You can refill and bleed them. I prefer to do this with the damper off
>the car, at least teh first time, but I think others do it with the
>dampers on the car.
>
>
>Ulix
>On Tue, 2 Jun 1998, Evangelos G. Makris wrote:
>
>> Can the front lever dampers be "serviced" by the owner in any way?
>>
>> I remember someone suggested using motorcycle damper oil,
>> but...how and where?
>>
>> Evangelos
>> 66 HAN8
>>
>
> Ulix __/__,__
>.......................................................... (_o____o_)....
> '67 Sprite
>
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