I doubt if it is worth it, even for an autocrosser. The basic idea is that,
with the standard shock and mounting, the main body of the shock (which
constitutes most of the weight of the shock) is attached to the A-arm. This
makes it mostly unsprung weight, reduced almost 50% by the motion ratio of the
A-arm. Mounting it upside down makes that weight sprung weight.
The front shocks on a roadster could be easily reversed since the mounting is
the same at both ends. The rears are another matter. The bottom mount is a
stud, but the top mount is a ring. So you'd have to modify both mounts on the
frame and spring shock mount plate to do it. If you're going to go that far,
why not just get a set of Penske remote-reservoir shocks?
I think the only way to know if a shock can be mounted upside down is to
contact the manufacturer.
A shock only weighs a couple of pounds. You can get more improvement by
choosing lighter wheels, since the wheel is 100% unsprung weight.
Gordon Glasgow
-----Original Message-----
From: Tim [mailto:tputland@charter.net]
Sent: Thursday, April 16, 2009 4:34 AM
To: 'steven boortz'; Gordon Glasgow; 'roadsters'
Subject: Re: [Roadsters] upside down front shocks--is it worth it?
Is there and easy way to determine if the new shocks can be mounted upside
down? Or for a car that most likely will never be autocrossed (at least not in
the forseeable future), is it even worth it to do this with the shocks?
Thanks
Tim
Belleville, WI.
'70 SPL AND SRL
Still clueless but always learning
---- Gordon Glasgow <gsglasgow@comcast.net> wrote:
=============
A very small reduction in unsprung weight, but not all shocks are designed
such that they can be mounted upside-down.
Gordon Glasgow
-----Original Message-----
From: datsun-roadsters-bounces@autox.team.net
[mailto:datsun-roadsters-bounces@autox.team.net] On Behalf Of steven boortz
Sent: Wednesday, April 15, 2009 9:58 PM
To: roadsters
Subject: [Roadsters] "old racing tricks" - upside down front shocks
hi everyone
i'm ready to install new shocks in the front. i heard someone once say that
installing the front shocks upside-down was an old racing trick. is it?
why?
thanks in advance
steve
675MIZU
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