mgs
[Top] [All Lists]

RE: MGB Tube Shocks

To: "MG List" <mgs@autox.team.net>
Subject: RE: MGB Tube Shocks
From: Max Heim <mvheim@studiolimage.com>
Date: Fri, 6 Oct 2000 09:26:34 -0700
I would say cost was a big factor in manufacturers going to tube shocks 
originally. But consider, at the present time tube shocks have undergone 
another 30 years of development, recently using sophisticated CAD/CAM 
techniques, while lever shocks haven't improved since the '50s. I would 
be certain that modern high performance tube shocks would exhibit a 
superior response over a broader range than their mid-60s predecessors, 
and hence, over equally antiquated lever shock designs (regardless of any 
theoretical advantages of either design principle).

Countering this, it may be argued that the deficiencies of the live axle 
suspension are such that lever shocks provide near-optimal performance 
within the limitations of the design, and even expensive high performance 
tube shocks would create little real world improvement. But then, of 
course, in racing, if not on the street, that very small extra bit is 
worth paying for.

I do think Bill was spot on with his observation about "what they are 
comparing it to wasn't a brand new factory installation, but a set of 
totally thrashed, leaking Armstrongs." At least, I know I'm guilty of 
that. But where was I going to find a factory new MGB for a comparison 
test? <g>

Max (tubing it on the cheap)


Barrie Robinson had this to say:

>I am a bit puzzled about tube shocks.  If they are no better than the old
>Armstrongs why do the hot boy racers of MGs, who are after performance
>including road holding, prefer them?  There are so many of these people who
>extol their virtues as against those who do not, that it sort of says
>something does it not?  Why have Armstrongs died in the new models - cost?
>I am undecided although I am going tubes that are vertical.
>
>
>At 08:52 AM 10/5/00 -0600, Larry Hoy wrote:
>>Here, here.  I just removed my tube shocks and installed the orginal
>Armstrongs.
>>I bought rebuilt armstrongs from Moss.
>>
>>Great ride.
>>
>>Larry Hoy
>>
>>>-----Original Message-----
>>>From: owner-mgs@autox.team.net [mailto:owner-mgs@autox.team.net]On
>>>Behalf Of WSpohn4@aol.com
>>>Sent: Thursday, October 05, 2000 8:11 AM
>>>To: mgs@autox.team.net
>>>Subject: Re: MGB Tube Shocks
>>>
>>>
>>>In a message dated 10/04/00 11:16:00 PM Pacific Daylight Time,
>>>owner-mgs-digest@autox.team.net writes:
>>>
>>>> I've invested several hours in archive browsing time reviewing tube shock
>>>>  conversions. I plan to do this at some point in the future as my lever
>arm
>>>>  shocks leak badly.
>>>
>>>So what's wrong with rebuilding your Armstrongs, or buying new? Tubes offer
>>>no real improvement over them, especially for the street, they wear out
>>>sooner, and many of the front conversions would delight Rube Goldberg.
>>>
>>>And I would discount most of the reports of people that have made the
>>>conversion, if I were you. You are dealing with 2 things there. First, the
>>>guy telling you that the tubes are so great has just spent more than a few
>>>bucks doing the conversion. It just isn't human nature to expect him to say
>>>"Gee, that was sure a waste of money".
>>>
>>>Similarly, human nature for some reason precludes people, when they try the
>>>new set up and rave about how much more effective it is, from remembering
>>>that what they are comparing it to wasn't a brand new factory installation,
>>>but a set of totally thrashed, leaking Armstrongs. Hell, you could bolt a
>>>couple of those rear tailgate gas lifts in place and the guy would still be
>>>cliaming (perhaps correctly) that what he had now was better than the
>pitiful
>>>situation he had before.
>>>
>>>Bill Spohn
>>
>>
>
>
>Regards
>Barrie Robinson
>barrier@bconnex.net
>
>
>


--

Max Heim
'66 MGB GHN3L76149
If you're near Mountain View, CA,
it's the red one with the silver bootlid.


<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>