What? I think I missed something. What’s the science behind replacing the shocks to better protect the chassis? I always thought you guys got fancy new shocks just to tear up the tarmac.

If something rides smoother it stands to reason that the less jarring the longer the frame might last and fewer rattles and things falling off while traveling down the road.

The theory I have heard is that the original Spax non-adjustable shock absorbers do not rebound quickly enough after the car hits a bump. When the car hits a number of bumps close together, the rebound to standard ride height gets less and less. In certain circumstances, say hitting even more bumps one after another, the damper rod bottoms and all the shock loading is transferred to the chassis.


Tony

thanks for the clarification, so has everyone thats fitted adjustable shocks set them on less rebound damping than the originals? How do you know it’s working?
Sorry for the dumb questions but I’m no suspension expert.

Hmmm... I'm no suspension expert, but I can't see how a spring would just compress more and more just because of poor rebound characteristics of a shock absorber! But I may be wrong - any examples of this behavior?

As for the chassis cracks my main theory was that it was the starting torque generated by the engine going from zero to 100ft/lb of torque at the start. I watched the start from the outside while testing something and was absolutely appalled at the amount of movement that the engine was going through as it was trying to leave the building. The added brace was a nice thought but it just couldn't stop those forces from cracking the chassis where it did. I would expect chassis cracks all over due to driving stresses but most of the faults have been where the motor mounts are placed which would lend some credence to my crazy idea.

It's an opinion.

do we know for a fact that the 2014 chassis steel or manufacturing process is different? thicker or different (percentage of carbon say) from the 2012-2013? Or is it simply a new front K welded into the same old chassis?

Ask Morgan for written clarification......

The chassis were originally S235 steel tube 2 mm wall thickness, changed in 2014 to ERW S355 steel tube 2.03mm wall.

this is really interesting:

https://www.azom.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=6022