Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Morgan Three Wheeler & Super 3 Upgrading to Empire Racing Front Suspension

Paul, good afternoon.

That was quite an update!

Just to be sure I'm on the same page as you with your part verbiage, wishbones, are these what I might call the upper and lower A-arms?

So are these parts all about the bump steer correction issues?

Quite right Dan, the Empire Racing kit completely replaces the upper wishbone or 'A' arm. The reason for this is to incorporate a billet aluminium bracket, firmly mounted to the original brackets with a bracing bar down to an engine mount. These will push the pivot point of the 'A' arm outwards, so it lines up with the steering knuckle and bottom pivot points, so that all three components, the top and bottom 'A' arms and the steering tie rods, will all describe the same arc when the suspension goes up and down. Allied to a spacer, similar to the one Morgan are now making, means this will then eliminate all the bump steer. A big, but..... because the angle of the upright, when taken to the ground does not bisect the tyre, there is still deflection of the stub axle when the wheel hits a bump, pothole or ridge in the road. This is felt as a very slight movement through the steering wheel, and is more akin to what some journalist might describe as the steering "talking" to the driver. I was originally a little disappointed to have any movement through the wheel at all, but once I realised it was not bump steer and in no way as violent, I actually quite like it now, and I do love going through the odd [shallow] pothole, of which we in England have more than our fair share, just so I can see the suspension working and not feel it at the wheel.

thanks Paul!

Now just what shock to finish off this fine machine with

Spax Adjustable?
Simplex Adjustable?

or ???

wish there were Ohlin's

Simple, Simplex is the Pass and Suplex are the shock absorbers...............

Ohlins & Konis etc; it takes time and effort to tune dampers & springs for all new vehicles, more so for a three wheeler with no rear roll stiffness. The MD of SUPLEX and I as a consultant to SUPLEX, both own and love Morgans so we put a lot of our own time & miles into these products, for the love of the marque. Ohlins and Koni and of course Spax could also spend the time setting up damping rates and spring rates to suit, but volumes are low of course.
The dampers SUPLEX supply for the M3W are monotubes with the adjustment down the damper rod to actually adjust the valving in bump & rebound, not a twin tube adjustable with a bleed needle past the valve for 'adjustment'. Indeed it would be great to get Koni and Ohlin & others to do some development work, time will tell I guess.
I have driven Paul's modified M3W with the Empire kit, indeed it makes a big improvement on bump steer, but with decent dampers and rising rate springs it will be fantastic!
Cheers PJB.

I had a phone call from Bill at Empire Racing a couple of days ago to say that the first complete kit is ready, and I have to say it looks good. I finally managed to liberate my original parts from him and get them back on my car today, so at last it is complete and ready to go.

As a matter of interest, I thought I would see what happened if I just fitted the riser to one side, with the standard upper and lower wishbones, whilst the other side had the full correction kit and it really was most interesting.

Bill was adamant that the riser on its' own didn't completely fix the geometry, and he was right. I stood on the front of the chassis and bounced the car up and down, and what the riser does, and this is what Morgans kit will do too, is to minimise the toe changes when the suspension moves, but there is still a lot of camber change, whilst the side with the complete kit fitted did not move, the wheel stayed dead upright and straight ahead, no matter how hard I jumped up and down!

I'll be sending a letter out to all those who have ordered a kit sometime next week, I'm just waiting for Bills bank details for payment, and sorting out costs of delivery. If anyone else is interested, a few spare kits have been made, so don't hesitate to get back to me via TM PM.

any pics of the entire kit fitted. curious to see how it looks on the car.

B

PM with pictures sent Blake.

Hi Paul,

any pictures for the new bits?
Powered coated bits?

As soon as I get some time, [ie in the next couple of days] I will send a batch of pictures around to everyone. If anyone who hasn't already contacted me wants to see what is in the kit, and how it looks fitted, please send me a TM pm and I'll be glad to add you to my list. If you are expecting a picture and haven't had one by the weekend, don't hesitate to pm me and I'll get it out to you [with apologies].