Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Classic Morgans (pre-CX) shimmie city - is this common ?

Same 61 DHC that I have been working on lately.

The front end seems to be in reasonably good shape, but on occasion ( three times now ) if a small or large road irregularity is hit with one wheel the car goes onto indescribable gyrations. The first time it happened to me I thought that my world was coming to an end under a semi-trailer.

The brakes are completely serviced with new rotors and pads and it still does its thing. The shocks are nearly new Spax units and the wire wheels are nice and tight.

I see that there are stabilizer bars on the market that fit between the tops of the pillars and the frame but I am not familiar with their effectiveness. I am also considering the installation of a horizontal steering damper, but haven't yet taken the time to identify the size needed.

Any suggestions or anecdotes would be appreciated.

Jack

It is sometimes raised as an issue but I haven't experienced it.
This website
http://www.gomog.com/allmorgan/front.htm

maybe can help on the front wheel shimmie.

The brake reaction bars you mention are there to reduce the cross tube flexing fore/aft under hard braking, so won't help with the shimmy. From my limited experience, this sounds like wear on the inner end of the damper blades. When the wheel hits a bump, and compresses the spring applies a twisting force as it compresses. The damper blades are there to damp this motion, so any wear will cause shimmy.

It could also be worn bushes in the sliding front suspension.
My '76 sufered with this , on and off, for a few years. Eventually, after a couple of suspension rebuilds it was found to be cracks in the chassis, plus there was growing rust between the chassis legs and the gusset plates welded to the chassis just near the front of the firewall.

"St Morgan's Dance" can stem from a variety of faults - fitting brake reaction bars, as Dave W rightly says, will NOT cure it!

Cheers,

I don't know if this comment helps Jack, as I only have this one experience.
On Buckinghamshire's Pothole Stricken rough old roads the New Roadster with its extra wide rims will put on a wobble requiring a tight grip on the Steering Wheel. When on my own I usually slacken my grip and let it wobble but SWMBO would not like to see that happening. She has'nt driven it much yet as the Clutch is too heavy (she says)

Thanks for all of the input folks !

By "wear of the blades" do you mean wear of/on the blades themselves and/or the sleeve through which they pass?

Jack

The bloke that imported my 87 4/4 (prior selling it to me) fitted a steering damper, removed the shim plates (damper blades) and installed Mogsport thrust races under the coil springs. He also installed telescopic rear shocks (as per another discussion).
All these alterations were claimed to improve handling and comfort on Aussie roads (not the best). He does this with all traditional Morgans he brings over to Aus.

Seems to work well, Have no shimmy problems even when more than one wheel is off the ground.
We also had to fit side intrusion bars in the doors???for RTA standards. We can not import any cars manufactured after 1 Jan 1989. Even new traditional Morgans fail compliance to ADR (Australian Design Rule) therefore all new Morgans imported are Aeros at present.

G'day David,
I know where you are coming from with regard to ADR's, I spent 2 months trying to unravel all the nity gritty of the RTA and ADR's.So I decided not to import a car, but buy locally if possible.
To overcome the intrusion bars point, I discovered at a "to late point", that the Morgan factory will supply a factory designed unit to fit into old car doors and it satisfies the relevant ADR!
I to am having major problems with the Morgan shimmy "damper blades, archaic suspension design" syndrome. I am starting to sway to the "mogsport" thrust races conversion to the coils and may decide to go the hole hog and just do the deed. After spending many hours and $dollars$ under the beast, replacing king pins etc and converting to a greasing system, this will be the last straw in the saga?
BTW where in Australia are you, I'm near Taree nsw
Peter

G'day Peter,

We operate a grazing property at Rylstone (near Mudgee) NSW.
There are few Mogs over here, a red 74 plus 8 and flat rad 4/4.

I'll post some pics when I figure out how to do it.
Also put in an avatar.

PS
MOCA is having a xmas in July at Orange.

Thanks David for the info.
MOCA = Morgan owners club of Australia.
For some reason they dont have a forum on their website, and when I asked them questions about compliance in Australia, they did not bother to answer any of my emails, very strange to say the least?
That sounds like a great gathering, I would love to attend, but is it only for members of that club?
Our roads over here are pot holes within potholes to the power of 3. Even my everyday Landie is a rough ride to and from town. That's the price that we pay for living in the land of Sun, Sand ,Opportunity and Morgans.
Peter