Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Maintenance & Servicing Spax Settings

My 4/4 Sport needed new kingpins at 40k miles so opted for an SSL upgrade at the front and replaced the rear shocks as well.
I always felt the ride was pretty good before on decent roads, but very stiff over bad ones with plenty of bottoming out.
The shocks were set at 2 clicks from soft as I left the workshop. On the 50 mile ride home I felt every bump and I now understand when owners talk about ‘seesawing’, I didn’t have it before - however, there was less crashing and it didn’t bottom out over my favourite bumps.
I have now progressed to 6 clicks from soft with not much improvement. So has anyone else got this model/set up, and if so what settings are you using, please?

Hi.
Great question - I am waiting for a quote for the same suspension set up, having read many threads on TM about how it has improved the handling and ride. I have the 4/4 75th anniversary model which may be heavier at the front and not get the issues you have. It would be great to hear from others with this set up. Thanks

I fitted the SSL RS kit to my Roadster with the Spax adjustable gas dampers they supply which have approx 32 clicks range. The Spax instructions suggest starting from a low setting and increasing damping four clicks at a time, backing off a couple of clicks when damping just becomes too firm.

Given greater front end weight I started at four clicks in from softest and tested on a typical Norfolk undulating road, increasing every couple of miles four clicks. Each change gave noticeabie improvement but front of bonnet continued moving up and down over bumps until I reached 16 clicks. Setting off from this setting the front suddenly became very firm with much reduced bonnet movement. First reaction was that I had overdone it but realised after a mile or so that ride was actually more comfortable and I had found this well defined sweet spot. Haven't touched them since.

I would add that the drop test before fitting dampers to assert upper spring pre-load to give zero static play in rebound spring is most important with the RS kit, together with checking from time to time afterwards.

Similar experience to SFG. When I had mine done a couple of months back, I was warned by the dealer on collection, that it would feel a bit hard to start with, until the new king pins and bushes settled in. It was set on 8 clicks up from soft and felt quite dreadful compared to the original. I am now back to only 2 clicks up and it is much better. However, I have only done a couple of hundred miles and am going to leave it alone until at least 500 miles have gone by, then will re evaluate the situation and play around a bit more.

My Spax shocks have 28 settings. I use 4 clicks of the softest setting at the front and rear (2018 Plus 4 with panhard rod, anti tramp bars and brake reaction bars at front).

Thanks Gents. Seems that’ll I need to get some miles on first.

I did the same job, kingpins & SSL-RS on my '94 +8 during lockdown. 👍 The kit has Spax shocks and I contacted Peter Ballard re the initial settings. He advised starting at the middle setting on the Spax and going up or down by 5 clicks depending whether you want it softer or firmer. Mine is fine on the middle setting and I have not altered it. 😊

P.S. The nodding dog has done a runner!

Update: I have been steadily increasing the firmness to try to reduce the front end bounce. I did the last few increments at the roadside, so only the fronts, to avoid exhaust burns. They are now at maximum , and the bouncing is almost acceptable now. The rears are at about 18, so the rear end is a bit bouncy which would account for the remaining bounce at the front. Later I’ll max the rears and see if that helps. I don’t think adjustable shocks should have to be set at max, otherwise why are they adjustable? And I saw a comment that having the shocks at max could lead to an off. I have asked the dealer to rescue my original shocks from their skip.

Incidentally, one positive result was that the new rear shocks did not squeak. However they are now squeaking loudly.

Discovering the real source of the bounce is the issue for me. I am beginning to question whether it is actually due to shocker action or is the bounce coming from the tyres as you go over bumps due to the springing being a bit stiff due to new tighter bushes?. Setting spax on full hardness does not seem right and does not seem to correlate with others on here.
I drove my friends gdi plus4 last week that has had SSL front and rear 500 miles ago and it seemed very good, with a setting of 6 up from soft. I am running on two and it’s not bad but still not as good as expected for such a large outlay.
Depending on how many miles you have done since the changeover, it may be worth going back to the workshop and do a test run with one of their technicians to diagnose the issue.
Like you, I am wishing I had kept the old bits!