Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Maintenance & Servicing Broken front upper shock mount

Following a pleasant lunch with John V6 in the quirky old Queens Head in Suffolk village of Bramfield, Leo the Lhasa and I returned home in mostly sunshine nicely missing the rain which had just started to spit.

3pm so plenty of time to put Morton the the ramp for a quick grease of front suspension. All was going swimmingly well until, despite wheels still being in place, I noticed something amiss with the front o/s shock absorber.



Now I had noticed a bit of a clatter over a bad bump on the way to pub but have weathered worse and certainly wasn't expecting this. Pleased though that no harm seems to have been caused to surrounding areas or shock absorber. Pulled wheel off, removed stay fixing and kingpin top bolt, then extracted remains of bracket from suspension and shock absorber. Pleased that after careful consideration, the removal of kingpin bolt still leaves springs safely in place.



A clean break through the upper wingstay fixing hole although it may have partially cracked earlier. New one already on order from MR although they use their own reference number rather than MMC's MFS0620 noting it appears to be common to all trads. Can't recall seeing a break of this hefty 6mm thick bracket on TM before. Just wondered if anyone else has suffered the same fate?

Richard, my pals 2013 Roadster sheared in exactly the same place (35k miles use) as you say easy swop as the spring top stays located if you're careful

Unfortunately his was not spotted soon enough and the shocker shroud got a bit chewed up, but so far the self amalgamating tape repair is holding up well

Thanks for the report Jon. I must admit when I first studied the front suspension in depth the naff way the shock bracket hung out on a cantilever supporting the shock loads some distance from its single fixing via the kingpin bolt.

Ouch. Never seen that before Richard.
Do you think the SSL kit made a difference or is it just poor design
See you in the Land Rover tomorrow then.

Yes, had it before on a sprint and hillclimb 4/4 which I look after

Might have something to do with the shocks being wound up to their hardest setting!!

Arwyn

My shocks are far from their hardest setting Arwyn, barely half way from memory and just right to my mind in the sweet spot where the nodding comes under control and ride improves. I did wonder if the extra articulation from the intially softer springing of the SSL kit made the shocks work harder though. Whatever it shouldn't happen especially after just 23,000 gentle miles

Out of interest did the 4/4 ones crack across the same hole?

Yes across the holes

Made some new ones up out of a bit of channel section which I had lying around!

Arwyn

The channel would have more strength against cracking than a flat bar as well.

Good idea , I may make up a pair 'ready'

Back together again as replacement arrived from MR today. Kingpin bolt a PIA to engage with threads as usual despite loosening everything else, then it suddenly does