Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Classic Morgans (pre-CX) New Elms - Rutherford conversion

Maybe worth mentioning that when converting the live axle to coil over damper suspension axle location normally provided by leaf springs is needed. In fact this is a blessing as torque reaction is positively controlled by a pair of trailing upper and lower links plus panhard rod. I would add that MMC provided their own version with bracketry for links firmly welded to live axle. Used on later Roadsters, ARP4 and ARV6 it's known as their 5 link suspension.

The retro fit similar SSL kit is shown here fitted and bolts via brackets to normal live axle.

The SSL kit also provides an opportunity to move the axle back a little to better centralise wheels in the wheel arch. The forward position of rear wheels on trads is something that really jars with me.

Not an issue with my 4/4 Sport, unless it’s the lowering blocks keep them centralised ? . I’ve seen it on many Plus 4’s though

Absolutely. That's how they should look but mostly don't

it is an expensive transformation but the result looks great 👌🏼

I.I.R.C. the "Rutherford" element on a 2018 4/4 only applies to the length of the shock absorbers which is different to the O/E telescopics. A 2018 4/4 has rear telescopics as standard from the factory .

The rear axle was moved forward sometime around 2006, I think when the leaf springs changed from six to four leaves and the Roadster got the single anti tramp bar.

Wolf Performance did the conversion on my 2009 4/4 sport, which had Gaz adjustable shocks originally. These were replaced with Rutherford Avos front and rear, along with Panhard rod, anti tramp bars and brake reaction bars.
But by far the most work (and expense) was at the front where Cain completely reset the front geometry of the. car (requiring a lot of jigging, heating and bending), dialing in more caster and a touch of neg camber and basically setting the car up as it should have been at the factory during the build. The geometry was all over the place originally, and required extensive work to get it where it should be. There was 3 degrees of caster on the left front wheel and 4.5 degrees on the right front wheel - no wonder it handled a bit oddly! A pair of chromoly kingpins, new stub axles, Rutherford bump and return springs and a huge dollop of applied expertise completed the conversion.
About £10k worth of work, but the car is now exceptional compared to other Trads I have driven and gets ragged regularly, where as before the conversion I did not have the confidence to do that.
I have heard several times the SSL suspension mounting system at the rear is less than optimal and race cars do not use it, although for road cars it is supposed to add comfort. This is probably true, but it was not what I was looking for.
I will never get my money back of course, but the car is now so good that I will probably never sell it anyway.

And there lies the problem, we spend a small fortune setting up our cars as we like them and then we can't part with them.....it's a trap

I agree totally, it is a trap but it was not my first rodeo and I knew that already.
The deal with Mrs M was that it would be sold to finance our P6 but due to the trap we now have 2 Morgans and that is likely to be the case until I hang up my license.
Both cars are used and they each have a different role in our driving life, so it has worked out well and I am fortunately still married, though it was touch and go for a while :-)