Thanks gomog, I replaced the OEM front suspension with the SSL kit I purchased through Morgan Spares about 6 or 8 months ago. It has been a disaster. I don’t know what the spring rate or length is. I assumed that this would be the same for all 2003 plus 8s. No? The steering has been very difficult even at speed. Making a left or right hand turn at 10 to 15 mph uncomfortably difficult. My nearest dealer is in Daytona Beach. How would I determine the spring rates and length so that I know I will be ordering the proper parts? Richard
Hi Ricosan, I installed myself the SSL kit on my 2005 PLUS 4 in July 2017. A great improvement on the comfort and ride. No problem with the steering, the steering was lighter. The kit included bearings for the main spring....
LONG. And for tradsters only. First. read Sewin if you haven't already.
Dear Ricosan, You are not asking a single question.
And this is an inexplicably a sensitive subject for many trad owners. I have put my conclusions (and those of Button) on this subject up on gomog. There are/were rumours to the effect that the kit has been updated and might have addressed some issues that appeared over time. I am not sure of this tho and do not investigate for the reasons below. .
As background, a MMC prominent once jocularly confided to me that they had kept the 1909 front suspension system, that needs uncharacteristic maintenance, because it was charming, both entrancing owners and providing dealers with a reliable income stream. We laughed together at that. I agree. There is nothing special about my front ends. They are merely tweaked to function as the original design hoped they would. My non-kit Morgans have been tried, back-to-back, by Morgan legends immediately after also take the same route with a Morgan fitted with the system. They could not tell the difference in the worst roads we could find. This super expensive add-on makes the front much more complex and my goal, once I left my Morgan teething stage, has been to make my trads as simple and reliable as I can. I have learned to shun add-ons like homemade gaiters, even the professional ones made for the rebounds. No damper blades and no top kingpin oil or grease entries.
Th Works, incrementally/sadly over the decades, got to the point where they misunderstood the components. That prejudiced the cars out of the gate. After all, HFS Morgan did not design his very-rare-in-his-day, independent front suspension to give his vehicles a brutal comportment! The attempts to address what became of it have not always been wise. And yes, as I always do with everything trad, I approached the both Ballard and White for their spring rates twice in the kit's first decade but they would not respond. A first! That has only happened with one other supplier since. Even the staff of the normally taciturn MMC are more forth-coming....to this day.
However, Peter Ballard is a sweet guy and helps his customers willingly. He was a bit too technical to understand at first, but he has had a lot of practice. I had a period where I was never without one of his front ends to help sor], normally for North Americans because of the time difference. Some UK suspension experts believe the fastest cure is simply removing the kit. (shhh!)
But rather than be a doom&gloomer, there ARE three elements I like about the full kit (including the steering races). In order of importance....
1.
The Kit. Very few owners properly maintain their Morgans and as we get further away from 2019, this sadness is spreading to those we hire to do it for us. General automobile training does not cover the Kit
However, the installation of the kit forces whoever is doing it to perform do the needed maintenance as it is incidental to the installation. So yes, the buyers is instantly delighted with his front end for a period after that. Of course, it might be a very expensive way to do costless front end maintenance done in minutes so be it. I If it costs 2000 quid to properly grease, even once, so be it.
2.
The Steering Races. Actually, IMHO, they don't have much steering benefit for on R&P and Gemmer trads. However, I use them on all my r&p Plus 8s as
they eliminate yet another maintenance task and risk, namely the damper blades.. The only codicil here is the Main Spring length should reflect the added height of the steering races produce..aside from the Sheally's fix.
3.
The Rebounds. I like the cut down rebounds (mine) or better still, progressive ones. Racers have been cutting down the rebounds for decades. Even the MMC staff of old left them off completely on their Works trial cars. The rebound's aggressive engagement with the stub axles was one of the mistakes the Works adopted over time.
BTW I notice that Mulfab is now selling progressives separately. Of course, the rebound function could be more logically handled with a progressive neoprene bump stop. (
Now onto to your other questions. direct and implied.
A. Your proposed dealer is another new one I do not know. And unless they have dealt with many of these front ends I cannot guarantee you their success, only the size of their invoice.
B. The spring rates of your springs should, properly supplied, be written on them. But, as mentioned, this is not always the case. Your rebounds are now progressive so nothing to deal with for them. Those of us with stock rebounds should know that they are normal double the spring rate of the Main Spring! If both have an effect on the stub axle, that can make for a brutal front, another characteristic of unsorted trads. You can also ask a well-equipped machinist to test them.
C. However, the best spring rates for Plus 8s and Roadsters are already well-known to Morgan familiars. But after Bill Beck left in 2002/3, the MMC began playing with the spring rates of both Mains and Rebounds. They became much softer, and the later trads began to wallow in the corners as a consequence. When they were first introduced, some of the UK dealers used to call them the "Terrible Blues"! 😂 and those they removed could consequently be bought cheaply on ebay.co.uk Another watchpoint for you is that American Morgans are significantly heavier.
What type of driving and roads do you you like and what is they height of the steering bearing assembly? I can then advise. I am musing about 140s or 125s for you to, mated with the progressives you already have.
Lorne
P.S. Do you have a side shot of your trad after the installation? I am curious.
