Four available shocks for the fulvia are 'the carbon', Koni, Spax and Leda. The carbon's are of the gas type, Koni's are oleo types and adjustable but a little cumbersome to adjust as you have to remove them. The Spax which are adjustable with a screw. Ledas have separate compression and rebound control but are very very expensive.
The Carbon's are great on the Berlina's but rubbish on the coupe's (for competition use anyway). On my HF I use the Koni's but I wonder if there is something better
Has anybody got experience with the other two?
shock absorbers
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P. de R. Leclercq
Re: shock absorbers
I had Konis on the back of my coupé until someone wanted to buy them from me.
So I sold them to him and fitted a pair of Spax ones that I had. As you say they are easily adjustable. I found an improvement with them and recommend them to people who ask my advice.
I have some very special dampers at the front; these were specially designed and are very expensive. They are superb. As far as I know only four sets have ever been produced - and I know where three of the sets are!
Paul
So I sold them to him and fitted a pair of Spax ones that I had. As you say they are easily adjustable. I found an improvement with them and recommend them to people who ask my advice.
I have some very special dampers at the front; these were specially designed and are very expensive. They are superb. As far as I know only four sets have ever been produced - and I know where three of the sets are!
Paul
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william
Re: shock absorbers
So Spax is better than koni. Is that for the ease of adjusting or the ride quality?
Going to the front, will 'golden' shocks really improve 'stone age suspension' like the transverse leafspring of the Fulvia?
I think it is better to open a thread on the pros and cons of the cheaper makes as the prices of The carbon, Koni and Spax are not so far apart.
Going to the front, will 'golden' shocks really improve 'stone age suspension' like the transverse leafspring of the Fulvia?
I think it is better to open a thread on the pros and cons of the cheaper makes as the prices of The carbon, Koni and Spax are not so far apart.
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P. de R. Leclercq
Re: shock absorbers
Hello again.
Well, I preferred the Spax, but then I was not comparing new dampers! I doubt that there is much difference, but I would choose the Spax for ease of adjustment anyway.
At the beginning of last year I took a visiting enthusiast from the Netherlands for a ride in my car; I think that he was quite amazed at the way the car rode over the so-called "speed bumps"!
It is a mistake to adjust the dampers so that they are very hard; this makes the ride "crashy", stresses the suspension components and, in my view does not improve grip. Better to play with the anti-roll bars to take account of modern tyre compounds.
As for the Fulvia suspension, I think that "Stone Age" is rather unfair - and inaccurate. I have always been amazed at the ride quality of the Fulvia (the sedans are extraordinarily good) and I know that I am not alone on this. A famous English motoring journalist, Ian Fraser (who owns a Stratos) tested a S3 Fulvia. He regretted selling his S1 coupé some years before. He said he was amazed how good the Fulvia still was and wondered "what the other manufacturers have been doing for the past 11 years"!
Yes leaf springs are very "old technology" but somehow Lancia's engineers got it right as they did so often.
Paul
Well, I preferred the Spax, but then I was not comparing new dampers! I doubt that there is much difference, but I would choose the Spax for ease of adjustment anyway.
At the beginning of last year I took a visiting enthusiast from the Netherlands for a ride in my car; I think that he was quite amazed at the way the car rode over the so-called "speed bumps"!
It is a mistake to adjust the dampers so that they are very hard; this makes the ride "crashy", stresses the suspension components and, in my view does not improve grip. Better to play with the anti-roll bars to take account of modern tyre compounds.
As for the Fulvia suspension, I think that "Stone Age" is rather unfair - and inaccurate. I have always been amazed at the ride quality of the Fulvia (the sedans are extraordinarily good) and I know that I am not alone on this. A famous English motoring journalist, Ian Fraser (who owns a Stratos) tested a S3 Fulvia. He regretted selling his S1 coupé some years before. He said he was amazed how good the Fulvia still was and wondered "what the other manufacturers have been doing for the past 11 years"!
Yes leaf springs are very "old technology" but somehow Lancia's engineers got it right as they did so often.
Paul
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Christopher Adams
Re: shock absorbers
Paul,
I have adjustable Konis on my car, they have done very little mileage and I have never adjusted them (Previous owner bought and installed them). What would you suggest in terms of settings for them? and is it easy to check the adjustment if you don't know what your starting point is? (I have no idea if they are set firm, soft, or somewhere in between although the car's ride was OK but I don't have a lot of comparitive experience to base that on).
Chris
I have adjustable Konis on my car, they have done very little mileage and I have never adjusted them (Previous owner bought and installed them). What would you suggest in terms of settings for them? and is it easy to check the adjustment if you don't know what your starting point is? (I have no idea if they are set firm, soft, or somewhere in between although the car's ride was OK but I don't have a lot of comparitive experience to base that on).
Chris
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P. de R. Leclercq
Re: shock absorbers
Christopher,
If the Konis are fairly recent, they are probably "Koni Classics" - black with the gold wing emblem. These, I believe are supposed to be the same as the Konis sold years ago. Officially in those days, the adjustment was supposed to used to cater for wear. However most people ignored this!
It is not possible easily to check the setting. First disconnect the lower end of the damper. Next locate the small hole in the top cap and with a stiff piece of wire or similar implement, push out the bump stop inside.
Then push up the lower part of the damper rotating it slowly. You will feel a couple of teeth engage in slots. This is the means of adjustment. Fully anti-clockwise is minimum setting.
You can see why I would prefer the SPAX ones...
I would run them at about half way at the front and minimum at the back - provided the dampers are not ancient. Obviously the setting is determined by the number of turns applied. Screw them right up to count the turns and then unscrew as necessary. Don't forget to replace the bump stops!
They do last very well. My father had a Fulvia sedan with Konis that worked perfectly. They were so old that the top covers had virtually rotted away, they were so rusty!
Best of luck
Paul
If the Konis are fairly recent, they are probably "Koni Classics" - black with the gold wing emblem. These, I believe are supposed to be the same as the Konis sold years ago. Officially in those days, the adjustment was supposed to used to cater for wear. However most people ignored this!
It is not possible easily to check the setting. First disconnect the lower end of the damper. Next locate the small hole in the top cap and with a stiff piece of wire or similar implement, push out the bump stop inside.
Then push up the lower part of the damper rotating it slowly. You will feel a couple of teeth engage in slots. This is the means of adjustment. Fully anti-clockwise is minimum setting.
You can see why I would prefer the SPAX ones...
I would run them at about half way at the front and minimum at the back - provided the dampers are not ancient. Obviously the setting is determined by the number of turns applied. Screw them right up to count the turns and then unscrew as necessary. Don't forget to replace the bump stops!
They do last very well. My father had a Fulvia sedan with Konis that worked perfectly. They were so old that the top covers had virtually rotted away, they were so rusty!
Best of luck
Paul
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Christopher Adams
Re: shock absorbers
Paul,
Thanks. My guess is that the dampers were new around 1989-90 and have covered less than 3,000 miles since. They are red. This is the original finish. And I only assume that they are adjustable as I haven't investigated yet. I will let you know how I get on.
Chris
Thanks. My guess is that the dampers were new around 1989-90 and have covered less than 3,000 miles since. They are red. This is the original finish. And I only assume that they are adjustable as I haven't investigated yet. I will let you know how I get on.
Chris
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P. de R. Leclercq
Re: shock absorbers
You are welcome.
Your dampers will be adjustable.
All the best
Paul
Your dampers will be adjustable.
All the best
Paul
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Peter de Wit
Re: shock absorbers
P. de R. Leclercq wrote:
> At the beginning of last year I took a visiting enthusiast
> from the Netherlands for a ride in my car; I think that he
> was quite amazed at the way the car rode over the so-called
> "speed bumps"!
That was me Paul! I still lay awake at night thinking about these dreadful London speed bumps!! And oh boy did these shocks work perfectly!!
Since Paul's shocks were mounted upside down, I assume these were gas shocks. I would think those are the best in our case. My project is to have a set made with these guys:
http://www.avouk.com/pm/89
They have fulvia shocks in their offering, meaning they have the dimensions. Have alloy monotube race shocks made by them with sperical bearing on the bottom and you have super shocks.
I would try that!
> At the beginning of last year I took a visiting enthusiast
> from the Netherlands for a ride in my car; I think that he
> was quite amazed at the way the car rode over the so-called
> "speed bumps"!
That was me Paul! I still lay awake at night thinking about these dreadful London speed bumps!! And oh boy did these shocks work perfectly!!
Since Paul's shocks were mounted upside down, I assume these were gas shocks. I would think those are the best in our case. My project is to have a set made with these guys:
http://www.avouk.com/pm/89
They have fulvia shocks in their offering, meaning they have the dimensions. Have alloy monotube race shocks made by them with sperical bearing on the bottom and you have super shocks.
I would try that!
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P. de R. Leclercq
Re: shock absorbers
That's right; they are gas shocks - fitting them actually raised the front of the car a little!
I see that Koni is now making frequency-sensitive dampers. This is the principle on which mine work which enables them to deal with the dreaded "sleeping policemen"
Paul
I see that Koni is now making frequency-sensitive dampers. This is the principle on which mine work which enables them to deal with the dreaded "sleeping policemen"
Paul