Rear Coupe Shcoks

[smithymc]

I need some rear ( and probably front ) dampers and Mark W seems out of stock on the conversion fittings to the inserts.
An ebay search produces the following.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2x-Rear-Shock-Absorbers-LANCIA-BETA-1600-101BHP-Coupe-76-84-/370756414008


This seems to be the same make as some of the other items Mark sells - has anyone any experience( or of any other shocks and their sources)?


Mark

[MattNoVAT]

I have used these on my S1 Coupe that I'm restoring.  No issues with fitting these.

[HFStuart]

Agreed KYB ( or Kayaba) are decent.

You know these are inserts not complete struts?

[smithymc]

It seems that inserst are pretty much all that is available on the rear. As the car will be staying at the garage,  I hope that fitting them will be a formaility- being optimistic!

Thanks for the reassurance chaps.

Mark

[smithymc]

Ok thats the rears ordered - any reccmmendations for fronts?

I can get Spax adjustables from several sources but may be OTT for tootling. I havnt had much success with lifespans on Koni adjustables on my Volvo - very noisy very quickly.

Mark

[rossocorsa]

if you set them relatively soft they will be fine, however spax do seem a bit lax on quality had a set on a mg tf and within a year of light use (few thousand miles only) they had play on the bottom bush on one side rear. spax wouldn't accept liability without me removing the damper and sending it back (less than year old and 6000 miles only) for inspection prior to any action never did this as I could not disable the car for the length of time it would involve as it was in daily use, they wouldn't accept the word of my local mot tester, anyway they were an advisory so I left it and since sold the car but it did put me off spax others have said the same that they have unresponsive after sales service.
I suppose on a beta where they are just supplying the tube itself they might be a better option?

[smithymc]

Thanks for that - I think the Spax are the way to go, just set them sensibly.

On a more practical issue, will I need the conversion fittings wherever I source the shock inserts from?- thats the way I read the Betaboyz info.

Mark

[rossocorsa]

Depends on your shocks earlier ones can be taken apart but later ones and after market have to be cut open and modified

[smithymc]

Mine are the originals, so 1976/7 production.

Mark

[MattNoVAT]

Mark,

You'll have to do a visual check on yours to see if they are the sealed or insert type.  

Take a wheel off and check the strut, at first I thought my S1 was sealed type, but after clearing away the muck at the top of the main strut body chamber I found they were insert type.

Good luck!

[smithymc]

Things are going badly - 2 suppliers of the KYB inserts that Mark W no longer has have now let me down in 3 days. It seems they indeed may be discontinued.

The garage confirm that the struts are sealed so will need adaptation to receive inserts and Mark has none of the (seemingly expensive) conversion collars.

It feels like I am now stuffed either way.

Any ideas?

Mark

[HFStuart]

Sadly rear shocks for coupe / spider seem a little thin on the ground. I've got four spare front ones but no rears.

If you can get a pair of inserts they should come with locking nuts (or at a pinch you can buy the nuts). Once you have those a decent machine shop will be able to turn a pair of adaptors and weld them onto the strut body for you. All you need to make sure is that with the insert in place the nut locks it down with a good few turns of thread engaged. I had to do that with my spider as at the time the Betaboyz kit wasn't available.

[VXdeMayo]

My sympathies to you Mark. I had the same annoying run around looking for KYB inserts / anything for our HPE recently. No joy, and if you want to match up a set of four,    ................well there's a game!
Not convinced with quality of Spax over the years, and Billies / Konis complete sets non existent I have found.
Settled with an almost new Sachs Super Touring front pair from Mark W (Thanks), and got my rear Sachs "re inserted" so they look the same. After a coat of paint they look aftermarket. (Still some folk don't seem impressed with a pragmatic decision. What can you do eh)?
If you locate a set of performance Shocks for a HPE let me know! I won't wait up though.
Best of luck with the search.
Chas and Anne.

[vancouver]

I just bought 2 for my 77 1800 coupe

http://www.spring-loaded.co.uk/proddetail.asp?prod=Kayaba~-~KYB~Excel-G~Shock~Absorber~-~365040

you can confirm your part number from the catalogue

http://www.kyb-europe.com/catalogue.asp

£53.29

[HFStuart]

Apologies if this has been posted before but here are some part numbers for Coupe / Spider shocks unless stated otherwise. If anyone has more please do add to this:

KYB Premium
Front 663047
Rear 665034

KYB Super
Front 363040
Rear 365040

Monroe Radialmatic (change MR to MG for Gasmatic version)
Front MR833
Rear MR967
Rear (Berlina & HPE) MR946

Sachs Supertouring
Front (Coupe, Spider & HPE) 110191
Front (Berlina) 110189
Rear 110192
Rear (HPE & Berlina) 110190

Spax
Front TAG1156???
Rear TAG1157-1
Rear (HPE & Berlina) TAG1158-1

[lukasdeopalenica]

Great, it would be fantastic if we have also rear inserts for HPE listed here.
Thanks 

[HFStuart]

Some edits / changes made to show HPE & Berlina parts where I could find them.

[vancouver]

OK I'm not so smart - re:my last post.

The company just refunded my money as they are out of stock.

So who does have stock of the KYBs?

[vancouver]

HFStuart

do you have recommended suppliers?

What would be your choices for a track day car?

I have a 77 coupe and I need rears

[HFStuart]

Sadly not  - many of the items are available if you search long enough but you might have to go to the Europe or the US to find them.

Konis would be my choice if you can find them for a track car plus they can be rebuilt. Spax wound to one of their harder settings would also work OK