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Replacing Rear Shock Links

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Gambit Avatar
Gambit Gareth Goodchild
Indian River, ON, Canada   CAN
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I just had the rear shocks and links replaced on my GT. The shocks were rebuilt and the links new. After a couple of hundred miles the RR link connector has completely pulled out or the link where it bolts to the shock arm and the left is nearly pulled out. See pics.
Question: Is this due to faulty links or faulty installation? I'm thinking that perhaps the shock arms were extended too far when the link was tightened up causing too much rotation of the rubber fitting. Any ideas?


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lewisrn Gold Member Bob L
Danville, IN, USA   USA
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1980 MG MGB "The "B"
Those links look odd. Where did you get them?



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Gambit Gareth Goodchild
Indian River, ON, Canada   CAN
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The links came from MechSpec in the UK, recommended by MGOC.

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Be Coming Kelvin Dodd
So. Calif., USA   USA
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My guess is the links were tightened up with the suspension at full droop. The first time you hit a bump compressing the springs, the twisted rubber mountings ripped.


You have to have the suspension in the mid position when ever installing a rubber bushed component.

Kelvin.

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Gambit Gareth Goodchild
Indian River, ON, Canada   CAN
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Thanks Kelvin. You have confirmed my thoughts.

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PeterC Platinum Member Peter Caldwell
Madison Wisconsin, USA   USA
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Without looking at our stock I think the rod should be centered on the bushing housing. They are not meant to be handed originally, yet yours appear to be.


Peter c


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Supplying New Old Stock parts for all imports. A LARGE quantity being loaded to our EBAY store stores.ebay.com/worldwideimportautoparts Rebuilding lever shock absorbers for British cars. (608) 223-9400 M-F 9-5 Central or parts@nosimport.com
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about 9 months and 3 weeks later...
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Lockheed Michael Blow
London, ON, Canada   CAN
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1976 MG MGB MkIV "Phyllis"
Gareth
Your post is interesting. I have recently decided to replace all the rubber bushings and shock links on my B. After having to destroy the old links to get them off, I discovered the new ( aftermarket) link would not fit! Not sure about yours but on mine the taper end that fits on the shock arm was totally wrong and would never snug up and tighten on the arm. In fact if I did connect it, it would sit about a quarter of an inch out of alignment possibly causing the link to pull out of the rubber. I have attached a photo of the old and new to give you an idea of the problem you may have. If you know of any supplier that actually makes a link with a proper taper let me know!
MikeB


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ErnieY Avatar
ErnieY Ernie Y
Albatera, Alicante, Spain   ESP
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Rear links are not handed, front are, the ones in the photos don't look handed to me.

Waiting for a pair for my own car right now, got a bit of Gareths disease going on on one side but just loose in the rubber not pulled out.

All rubber suspension components should be finally tightened both with the car on the ground and it having been rolled forward and back to settle everything and bounced at all 4 corners.

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Gambit Avatar
Gambit Gareth Goodchild
Indian River, ON, Canada   CAN
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Hi Mike'
I had my shocks installed by a local shop because I couldn't get the old ones off.. He provided new links (for free) when the ones I provided failed. He admitted that he had tightened them too much when the axle was drooping on the hoist. I don't know where he purchased the ones on there now but they seem to be OK. I haven't had the issue again. I must say that when the link finally came free going over a large bump there was an almighty bang - crash. Scared the s*&t out of me. I get most of my parts at Obsolete in Sarnia or Peninsula in Bronte. Both places give good info over the phone so you could call and discuss your issue.
Good luck!.......Gareth

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ErnieY Avatar
ErnieY Ernie Y
Albatera, Alicante, Spain   ESP
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It will be interesting to see how my links come off, particularly the shock end because that is where the longer taper is and the end which can be most recalcitrant.

My strategy for tightening that end last time was to pinch the nuts tight enough to not come loose and no more using a combination of experience and judgement.

Admittedly one did work loose, after quite some miles though and I was driving around Mont Blanc at the time, but I instantly recognised the resultant clonk for what it was so pulled up at the earliest opportunity and pinched it up again simply by reaching up with an appropriate spanner, no jacking required and it took me maybe 5 minutes from stopping to being on my way again.

That was a couple of years ago and it hasn't come loose again so as I say it will be interesting and I'm hoping they will come off very easily and save me the usual rigmarole of having to dismount the entire shock/link/bottom plate to wrestle it apart on the bench.

Watch this space !

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PeterC Avatar
PeterC Platinum Member Peter Caldwell
Madison Wisconsin, USA   USA
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Michael, you want to send those links back. Moss has the correct links. Others do not when I tried. Get the ones that have been machined completely. There are a bunch "out there" like what you have. Unusable

Peter c


Member Services:
Supplying New Old Stock parts for all imports. A LARGE quantity being loaded to our EBAY store stores.ebay.com/worldwideimportautoparts Rebuilding lever shock absorbers for British cars. (608) 223-9400 M-F 9-5 Central or parts@nosimport.com
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ErnieY Avatar
ErnieY Ernie Y
Albatera, Alicante, Spain   ESP
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Got my links from Chris (Octerine Services) a couple of days ago - thanks Chris - and fitted them today.

As hoped the top tapers broke very easily with just a smidgen of assistance from a ball joint splitter, unfortunately my hopes to get the bottom ends off without removing the spring bottom plates were thwarted by the links coming loose initially but then spinning in their rubbers.

Turned out the noise I'd been hearing wasn't down to the link after all but to a partly seized shock, fortunately I had a new pair in stock.

I'll let you know how the straps fare Chris, the old ones were totally shot at not much more than 18 months old, can't recall where they came from but they don't have 51 on them.


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ClayJ Avatar
ClayJ Silver Member Clay Johnston
Mt. Olive, MS, USA   USA
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1972 MG MGB
Ernie,
I've had that bottom one spin, Was able to get a pair of needle nose vise-grips to hold the bolt.

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