Rear shock dimensions

[cliftyhanger]

My toledo has always sat low and rather soft at the rear.
I can't remember if I ever fitted new shocks, they are not originals so have been previously replaced.
I have replaced teh rear springs, and that made no difference.

As a thought, I measured the distance from the bottom of the seat pan to the centre of the lower mounting bolt. It measures 145mm (about 5 3/4" in old money) and was hoping somebody could confirm that dimension? I am wondering if some shocks that look correct but have the seat pans at a different height have been fitted.

TIA
Clive

[Carledo]

I've got some old original Toledo rear shox down at the workshop, I'll measure them tomorrow.

Steve

[cliftyhanger]

Thanks Steve, be good to know if that is the issue.

[Robert 352]

Clive

5 and 7/8ths of an inch, which is the measuring system that I grew up with and understand. That is the measurement from the underside of the spring plate to the centre of the bush. I measured a couple the other day trying to sort out the spares which I hold here.

It might be worth measuring the springs although if the car is also a bit soft it would suggest that the springs rather than the shock absorber (height) is the problem

Robert

[cliftyhanger]

Thanks Robert. That measurement is almost identical to mine, 1/8" or 3mm is not going to be an issue. What I am confused about is the brand new springs (supplied by wins) are the same as the old ones. I remember noticing they were the same unsprung length too.

My thinking was that is the seat pan was higher, the spring would be more compressed before taking the weight of the car, making the spring effectively stronger. Sadly I gave away a pair of spring spacers last year as I though I would never use them. Would have been handy to try...ho hum

If Steve can confirm the shock size, and when I get a chance and the car on the ground, I will measure fitted spring length.

[Carledo]

I have 1 original blue shock and a black Armstrong one, the blue one measures 146 mm and the black one 145 so effectively the same. Sorry, I can't give you a fitted length since I robbed the springs to put back on my Gaz'
I'm pretty sure the rear shox are universal to all RWD dollies and derivatives, in dimensions, if not in stiffness, if this is the case, the fitted length and thus the unloaded overall length will be the same whatever so only different spring poundage will affect ride height. There seem to be at least 3 factory rear springs for the range, Toledo, (2 OR 4 door, which is odd considering the weight difference) OHV Dolomite and slant Dolomite. So it might pay to upgrade a bit!
As far as poundage for the Toledo springs go, I have not been able to establish a figure, it's not even in the official shop manual, which is the main reason I went for the Gaz' Yes, they are pricey but I can set whatever ride height I like without messing about with umpteen different sets of springs!
Gaz shox, BTW, have a shorter fitted length due to shorter pistons which allow for more lowering, but its only 5/8" and you can make it up by lifting the platforms a bit.

Steve

[cliftyhanger]

Thanks Steve, not the shocks then. Unless knackered.

My point about the springs may require a bit of explaining.
As teh springs are (for arguments sake and just a figure) 150lb/inch

At free, uncompressed full length, that is all obvious. However, when fitted to teh schocks, they are compressed, probably by 2". That means before they are compressed any further they will support 300lb each.
If the car then goes on the floor and drops another inch, that will put each spring at 450lb but it has only dropped an inch.

If the seat pans were an inch higher, then just fitting the spring to the shock would give 450lb pre-tension, so when the car is on teh floor, it would not compress the spring any further.

I think that works? Higher the pan, more pre-tension. Car sits higher.

Much easier to understand if the springs are not pre-tensioned.

Anyway, may need to find some dolly rear springs. And some info on the rates.

[Carledo]

Anyway, may need to find some dolly rear springs. And some info on the rates.

Good luck with getting info on anything other than Sprint springs! And even that is sometimes conflicted! Standard Sprint (and 1850) front springs are generally accepted as being 140lb/in. Jonners reckons the Sprint rears are the same poundage as the fronts. I'm not sure about this, but what I do know is that Sprint rear springs are MUCH stiffer than Toledo ones, I fitted a pair of used Sprint rears to the Carledo (pre Gaz), it looked like it was on stilts, was boneshakingly hard and skittered round corners - not nice at all!



This is what it looked like with used standard Sprint springs and shox all round - ready for a monster truck bash!

As a result, I would recommend you try the Dolomite 1500 OHV rears as a happy medium.

Steve

Admittedly, mine is a 2 door, has shed a fair bit of weight and has the Vauxhall engine and box which is about 40kg lighter than the slant unit.