The Triumph Dolomite Club - Discussion Forum

I have acquired a pair of Gabriel shock absorbers with the marking 51152 stamped on the lower casing. Can anybody here confirm that they are for the front suspension of a Dolomite/Sprint?

I have tried searching on the internet and on this forum to see if I can find a cross reference or a chart which might give me some clues. So far I have found nothing.

Robert

Hi Robert

Well I've learnt something new today!

I have an invoice on file from April 99 for the Gabriel shocks on the blue car. Part number is 51154. Double checked and that is the number on the shocks themselves - these shocks are black. The Springs are 4" OD.

I also have a few old shocks 'in stock'. Five are orange coloured Gabriel. No idea what they are from as over the years I've obtained, 1500, 1850 and Sprint parts.

Two are rears, both stamped with 51153 G788.

Three are front, of which two are fronts with 4" OD springs. Both are stamped 51154 G778

The final front is the interesting one as that has 51152 G778 stamped on it. However it only has a 3.5"OD spring on it and the lower mount welded to the shock is smaller diameter than the others, so it very much looks as though this 51152 shock was specifically designed for the smaller diameter spring.

I also checked the mimosa car and that has a 4" OD spring, but couldn't see what the make the shock was - it is black though and wasn't new when I built up that car.

I think you need to do a bit more sleuthing........

Geoff

Geoff

I think the folk on the other side of the world have gone into winter hibernation for I was expecting some comment from someone over there who probably holds a list showing the Monroe / Koni / Gabriel / Armstrong / et al cross reference that might have helped.

I have now gone up into the mezzanine store above my workshop and retrieved a range of second hand shock absorbers and various springs and laid the new Gabriel shock absorbers alongside the selection.

The overall height of the new Gabriel units I have here are marked 51152 G8018 match the front shock absorbers which I have removed from an 1850. The lower spring mounting also matches but, and here is the difference from what you have measured, the inner diameter of that mount on my Gabriel appears to be designed for an 89mm / 3 ½ ID, 105mm 4 ½ OD spring.

Having done a little more sleuthing I have cleaned up two of the well-used shock absorbers here and extracted the following information. Both take the same spring as measured above.

The Koni has the markings, 80H 2272

The Armstrong has the markings, first line, 4062S 697G, second line, 73 1623

I have one complete ex 1850 shock absorber and spring assembly that sits on my slave sub frame. I cannot see any markings on the base of the shock absorber and nor does there seem to be any markings visible under the grime in behind the spring.

All this has come about for when I look at the 1976 Dolomite range parts book pages 04-32, 04-33, and 04-34 show the same shock absorber for the 1300, 1500, 1850HL and Sprint! All with the same part number TKC992. An early Toledo parts list lists the shock absorber as 216288. Rimmers list two options for the Dolomite range and for the Toledo.

All a bit of a puzzle to me.

Robert

Robert, if I had such a catalogue, I would have consulted it for you. But I can confirm that there are 2 spring diameters fitted to our cars and therefore 2 different front shox (rears are the same size whatever model) The smaller diameter units are definitely used on Toledos, I DID think it was more widespread around the OHV range, but it appears that from the 75/6 range rationalisation they standardised the larger diameter shock (though with varying spring rates) So it would appear that what you have found is a pair of Toledo front shox.

Steve