The Triumph Dolomite Club - Discussion Forum

It is interesting to see that the Official Triumph dolomite Range 1976 onward Part Catalogue pages 1H11R & 1H12R, indicates that the Sprint has a different rear spring and damper mounting plate, Part number 154118 than all the other dolomites which use a part number UKC2762. The sprint also uses a different top of rear spring isolating rubber, part number 157239 to all the other dolomites which use Part number UKC2765. I do not know why this should be so can anyone supply an answer?

When I stripped a 1500 rear spring from its associated damper I found that the isolating rubber was wedge shaped see photo but none of the workshop manuals I have seen state which way round it should be fitted. I have looked at the four 1500 dolomites that I own and they all have the mounting plate fitted with the cut out facing towards the rear of the car. As you can see from the photo the thickest part of the isolating rubber is by the cut out and a bit of the rubber fits into the cut out, it is this you can see if you are under the car. The wedge shape tips the damper and spring, see the second photo.





I know that I have changed the dampers on one of the cars so I could have put them back the wrong way round but since I have had the other three I have not had too replace any of their dampers. One of the cars has only 35k miles on the clock so I am assuming they will not have been changed.

It is not that easy to see which way round the mounting plate is fitted but if you can put your car up on some rear axle stands and get under the car with a good torch you should be able to see the mounting plate and its cut out / rubber lug. I would much appreciate if a number of club members could do this and report back.

A fellow club member has recently fitted new dampers and he advised me that his mounting plates had the cut out facing forward so this is something that we need to sort out

My instincts lead me to believe that the cut out (and the thickest part of the wedge) go to the front, so as to angle the shocker assembly slightly rearwards. My memory says that if you fit it "nipped up" to the body, it will be apparent if it's wrong, as you will have to use some force to align the bottom of the shock with the hole in the trailing arm. If it's right, it will line up without effort.

The Sprint unit is different insofar as the angle adjustment is done by the metal top mount and the rubber insert is flat. Apples and oranges really. But I seem to recall that earlier Sprints had the same wedge type rubbers as everything else and the wedge metal mounts are a later mod.

Steve

I have now checked my son in laws 1500 and his car also has the mounting plate cut out / thickest part of the rubber towards the back of the car like my cars but I would still appreciated some other owners having a look and reporting back.