Shockabsorbers

[unstable load]

Can a shock be fitted horizontally and still work normally or are there specially valved units for this application?

[SuperV8]

Hmmmm,
I'd have thought so.
Can I ask why? in board suspension?

[unstable load]

In short, I was sitting idly thinking about my P6 and the somewhat unconventional front suspenders and the idea dawned on me that it was an ideal setup for coil-overs, but someone on the Rover P6 forum I go to suggested that the shocks may not function horizontally.

Hence, an idle daydream has turned into an active curiosity.

[kiwicar]

Hi
It depends on the shocks, some are designed to work at all angles, generally gas presurised ones with a remote resivoir, some aren't generally "normal" OEM ones, really if you are going to do this you want to buy ones designed for use horizontally.
Best regards
Mike

[unstable load]

Cheers, Mike!
That makes sense and pretty much confirms what I thought.

[RoverP6B]

Hello John,

Don't forget also that the P6 front shock absorbers work opposite to dare I say just about all other shocks fitted to cars.

When you push down on the car which will compress the spring thus reducing its static length which is as you would expect, the shock absorber extends thus becoming longer.

The rears work in the normal manner, but the fronts are opposite. The valving within has to be especially designed with this operation in mind, so you just can't fit any shock to the P6, they have to be specific to that model of Rover.

Ron.

[plastic orange]

I went through 2 sets of spax gas adjustables in about 4 weeks because they were not up to the job of sitting at an angle on the front suspension in my p6B. I was refunded my cash, and fitted Konis which never gave a problem. The spax I'd fitted to the rear (upright) were fine.

Pete

[unstable load]

Ron,
What started off as idle musing has turned into an exercise in trying to establish whether the P6 could be fitted with "coil-over" suspenders in front, thus eliminating the need for the one off shocks it currently has.
I realise there may be additional issues with regard to the bulkhead anchors for the shocks, but it is still just a paperwork exercise to pass the time more than an all out attempt to reinvent the P6 front end.

My car is currently in storage across town so it's not possible for me to whip off the front and have a butchers at it and start playing with a tape measure in any way.

[RoverP6B]

unstable load wrote,...

My car is currently in storage across town so it's not possible for me to whip off the front and have a butchers at it and start playing with a tape measure in any way.

Hello John,

I wasn't suggesting that you would need to, rather what ever shock absorbers that you would like to fit must be made specifically for the P6 in terms of the way in which the internal valving will work. Otherwise as "plastic orange" pointed out, the shocks will be destroyed internally in no time at all.

The P6 is the only car that I am aware of in which the front shocks open while the springs are being compressed and visa versa, and as such the shock absorber must be specifically designed to function in this way. Koni made shocks specifically for the P6, as have Monroe, Woodhead (OEM) and Gaz.

Ron.

[harvey]

I wasn't suggesting that you would need to, rather what ever shock absorbers that you would like to fit must be made specifically for the P6 in terms of the way in which the internal valving will work. .

They won't need to be made that way if he fits the coilover in the same place as the normal spring is fitted.

[unstable load]

Ron,
No problems, mate! The storage thing is a thorn in my side because my garage at home is stuffed to the gills with 'er Indoors' junk and my car is sitting way across town.

harvey,
Thanks!

Now, does anyone know whether the coil-overs work horizontally or are those a special?