Re: New custom shocks

["Walter" <Whalt@xxxx>]

I just got the car back on the ground today and test drove it with the new
shocks on the rear only. I kept telling myself that probably any difference
that I would feel would be too subjective to tell. Well, not so. The new
shocks made a noticeable difference. I don't think my old shocks were bad.
I was just tired of being beaten up by every little bump in the road. I
don't notice any difference in handling except for having the 'rough edges'
smoothed off of most of the bumps.

There is a schrader valve on the bottom of the shocks just like on a car
tire where you can adjust the pressure in them. I suppose you could use
compressed air, but I would only use dry nitrogen for these. Don't hold me
to the numbers because my memory isn't that good, but I think Rob said the
shocks come pre-charged with 175 psi dry nitrogen. This is supposed to be
the minimum for that type of design. They can be charged up to 250 psi
which would probably give a ride as hard as the OEM shocks or worse.

The internal spring compressor I bought from NAPA to replace the front
springs won't work on the rear springs/shocks since you have to compress the
springs externally before the shocks can be removed. I checked around for a
source to buy an external spring compressor, and Pep Boys offered to loan me
one for free! All I had to do was give them a $50 deposit which I got back
when I returned the tool. That was nice of them. :)

The compressor comes in two mirror image pieces -- one for the right side of
the spring, the other for the left. The problem is that there isn't much
room to hook the things up -- let alone trying to have them 180° apart. It
took me 3 tries to successfully compress the spring on one side and two
tries to get it right on the other side. If you use this method to compress
the springs, I highly recommend tightening it with an air-impact wrench like
the directions recommend. I thought I would have better control if I did it
by hand, but quickly realized that it would take all day. So I got the
air-impact wrench out. While I had those springs compressed, I felt like I
was holding a cocked and loaded gun to my face. If something slips, there
is probably enough force in those springs to take your head off. Also be
sure that you have a torque wrench to tighten everything back to specs.
Don't let this scare you off from trying it. It's just a matter of
following directions in the Delorean Worship Manual. Ahem, excuse me, I
mean the Workshop manual.

If I had it to do over again, I would look into trying the type of spring
compressor that looks like a big duck bill / clothes pin. I think something
like that would work easier as long as the shocks don't get in the way. It
took me about 3 hours to do the first side and about an hour to do the other
side. Practice helps.

If you install these shocks, be sure you put the cup & spring on BEFORE you
connect and torque the top of the shock body to the car. Unlike the OEM
shocks, the 'clamp' that fits on the shock body is a solid ring that won't
slip over the bottom of the shock because the schrader valve is in the way.
I learned this the hard way.

Walt Tampa, FL