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MG TD TF 1500 - ARMSTRONG SHOCKS

The steering wheel vibrates or shakes at speed. I have gone through the front end extensively and find nothing amiss.

John Twist says that all springs have a harmonic and the Armstrong front shocks serve to dampen this harmonic.

The front shocks are not leaking and are full of oil. Finally the question: Is the "no leak full of oil" an indication that the shocks are "okay"?

Thanks, Tom
Thomas McNamara

The only reliable way to see if your shocks are really working is to take them off and test them on the bench. I have sometimes just removed the top bolt and seen how they cycled on the car, and that gives a pretty good indication.

But my feeling is that the shocks are rarely the cause of steering wheel vibration. Also check for bent rims, tires out of round, wheel balance, alignment and toe in, loose wheel bearings, tie rod play, loose rubber bushings, etc.

Tom Lange
MGT Repair
t lange

Does it come and go with changes in speed such as the ubiquitous cowl shake which comes on at about 55mph and for me leaves at 60-65.


Jim N.
James Neel

Wheels and/or tires are the most common cause by far. Sometimes old steel wheels get so beat up that they cannot be balanced. And sometimes brand new tires are so far out of balance that it just makes the problem worse. Raise the front of the car and spin the wheels. I bet there's at least 1/4" out of round at the tread, and probably at least that much laterally. I don't normally endorse dyna-beads but they are reported to help in situations like that. They're hard on tubes though.
Steve Simmons

Well, I never heard of dyna-beads but I do have the infamous 55-60 mph shimmy so I Googled them. Interesting. So as not to hijack this thread, I'll start a new one to see if anyone has had any experience with them.

Jud
J K Chapin

This thread was discussed between 07/04/2020 and 08/04/2020

MG TD TF 1500 index

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