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355 shocks on 348

Discussion in 'Technical Q&A' started by plugzit, Jul 1, 2005.

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  1. plugzit

    plugzit F1 Veteran
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    Bruce Bogart
    #1 plugzit, Jul 1, 2005
    Just put some adjustable 355 shocks on my 348 (front only at this time), along with some 11.5" Hyperco 348 springs. 355 springs would be a good alternative, I'm sure, since they are also shorter than 348s. There seems to be no significant ride sacrifice. I first tried the shocks with stock 15" 348 springs, but there was not enough thread on the 355 shocks to get the ride height back down to an acceptable look. I considered using the stock 355 motors for shock adjustment, but I understand they are expensive-and have problems of their own. As an alternative, I have found that Snap-on sells a 1/4" 8-point socket that fits snugly over the adjustment knob on the top of the shock. I'll simply weld a piece of flat stock on it and use a throttle cable controlled by a lever setup similar to an old heater control to adjust them from the cockpit. The total throw on the adjustment knob is only about 1/4 turn, so the little electric motors are probably overkill anyway-and allow no midrange adjustment. The only special tools required were the spanner wrenches for the spring adjusters and a strut tool (spring compressor). I'll report back on the handling as soon as I get a chance to do Mulholland again. The back is next-anybody got some 355 shocks for the back to sell?
     
  2. No Doubt

    No Doubt Seven Time F1 World Champ

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    #2 No Doubt, Jul 1, 2005
    Wow! You should package a kit with all of that (shocks, springs, tools, socket, cockpit lever). Many 348 owners would probably like to consider adding adjustable race/street shocks.
     
  3. bert308

    bert308 Formula 3

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    Bert Kanters
    #3 bert308, Jul 2, 2005
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    I have a pair of new 456 front shock absorbers, they are similar build as the 355 ones I sold you, also adjustable, not sure how the stiffness compares but they must be suited for the "heavy" side of the car as the 456 has the engine in the front. I can measure compressed/uncompressed length if you wish. I want $400 for the pair.
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  4. russell

    russell Karting

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    #4 russell, Jul 2, 2005
    yes, we have in stock with the red actuaters 355 shocks and the whole suspension corners.. [email protected]
     
  5. bert308

    bert308 Formula 3

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    #5 bert308, Jul 12, 2005
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  6. plugzit

    plugzit F1 Veteran
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    #6 plugzit, Jul 17, 2005
    Just got back from Mulholland, Stunt, Piuma. Road test went great, flatter in corners, more stable, negligable to no liftoff oversteer (was worried it might snap-didn't go fast enough to find out as there is little or no runoff area there), accelerates out straighter.
    Car's an 89, so next is 18" challenge wheels (with Uniroyal 9000s) to get the later model spacing. Hopefully, that'll make it more stable at speed, although my hopes aren't extremely high since the front of the car is up almost an inch to clear driveways and such. That makes it gather air underneath the flat bottom of the car, so it's a little twitchy at speed.
    The plan is to make a splitter a la 348ss to try and mitigate that problem. A piece of 3/16" or 1/4" aluminum cut to shape should do the job. I think (and feedbabk on this would be appreciated) that there will be very little up- or downforce on this unit, therefore the strength of attachment points wont be critical. I'll just attach it to the bumper itself with 1/4'' countersunk bolts through the bottom of the bumper.
     
  7. No Doubt

    No Doubt Seven Time F1 World Champ

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    #7 No Doubt, Jul 17, 2005
    Cool project.
     
  8. rivee

    rivee F1 Rookie

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    #8 rivee, Jul 18, 2005
    Excuse my ignorance, but what is a splitter, and what does it do?
     
  9. plugzit

    plugzit F1 Veteran
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    #9 plugzit, Jul 18, 2005
    A splitter is a lip or flat plate at the bottom of the spoiler (parallel to the ground) to "split" the wind. The purpose is to route more air around and over the car. It only sticks out an inch or so. It's seen more often on race cars.
     
  10. rexrcr

    rexrcr Formula 3
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    #10 rexrcr, Jul 20, 2005
    Dear Bruce,

    Interesting conversion, kudos.

    Careful with the adjustments, the design allows a huge range of forces, and is quite sensitive and non-linear. I have a design for a manual adjuster, but have had no demand, so it's not in production, or priced.

    As you've discovered, full hard is CCW, and the adjuster must be locked or internal hydraulic forces will move it to full soft quickly. And I'm also sure you've noticed it adjusts both bump and rebound simultaneously. Well done on the remote system.

    If you require more info, just shoot me an email.

    Good luck and best regards,

    Rob Schermerhorn
    Delta Vee Motorsports
    www.deltavee.net
     
  11. littleblackflash

    littleblackflash Karting

    Jan 29, 2005
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    #11 littleblackflash, Jul 20, 2005
    Rob

    I've rebuilt many of these dampers and dyno checked them. In the piston rod just above the piston are two small holes which act as by pass giving a soft low speed (damper speed not road speed). The adjuster simply rotates a barrel inside the rod and covers the holes to reduce the bypass and thus a hard low speed setting.
    It is hit and miss on a mid point setting and should only be used as a off / on setting. As there are no non return valves the by pass works in bump and rebound.

    If anyone wants the setting changing or the dampers shortened / lenghtened etc I can put you in touch with the company I used to work for that is part of krupp-Bilstein.

    Dunx
     
  12. No Doubt

    No Doubt Seven Time F1 World Champ

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    #12 No Doubt, Sep 24, 2005
    As far as "adjustments" go, rather than have a manual lever inside the cockpit, what would be even more cool would be to have the steering wheel select the full hard counter-clockwise setting for turns, full soft ride setting in the straights.
     
  13. plugzit

    plugzit F1 Veteran
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    #13 plugzit, Sep 27, 2005
    extermely cool idea-any thoughts on parts that would accomplish that?
     
  14. No Doubt

    No Doubt Seven Time F1 World Champ

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    #14 No Doubt, Sep 27, 2005
    Your manual lever cable from one side shock routed through a pulley and spring attached to the brake rotor or A-Arm such that the cable pulls the valve fully counter-clockwise as the wheel turns either direction...done for both front shocks.

    Turn the wheel and the shock goes firm. Wheel back straight relaxes the cable and the spring causes the shocks to go back to the soft setting.
     

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