Hartford Shock Absorbers

For some time now, I have been taking a great interest in the way people mount their Hartford shock absorbers not just on Alvises but any vintage car. Some choose to have them mounted with one blade up and two blades down or two blades up and one blade down. My 12/50  D/back is fitted with three blades up and two blades down and I have recently changed them to two blades up and three blades down without any noticeable difference. Some say its to do with co-efficient of friction as to which way they are fitted.  I have studied numerous period books of all sorts of cars fitted with friction disc type shock absorbers and still remain mystified.  Any ideas? Posted by McKaige 15/08/2012 22:30:22

It cannot make any difference, it is like using a pair of pliers, you have to push equally on each arm to make them work. On the Hartfords you have equal torque whether the axle is attached to the double arm or the triple arm. The only difference would be a minute difference in a portion of the unsprung weight of the axle if the triple leg was attached to it instead of the double leg. You would never tell the difference, so mount them in whatever way cosmetically pleases you! Posted by IanHardaker 16/08/2012 01:00:37

It is Hartford's you're talking about after all. Hardly the last word in technological wizardry! Posted by Angus D'Arcy-Drake 16/08/2012 08:34:45

[quote="Angus D'Arcy-Drake":3ez2rbfe]It is Hartford's you're talking about after all. Hardly the last word in technological wizardry![/quote:3ez2rbfe] Yes I agree, but you would like to keep them the same way as it left the factory. Posted by RichardWallach 13/08/2014 09:05:41

I think that '2 blades pointing upward and 3 pointing down' is the correct mounting.  I know a good firm for supplying spare parts, who will fit new bushes at a very reasonable price if required.  The bushes are b4stards to fit. Posted by Angus D'Arcy-Drake 14/08/2014 09:05:19

Does moving the pointer from 1 through 5 make any significant difference?  Is 1 or 5 the softer setting?  Mine have been set at 4 since I've had the car, and is fairly harshly sprung. Posted by johnlayzell 21/01/2015 17:37:48