Shocks,grammar,tires,and lug bolts

[C M Smith <cmsmith@domain.elided>]

I patch in here an off digest response to Jim Neill re upside down shocks, 
now we have everyone totally confused, including our Antipodean Friends:

Yer right concerning zero internal pressure twin tube shocks. However, the 
Bilstein is a monotube design with the expansion volume required provided 
by a high pressure (usually nitrogen) gas pocket in the end of the monotube 
sealed off from the damping oil by a floating piston. These shocks cannot 
aerate so never fade as twin tube shocks eventually will. Even a Koni which 
is carefully (and expensively) constructed to minimize aeration will 
eventually start to fade if driven hard enough. Gas pressure shocks are 
better for extreme conditions, though they are tricky to design as the gas 
acts as a spring in series with the suspension springs, somewhat affecting 
the damping action and changing the effective roll, jounce and rebound 
spring rates. Most users of Bilsteins report an immediate increase in roll 
stiffness and harder ride, the price you pay for having nowhere for the 
reservoir oil to go in jounce.

Cheers

Michael

And I sincerely hope the tongue in cheek element of my post on definitions 
of "wheel" etc was picked up by all who care to read my little treatises. I 
did think we were perhaps missing the obvious that effective communication 
is the object of language, and therefore "correct" useage is one that gets 
the point across. Using correct spelling and grammar should guarantee this 
and I by no means seek to denigrate those of us for whom "correct" English 
is a Holy Grail (this writer included, though defining correct English is 
surprisingly difficult to do, even if you confine yourself to one version 
such as the curiously named American English promulgated by such giants of 
the language as Microsoft) For the informal environment of the Internet and 
e mail in particular, the non use of spell check is the norm, and a quick 
look at your querty keyboard layout is usually all that is required to 
decipher even the most absurd looking typo. Let us refrain from complaints 
about useage, grammar, and speling, except for our own mutual amusement of 
course.

John Hertzman makes an unusual error in AD V8 37 by suggesting that taller 
profile tires give lighter steering. It has been my universal experience 
that the reverse is true, and theory predicts that this would be the case. 
For a given contact patch (here we go again) which is largely determined by 
vehicle weight and tire pressure, NOT the selected profile for the tire, 
the shape of the contact patch will be longer and narrower than for the 
lower profile tire for the same fitment. This moves the center of road 
contact further behind the effective center of rotation of the steering 
spindle. That being the case, the steering feel experienced as effort to 
turn the wheel will be higher for the taller tire provided of course that 
no other alignment changes are made. It may be that this enhanced steering 
feel of taller tires used on older suspension designs is what triggered 
John's remarks. Certainly you can virtually destroy the handling feel of an 
older car by tricking it out with lower profile tires than those intended 
by the designer. "Lighter" steering is not necessarily better steering, and 
the older cars will benefit from having "older" tires in the pleasure to 
drive area. John does point out that getting the lower profile tires to 
work properly usually involves spring/roll bar/damper changes which involve 
compromises in handling characteristics that are not necessarily 
improvements. Harsh ride springs to mind, numb steering is another unlooked 
for "advantage" especially for non rack and pinion designs, but most often 
is the destruction of the car's original character.

Finally, on the anti seeze issue I think it depends on how often you change 
all the wheels. Up here in the frozen North it is common to have two sets 
of wheels, one with performance tires for use on July 14, or whenever 
summer occurs, and the other with a set of full blown super high 
performance terribly knobby very sticky extra low profile full winter tires 
which we use for the other 364 days. Steering "feel" with winter tires is 
an oxymoron, especially on glare ice, but we persevere. I change all four 
wheels twice per year (on four cars!!!) and so seizing of lug bolts is a 
non issue, as is use of a torque wrench. (After 30 years of changing wheels 
twice per year and NEVER having one come loose, I have confidence I know 
what 80 ft  lbs feels like) However, if you put 'em on and leave 'em 'til 
the next tire change (say four or five years on average) I recommend you 
use a little brake component lube on the hub center, back of the road 
wheel, and the end of the stud or lug bolt. Just a dab 'll do ya and it 
makes getting the correct torque consistent easier, plus does not lubricate 
the threads enough to make a difference as far as keeping the wheel on and 
the studs, or threaded holes in your hubs as the case may be, will never 
seize solid.

Cheers

Michael




Michael Smith
Calgary, Alberta
Canada
91 Alfa 164L, White, original owner

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