Engine shocks

[Rocking-M]

Hey, one of my engine shocks is shot. What are the options out there for these.
Should I replace with a heim joint or something?
Thanks, Robert

[SubGothius]

Ah, those engine dampers, the eternal quest(ion). :) Since these are long NLA, I've been wondering lately if even a generic gas-pressurized strut (as sold at parts shops for tailgate/hood props) of the proper length (or slightly longer and compressed a bit to fit) would be better than retaining a seized or free-sliding original in place. The ones on my Zag certainly look similar to those tailgate/hood struts...

IMHO, solving this dilemma is the key to most of our motor-mount woes. I think the rubber mounts on the lower subframe are only good for locating the drivetrain on the frame and isolating vibration, but I doubt they were ever intended to resist drivetrain movement, oscillation, or torque. Those damper struts handily resist motion and oscillation, so when they go bad, the rubber mounts down below start getting torn up.

[Gregory Smith]

Lift struts won't work, they're just not built for it. They exert extension pressure almost the entire way, so it would be like a one-way strut. Also, they're just not as well built as a dual action strut. Seems a small strut should be available from a scooter or motorcycle parts place, they can't be that rare! ???

[SubGothius]

Do we know for certain that they are two-way dampers? I admit to having been under that impression, i.e. that they resist motion both ways like a suspension strut, but now I'm not so sure that they weren't originally pressurized like a lid-prop strut.

To anyone who's removed one of these in sound condition: Can you recall having determined how it works?
If pressurized to resist motion in one direction only, was it normally extended or retracted?
Did it seem at all like it could be diassembled (thus theoretically rebuilt), or was it somehow permanently sealed as a disposable-only unit?Inquiring Lancisti want to know! ;D

[rossocorsa]

I read somewhere (maybe here) that you can use a renault strut from the 21 diesel anyone tried it and know the part number?

[jp]

I read that somewhere a long time ago too. This is definitely a problem- has anyone asked Betaboyz about this?

[SubGothius]

I read somewhere (maybe here) that you can use a renault strut from the 21 diesel anyone tried it and know the part number?
Yeh, the R21 turbodiesel tip came from a poster on the lanciabeta Yahoo!Group (http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/lanciabeta), and I've passed that tip along here before; however, so far as I know, nobody but that original poster has offered a testimonial that it works, nevermind the difficulty of actually getting this part Stateside. I've suggested to US Lancisti travelling to Europe that they look into getting a bunch of R21td dampers to bring/ship back, but nobody's taken it up yet that I know of (hey DJ, since you're moving to Scotland... ;) ) .

Although a variant of the R21 was sold here as the Renault (later Eagle) Medallion, I don't know if it even used the same drivetrain dampers as the Europe-only R21 turbodiesel (IIRC, R21s came with both longitudinal and tranverse engines, resulting in different wheelbases, thus different front fenders, etc...), which was apparently last made over 12 years ago. Even parts for the more popular AMC-related Renault Alliance and Encore (R9/11 derivatives) are hard to come by in the States anymore, and R21 TD parts may be NLA even in Europe as well, for all I know.

While better than having nothing to go on, so far at least for Stateside Lancisti, this seems a case of looking to substitute a rare part for a rare car with an even rarer part for an even rarer car! ::)

[Rocking-M]

Looks like some experimentation is in order here. Has anyone got a real good stock one so
the rebound and compression rates could be checked on it? One of mine is good, but how good I don't really know :o Wonder what they did on the rally Betas?

[jp]

I have a spare kicking around ,but it is shot. I want to show it to my mechinac buddy and get some creative thinking going

[rossocorsa]

as regards the r21 shock I can easily enquire at a renault dealer in the UK BUT without the part number it would be difficult as most parts departments only know about cars under 3 years old and would consider a 21 to be antique