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Andre Hartford Dampers
they are DAMPERS -  NOT shock absorbers !

Hartford was the American inventor and patentee of the friction-disc shock absorber.  Andre was a licensee, who made them in Europe. There were other licensees. The definition of suspension damper is a generic term that covers all such devices.  I suppose we must allow the inventor of a particular form of damper to choose the name for it, even if it is obviously a marketing ploy rather than an accurate description of its function.

These are more complex than they look and care needs to be taken in refurbishing them.
All spare parts are easily obtainable from  vintage car parts suppliers 
Nov 03 click for larger imageAt least one of the Andre Hartford spring dampers is beginning to lose its discs; although I have some spare wood discs I am told that modern discs made from brake lining material give a better ride
May 04 click for larger imageclick for larger imageAfter removing the board underneath the rear seat it was an easy job to remove and refurbish the rear dampers.

I oiled the springs using ATF and a paint brush as I had some spare.  And yes, I have used nyloc nuts - no point using the special domed originals with the new bushes.
May 04 The rubber on the original silentbloc bushes had been bonded directly to the arms; the new ones have inner and outer steel bushes so there is less thickness of rubber to allow for the rotation.  I wonder how long they will last ?
May 04 click for larger imageclick for larger imageThe spare units that I refurbished were earlier ones and a little different to those on the car, but dimensions are the same and the two are interchangeable.

The rear dampers were dismantled and cleaned (both had been greased - they shouldn't have been !) and new bushes pressed in. A touch of grease on the central pivot bolt is all that is needed.

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Jun 04 click for larger imageclick for larger imageNew scales and Ferodo type friction discs have been fitted all round.   It is surprising how many parts make up these dampers; many are being remanufactured. 
Jun 04 click for larger imageclick for larger imageThe centre bolts and wooden bushes were worn badly on the front offside damper - parts from the old rear units fitted.
Jun 04 click for larger imageclick for larger imageFor some reason the front nearside damper was totally worn out and almost everything had to be replaced except for the arms.  Even the brass discs were worn through.
July 04 proved to be very busy and despite the good weather, no work was carried out !
Aug 04 click for larger imageclick for larger imageNew parts need careful drilling and turning down to fit. The rims of the central stiffener and the outer brass disc sit proud of the friction material until . . . . . .
Aug 04 click for larger imageclick for larger image. . . . . .  mounting on a faceplate and turning down the centre steel washers and the brass discs on the lathe, the friction material can now do its job !

 

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Aug 04 click for larger imageclick for larger imageI used 4BA steel nuts & bolts instead of rivets  . . . . .

. . . . . .  and the assembly was araldited together for added strength.
Aug 04 click for larger imageclick for larger imagewhen assembled it looked like this
Aug 04 click for larger image. . . . . . with a smart new scale !
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