RE: Spax and Koni Rears -wot about the front

[Mike Wattam <101714.1343@domain.elided>]

Dean

What your friend says about the top bush (in the strut insert) wearing out
is perfectly true, and is a generic fault of the Macpherson strut type
suspension layout.

However, the Stag was one of the last cars designed with this front
suspension layout and I think they learned how to make it reliable.  The
standard strut inserts have a large diameter piston rod in comparison to
most suspensions of this design, and this minimises wear.  The Koni and
Spax shock absorbers are built the same way.  Therefore the service life
should be acceptable.  

Nevertheless, they do eventually still fail because the bush wears and
fluid starts leaking out.  It is very important to use the gaiters quoted
in the parts list, as these minimise substances from the road going onto
the piston rod and accelerating bush wear.

If you use the standard shock absorbers, it is possible to buy replacement
strut inserts which are simply fitted to the lower casing by undoing the
sleeve nut (not easy!) to save the cost of the whole item.

Mike Wattam
Triumph Stag Register