Ah ok, forgive my ignorance, is the friction damper inside then? I've just got one of the back inertas out of the car and all it's got is the two threaded bolts to fit it and the cap on top...

Yep,
the friction dampers are mounted on the ends of the front axle tube, usually hidden by rubber covers.

If they're out of adjustment, or worn out, the car will be very prone to bouncing up and down, as the friction dampers are intended to control suspension movements of large amplitude/low frequency.

The batteurs/inertia dampers can only control movements of small amplitude/high frequency, pavé being their primary target ...

ken

Friction dampers are at the "shoulder" end of the suspension arms, inertia dampers are the round drums behind the road wheels, at the "wrist" end of the suspension arms

"Shoulder" = "Axle"

"Wrist" = "Steering hub"

Just keeping it simple

Excellent analogy, though...

The friction dampers restrict the rate at which you can wave your (suspension) arms up and down, whereas the inertia dampers prevent you from flapping your hands (hubs?) around like a ninny.

ken

Ok thank you all, and russ I might strike you a deal on your tit bits in your tool box

Anyway, back on topic...

so i got the neew spring tube and suspension, compleat today, arrived, my question before the forum is i cant find the "av" marking i was looking for, instead, i see yellow paint one end with white painted writing, and the other end i see pruple and yellow dot.
one end of the rig is a bit ruster than the other, (as in the where 46mm nuts screw onto,) is this a tell tell sign of it being the front or the back??
also, at the outer edges of both sides, the 46mm nuts are rusted on (could move them if i had to) can i put it onto car without undoing these 2 nuts?? and then do up the other 2 to tighten it all up?

sorry if this has been mentioned before!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What does the white painted writing say?

Does it say 'FRONT' or 'BACK'? just a thought, y'know.

Otherwise I don't think the colour marks mean anything.

IIRC, if you measure from the end of the can to the end of the tie rod, the rear tie rod is slightly longer. That might be wrong it's been ages since I dicked about with standard stuff.

I don't think it'd be wise randomly fitting things because 'one end looked a bit rustier'

And, once again, you cannot remove the can without undoing the 46mm nuts. As I recall, off ther top of my head without reading this thread back, you will need to undo the innermost nut on each end which will allow you to remove the threaded tube and get the can off.

If you 'could move them if I had to' then why don't you just move them? Call me a twat, but if I could undo a nut and bolt holding a component i wanted to remove, I think I'd undo it, but we're all different and not everybody works the same way, which I do understand.


Oh yeah, one more thing. READ THIS THREAD!

the inner 46mm nuts are free, thats what i meant, the outer arent, so should be ok,

ill have a looksie tomrow and see,
and measing, is that with the tie rods pulled out? as far as i can get them?
and ive printed and read the thread stop telling me to do that...