For supplier of these dampers click the link below.
http://www.racecar.co.uk/lotuscarlton/
The end profile for the oe damper is cone shaped whereas the replacement damper is flat.
The large support washer (part number 8984220 ) that sits under the rubber buffer is dished. I'd thought about not using it at all,
but the washer is larger than the damper body, which would allow the rubber buffer to over hang.
If I used the washer as it was, there would be a gap between the underside of the washer and the damper body end face.
I'd thought about flattening the washer, however, this would then allow some of the damper forces to be transmitted through the outer
damper body, the forces should be directed through the centre of the damper shaft only. Decision was use washers to retain
a gap between the outer diameter of the washer and the damper body. About 7mm spacing required to leave a 2mm gap.
(the red stuff........is just red rubber grease)
Fitting the damper was easy.
Use only the 2 locking nuts the are supplied ready fitted to the threaded part of the shaft, the nut in the bag
with the other rubber buffers is a different thread form and should be discarded !
One of the features of the new dampers is adjustability via the thumbwheel at the bottom.
This operates a valve within to increase or decrease damping rate. The thumbwheel has a dial indicator stuck onto it,
just in case this ever falls off, I put a small nick in the thumbwheel outer diameter to indicate 12 o'clock position.
I've not moved the adjuster as it is already set to match the damping rate of oe units, however I would want to
know for sure how to reset to "factory" spec if I ever did try changing it and lost it's position. Probably fully screw one way or the
other and return a set number of revolutions.
Road test quite un-eventful, the dampers performed just I would have expected oe dampers to perform, which is just how they
should be, as for track use.........that will have to wait ;-)
One difference is that with my old dampers, they would knock when cold........the new ones don't :-)