can you convert Spax shocks to spherical bearings?

[paul_w]

Hello - have been reading old threads on here and PH about live axle handling and the effects of the shocks bending in roll and causing friction. My live axle Classic is much bouncier in turns on Welsh mountain roads than I'd imagined it would be compared to my Dad's DD car, even with a heavy passenger on board, which should bring the sprung/unsprung weight ratio not far off that of a single person DD car. Yet when in a long smooth constant radius bend or roundabout the car seems to take a set and grip astoundingly.

Does this sound like it could be the side loading on the shocks I'm feeling? Or something else? If anyone has direct experience of the switch to spherical bearings for the lower joint I'd be keen to hear how effective it is.

And has anyone converted standard shocks with something like these?

http://www.astbearings.com/maintenance-free-spherical-plain-bearings.html

I know the easy option is to just spend the money on Avos or similar with a rose joint, but the shocks are in good nick and I'd be interested to just change one variable at a time.

Cheers

Paul

(edited for link to better range of bearings...)

[Simon.Rogers]

Hi Paul

I am not going to say that the bearings have no influence but I would be putting my money on the spring rates and damping not matching.

I would probably guess at it being over sprung.

[paul_w]

Thanks Simon - I'm probably going to end up playing with springs at some point as the car is sitting slightly lopsided (though my first check will be the ARB in case it's got a twist - mind you any work on it is very intermittent as the car is 250 miles away!) - it currently has the blue springs if that means anything? I noticed that the Bilstein conversion CC offer has progressive springs at the back - I guess on a light car where you sit over the axle that option probably makes sense to take into account different loads.

[apjenkins]

Hi Paul,

I went from live axle rubber bonded spax to sperical lower fixings and in all honesty could not tell the difference. (roadgoing & class 2 sprinting)

Simon knows what he is talking about, have a chat with him.  Springs are very cheap (£25 ea?) and in my (limited) experience make the biggest cost effective difference.

@ndrew

[paul_w]

Thanks Andrew, much appreciated to get a direct comparison - next time I'm with the car I'll eliminate the ARB from my enquiries and speak to Simon about a set of springs. I think I'm going to want to go on one of his Curborough days anyway...

Paul