3200 rear shock absorber

vulcan1208

Member
Messages
168
I have not posted for a long time as my 3200 has been laid up for about a year and it is only recently that a near neighbour shamed me into bringing it back to rude health by saying "if you don't want to use it pass it onto someone who does". To this end I have done most of the bits that needed doing ( new clutch, refurbished TB, new battery and new radiator fan ) but the final thing is the rear shocks, does anybody know how difficult they are to remove as I want to send them off for refurbishment.

Thanks in advance for any advice.
 

davy83

Member
Messages
2,809
Rear shocks are not too bad to remove, the tops are inside the car and accessed from the boot space. you need to very carefully remove the Ferrari control motors first and put them somewhere safe. If you have not removed these before there is a small wire clip that needs to be slid our of place to get them off. try one of the front ones that's visible first if you have have not tried this before, its easy but on the rears you are working at arms length in a dark space so you can feel it but not see it. the four nuts on the top will come off easy as they don't get rusty, again you need to use a socket set at arms length. the lower mounts are obvious and there is one nut but it can be tough if its been there for a while, i would soak it in WD40 overnight. You will need a spring compressor to get the spring off before shipping them off to get them refurbished, but this is the same as other cars. I used David Askew for refurbishment, its up to you though. Inspect the lower bush as this can often need replaced too and is not always included in the refurbishment. There may be a thread with photos on this forum somewhere not sure.
 

RSM Masser

Member
Messages
2,437
Resurrect an old thread but I can’t seem to work out how to start one on a phone.
So lovely sunny weekend and decide to roll out the 3200 to fit the new discs and Yellowstuff pads only to find a small puddle of fluid by the offside rear wheel.
Close inspection reveals the leaky shock absorber, ho hum! The list of jobs gets longer.
To top it all I scrape the near side wing and rear wheel on the garage wall getting it out onto the drive. F44K!!

56309
 

Rex B

Member
Messages
657
Davy is right its not hard if you are can work at arms length and have a good feel for things, because you can't see anything when you have arm down the access to the top of the shock absorber. The 4 nuts come undone easily on mine with a I think 13mm socket on a 1/4 drive ratchet and then using your fingers. Spring clip is fiddly but don't loose down the wheel arch otherwise you will been to go fishing with a extendable magnet.. Before taking the spring off note the position of the top 4 fixing studs in relation to the bottom fixing as you need to assemble it all back in the same position. (The manual show this in detail) David Askew done mine at a reasonable price but if the Chrome shafts are knackered you will need to find some new ones or find some good second hand units.

Best of Luck

Rex B
 

RSM Masser

Member
Messages
2,437
Thanks for advice
David Askew already quoted me and I am pleasantly surprised.
I am not too daunted at the dismantling task it’s just another job I could do without
 

redsonnylee

Member
Messages
1,540
Thanks for advice
David Askew already quoted me and I am pleasantly surprised.
I am not too daunted at the dismantling task it’s just another job I could do without

Ian, I’ve a got a rear shock from my old 3200 that was refurbished by DA, it’s yours if you want it. I replaced mine and had the old one refurbished. P/n 387000104.
Tony
 

alfatwo

Member
Messages
5,517
Nice one Ian, thanks for putting that out..
Regarding the replacement of the left hand rear damper assembly on a 3200, its a absolute b.stard of a job, and trying to re fit the boot trim correctly takes forever!

Dave
 

RSM Masser

Member
Messages
2,437
Nice one Ian, thanks for putting that out..
Regarding the replacement of the left hand rear damper assembly on a 3200, its a absolute b.stard of a job, and trying to re fit the boot trim correctly takes forever!

Dave

Luckily it’s the offside (right) which is leaking - I assume they are interchangeable?
However if I get one refurbished I would want the other side done as well.
Plus I have ERORR light on so suspect the red electronic actuators are also at fault - at least one is and I have never got round to finding which one!
 

davy83

Member
Messages
2,809
The little motors go through a power up test sequence where they rotate back and forwards, and you can feel it moving on power up. I think if you remove the motor from the shock you cna see them moving again on power up. The other thing that happens is the gears disintegrate as the shock control shaft gets stiffer and this causes problems. The gears can be replaced. if the motor works but does not move when attached to the shock then the control shaft is seized and refurbing the shocks will cure this.
 

Lozzer

Member
Messages
2,280
The little motors go through a power up test sequence where they rotate back and forwards, and you can feel it moving on power up. I think if you remove the motor from the shock you cna see them moving again on power up. The other thing that happens is the gears disintegrate as the shock control shaft gets stiffer and this causes problems. The gears can be replaced. if the motor works but does not move when attached to the shock then the control shaft is seized and refurbing the shocks will cure this.

Mine doesn't have any of that Jiggery Pokery, not sure if you thats a good thing or not .
 

davy83

Member
Messages
2,809
Mine doesn't have any of that Jiggery Pokery, not sure if you thats a good thing or not .
what suspension does yours have then? I thought they were all the same?

For what its worth i like the way suspension works, its a Ferrari system that adapts to your driving, and stiffens up in sport mode and its one of the few systems I have driven where the change to sport mode is noticable, so you may be missing some thing there? :)
 

Lozzer

Member
Messages
2,280
what suspension does yours have then? I thought they were all the same?

For what its worth i like the way suspension works, its a Ferrari system that adapts to your driving, and stiffens up in sport mode and its one of the few systems I have driven where the change to sport mode is noticable, so you may be missing some thing there? :)

I don't know what it has Dave, definitely not adjustable, like yourself I thought all UK cars had it as standard, apparently not , there is no sport button in the cockpit but a PWR button, I've had a look at the shocks and they don't have a manual (screw body) means of adjustment either, pleased to hear the system actually works though, just a shame I don't have it!:(
 

CT3200GT

Junior Member
Messages
94
The car transforms on Sport mode, the suspension definitely stiffens and the steering rack feels more accurate and sportier compared to Normal..and of course there is massive difference in throttle response and the auto gear box changes but I assume this happens also the cars that do not have the electronic suspension

Christos
 

CT3200GT

Junior Member
Messages
94
I don't know what it has Dave, definitely not adjustable, like yourself I thought all UK cars had it as standard, apparently not , there is no sport button in the cockpit but a PWR button, I've had a look at the shocks and they don't have a manual (screw body) means of adjustment either, pleased to hear the system actually works though, just a shame I don't have it!:(
I would assume that if your car has the standard non electronic suspension your suspension is likely the equivalent to our Sport mode, this is just an assumption but makes more sense I think, so you might not be missing much!

Christos
 

77GR

Junior Member
Messages
76
The electronic suspension is not fixed, it continually adjusts all 4 shock absorbers independantly during driving. There are 2 "maps", the regular map and the sport map (generally stiffer settings) where each map interprets throttle position, brakes and acceleration force in multiple directions from accelerometers and then adjusts the shock absorbers accordingly. Thus if you were braking, the front shocks are hardened in relation to the rear, if cornering, the inside shocks are hardened etc.. Most of the UK cars did have this option but Lozzer's is clearly one of the few that doesn't have the option but as Christos suggested, a model without electronic suggestion is roughly equivalent to the average sport setting on on a vehicle with electronic suspension but without the intelligence to independantly adjust and control the shocks during driving.

When pressing the Sport Button the following happens:
-The harder map is selected
-The auto change points are raised on an automatic (this also happens with the Power button on an automatic without sports suspension)
-The traction control system's threshold of what defines wheelspin is raised (also applies with the Power button on an automatic without sports suspension)
-I'm not sure if the throttle response changes but it is possible/likely (it certainly does on some other cars)
Whilst the steering doesn't actually alter (it can't because it is purely hydraulic, there is no electronics involved) it will certainly "feel" more responsive as a result of all of the above factors

If I recall correctly, the system was directly lifted from a 550 Maranello as a late addition before the 3200GT was released which was shortly after Ferrari took over.

I hope this explains some more...
 

CT3200GT

Junior Member
Messages
94
The electronic suspension is not fixed, it continually adjusts all 4 shock absorbers independantly during driving. There are 2 "maps", the regular map and the sport map (generally stiffer settings) where each map interprets throttle position, brakes and acceleration force in multiple directions from accelerometers and then adjusts the shock absorbers accordingly. Thus if you were braking, the front shocks are hardened in relation to the rear, if cornering, the inside shocks are hardened etc.. Most of the UK cars did have this option but Lozzer's is clearly one of the few that doesn't have the option but as Christos suggested, a model without electronic suggestion is roughly equivalent to the average sport setting on on a vehicle with electronic suspension but without the intelligence to independantly adjust and control the shocks during driving.

When pressing the Sport Button the following happens:
-The harder map is selected
-The auto change points are raised on an automatic (this also happens with the Power button on an automatic without sports suspension)
-The traction control system's threshold of what defines wheelspin is raised (also applies with the Power button on an automatic without sports suspension)
-I'm not sure if the throttle response changes but it is possible/likely (it certainly does on some other cars)
Whilst the steering doesn't actually alter (it can't because it is purely hydraulic, there is no electronics involved) it will certainly "feel" more responsive as a result of all of the above factors

If I recall correctly, the system was directly lifted from a 550 Maranello as a late addition before the 3200GT was released which was shortly after Ferrari took over.

I hope this explains some more...
Thank you very much for this information Graham, it does explain a lot!

Christos
 

davy83

Member
Messages
2,809
The workshop manual has a very good description of this system which i will try to capture and post if i can be bothered.
 

babel 101

Junior Member
Messages
253
In my car there is always the "ERROR" when starting but in city and with traffic lights when the car is hot enough the engine if you turn off start the car and turn on again the light of "ERROR" is removed.
On motorway does not remove "ERROR", I guess it's because the heat is evacuated with ease
 

77GR

Junior Member
Messages
76
When the ignition is turned on, each adjuster rotates fully in one direction and then the other to check that the adjusters are working and the shock absorbers themselves are able to turn and respond. If any of the 4 units refuse to comply then the error message appears.

What is happening is that one of the shock absorbers or (more likely) the adjusters is sticking and as you say when it is warm it is enough to free it up. A dealer or a good independant can plug into the diagnostics (OBD on later cars SD2 on earlier) and determine which corner is the culprit, even if the error isn't showing at the time because it remembers. I had something similar and bought some time by removing the adjusters and spraying the mechanisms in WD-40.