So I’ve taken apart my C3035 Newton Bennett shock absorbers.
These are used on early XK120 and all Mark V but not Mark VII.
There is a fine threaded retaining ring inside the outer sleeve that
unscrews after you remove a little split pin.
Then when I got the sleeve off I found the slimy gooey remains of what felt
like a mushroom but looks like it might have once been a rubber ring.
The top end also unscrews and I found a couple of o-rings in there but I
decided to stop and ask the collective wisdom of this group.
The question is, O wise guys, does anybody know what this bit of rubber
looked like when it was new. Was it just a bump stop ring that bumped
against the retaining ring when it was extended, or was it a bellows to keep
the dirt out?
And does anybody sell new rubber bits for these things?
Here are some pictures. http://www.jag-lovers.org/v.htm?1279683051
I did some googling and found pretty much nothing on this Newton company
except they also made clutches.
The damping function seems to be fine, just leaks a bit at the top, needs
new o-rings and maybe a little more hydraulic oil.
Incidentally the cross section picture in the manual is the wrong model
shock, doesn’t show this rubber mystery ring.
Rob Reilly
In reply to a message from R_and_J_Reilly sent Wed 21 Jul 2010:
Hi All
I also have a pair of these Newton Shocks that came off my XK120 #670320, I have replaced them with newer type shocks that seem ok.I
would also like to rebuild my shocks and put them back on the car,
any help locating seals etc would be great!.
Regards
Michael–
jagman
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I pulled one apart. It looks like an easy rebuild, just 4 o-rings. If you do
this I recommend doing it in a big catch pan as the hydraulic oil gets all
over.
Here is what is inside:
The small o-ring on top is a square cross section wiper that keeps the dirt
out of the shaft.
size #206, McMaster-Carr #4061T228
The second o-ring is a normal round one, #2-206, McMaster #9452K185
The third o-ring is also round, #2-217, McMaster #9555K51
The 4th o-ring is going to be the problem as it is a trapezoid cross
section. I need to do some studying about this one. Square size #217, #4061T239 might work if it can be trimmed on the inside to fit the tapered
part.
As to material, Nitrile NBR is best for petroleum based hydraulic oil.
Fluorocarbon FKM is best for synthetic oil.
I still haven’t found anything on the outer rubber ring, but I am pretty
sure it was a bumper and possibly wiper, but not a bellows.
Rob Reilly - 679187
In reply to a message from R_and_J_Reilly sent Mon 26 Jul 2010:
Rob
Thanks for the info on the Newton Bennett Shocks, I will have a go
at taking mine apart one of these days. I always seem to have so
many projects on the go it’s hard to fit things in. Thanks again
for the info.
Regards
Michael Sweeney
XK120 ots
XK140 fhc
X300 XJ6–
jagman
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Has anyone got a suggestion as to what colour the C3035 Newton Bennett shock absorbers should be.
I found these 2 notes relating to the later Newton Shock asorbers C7183 seems unusual having different colour tops and bottoms and then a paint dot?
any update on this and fresh inf?
I just finished rebuilding my Newton 1743 shocks (dated 6-
53)
and found a grey nearly exact to the original, but have a
problem identifying the paint’’ Dot ‘’ on the upper cover as
described in the list of service bulletins SB-98 ?
It states that the dot should be metalic blue. My originals
had what looks like a white brush mark under the SK on the
upper cover. Mike Balch sent me a photo of an original and
it
appears to be the same white mark.
Anyone have any info?–
S674106
Cohasset, MA, United States
My Newton KS 1743 U shocks dated 6/53 are gloss grey
on the bottom tube with more of a satin black on the
top tube with a white or light blue dot on them.
Anyone else have them in these colors?–
S674106
Cohasset, MA, United States
I did a lot of research on the original colors of the Newton shock absorbers when I was restoring a pair of the second version C.7183 shocks used on the later XK120s. There was information from one individual that the C.7183 shocks were gray on the top and black on the bottom. However after he stripped the paint from the pair he was restoring, he realized the black color was actually undercoating, and the entire shock was originally painted gray from the Newton Bennett factory.
I posted these photos on the old Jag-Lovers site of the pair of C.7183 shocks that I restored. I believe the gray color I used is very close to the original shade of gray from Newton Bennett.
As for the first version C.3035 Newton shocks used on the Mark V and early XK120, my conclusion is they were painted black early on and later were painted gray.
The original Newton front shocks from my 1949 XK120 Alloy #670005 are battleship grey.
They were donated along with other artifacts from that car to the Coventry Foundation and are currently stored/displayed at the Foundation’s library and research facility in Columbia South, Carolina.
Terry_McGrath1:
Has anyone got a suggestion as to what colour the C3035 Newton Bennett shock absorbers should be. I found these 2 notes relating to the later Newton Shock asorbers C7183 seems unusual having different colour tops and bottoms and then a paint dot? any update on this and fresh inf?
I did a lot of research on the original colors of the Newton shock absorbers when I was restoring a pair of the second version C.7183 shocks used on the later XK120s. There was information from one individual that the C.7183 shocks were gray on the top and black on the bottom. However after he stripped the paint from the pair he was restoring, he realized the black color was actually undercoating, and the entire shock was originally painted gray from the Newton Bennett factory.
I posted these photos on the old Jag-Lovers site of the pair of C.7183 shocks that I restored. I believe the gray color I used is very close to the original shade of gray from Newton Bennett.
As for the first version C.3035 Newton shocks used on the Mark V and early XK120, my conclusion is they were painted black early on and later were painted gray.
On 670088 the original Newton shocks were grey, top and bottom. I still have them, Bill Bassett or Apple could not rebuild them so I am looking for someone who can. 670088ShocksToBassett%20(7)|666x500
Terry_McGrath1: