Practically Classics Forum

Hi,
I am a little confused - long story short I just changed the rear dampers on my Alpine. I believe the dampers I removed to be original.

On the top of the damper there was a concave cup washer bonded to the damper. This butted against the body. Above the body there was a removable cup washer then two bushes and a cup washer followed by 2 nuts securing it all.

The replacements, from John Hayter - Berkshire Sunbeam Alpine, are of different design slightly, so want to check I fitted them correctly. Particularly, there is no bonded cup washer on the damper, and the top of the damper is seemingly crimped on the end and around 1/4" in diameter (or so).
I assembled:
-Damper below body
-Above body cup washer
-2 bushes
-cup washer
-nuts

However, on test drive while the ride was so much better there was now a clonking (sometimes).
I am wondering whether I should have fitted everything a tad differently? Adding a cup washer (or flat washer) below the body, or should there be a bush there also?
I would appreciate some advice from those out there with more experience.

Thanks,
Andy

I would expect pin fittings to be ordered so:

Damper under the body has a washer that sits - concave face upwards - at the bottom of the pin, then a rubber bush, then the pin through the body, then, on the top side, another bush with a washer fitted concave side over that bush then the locknut.
I found a diagram that shows what I mean, third from the left - the red one with a shroud - is how a pin should mount when it's passing through a hole in its turret or inner arch area:



Fit the bushes with the lip upwards from below and downwards from above, so that the only contact will be between the bushes.

I also found an image of the dampers as used by your car, but posted that larger one as it shows the correct sequence but is clearer than this: