Using Volvo inserts in Cortina Struts

steven H · Post by **steven H** » Sun Dec 30, 2012 11:40 am

I just successfully {with some help} used Volvo 240 inserts in my early Mark 2 shock absorbers, it took a little bit of ingenuity but they seem to work fine. The inserts fit in fine but the need to be wedged at the bottom as they are shorter and a collar has to be fashioned so the top bearing works as they are narrower at the top but with a little massaging and bodging they actually feel like they will work fine. My ball joints are the next task so I still don't know how well they perform. But total cost for parts was $95. Just wanted to share it seems like a cost effective way to do things

Brett Wilkie · Post by **Brett Wilkie** » Sun Dec 30, 2012 7:49 pm

It's always good to know what parts will interchange, I too am working with Mk2 struts but I think I will need to shorten the strut tube for it to work well in my application. I will be converting the struts to coil over as well as cutting them down so I will be looking for shorter inserts, how much shorter are the Volvo units?

steven H · Post by **steven H** » Sun Dec 30, 2012 10:32 pm

about an inch I figure though I didn't keep the measurements

Brett Wilkie · Post by **Brett Wilkie** » Mon Dec 31, 2012 10:08 am

Thanks, it worth exploring as I do not yet know how much I will taking from the strut top. I think maybe in the 30 to 50mm range?

xclusiv · Post by **xclusiv** » Sun Mar 10, 2013 5:39 pm

i used toyota celica(early 80's) in my mk2. fit excellent except it was a little short, i used a 1/4 spacer at the bottom and that was all she wrote.

Brett Wilkie · Post by **Brett Wilkie** » Sun Mar 10, 2013 9:22 pm

Was the Toyota shock to fit a standard Mk2 strut or a shortened one? As it turns out I will be trimming my struts down by 2 inches but I have now found Koni Sport inserts in my friends warehouse that are a perfect fit for the shotened strut. The funny thing is that I don't know the original application, I have searched the net with the part #s with no success??? If there is anyone on this forum near Vancouver that is looking for shocks I recommend Ruth at All British Cars, she has literally hundreds of pairs of Konis, Spax and other brands of Shocks and inserts.

xclusiv · Post by **xclusiv** » Mon Mar 11, 2013 6:15 pm

it was for a standard strut.

Post by **peteleo** » Mon Mar 11, 2013 7:06 pm

Just to clarify. The early MK2 has a bearing top mount so the Volvo 240 inserts wont' work in the later 68-70 MK2 "silent bloc" top mount.
Toyota Celica inserts will only work in the later top mounts with a narrow top shaft thru the top mount. These will work with a selective spacer to compensate the shorter height compared to the Cortina insert.

70CortinaGT · Post by **70CortinaGT** » Sat Mar 16, 2013 8:46 am

I used 86 nissan maxima rear inserts . Worked perfectly , no spacers .

mark · Post by **mark** » Sun Nov 02, 2014 6:53 pm

I thought I would post my question here on this older thread....
Does anyone know if there are any strut cartridges available in the USA that will work in the 100E front suspension? I know replacements are available in the UK, but if something here in the USA will work, then $$$ can be saved on shipping. thanks

Brett Wilkie · Post by **Brett Wilkie** » Sun Nov 02, 2014 9:26 pm

That's a very good question Mark, I was hoping to find an easy solution on our shores for a stock 100e and I still mean to check out a part # I found on an old shock insert/cartridge (Monroe I think) I will let you know if I find more out.

mark · Post by **mark** » Thu Jul 07, 2016 10:25 am

Thought I would post on this topic again...since it is approaching two years old. and I am now looking for strut inserts.
Does anyone know if there are any front strut cartridges available in the USA that will work in the 100E front suspension without mods... or with minor mods? I know replacements are available in the UK.., I may have too go that route, but let's check one more time before I order. thanks

Brett Wilkie · Post by **Brett Wilkie** » Thu Jul 07, 2016 11:11 am

Hi Mark, I seem to recall trying to find a # on that insert without success. I too will be trying to find a solution to the stock 100e front struts soon as my stock Anglia struts are leaking quite badly now. I did find in my collection a NOS pair of Mk1 Lotus Cortina Koni shock inserts that fit the 100e strut body perfectly but the top end did not protrude enough to go through the deep 100e top mount, I will be working on that soon and let you know if it is feasible. I wish that I could say more about that now but I am currently away from my parts storage.

mark · Post by **mark** » Thu Jul 07, 2016 6:22 pm

I called Monroe tech support (silly me) ...they only know what is listed in their "catalog" and they had no listing for EnFo's . They do have a list of all of their struts, cartridges, and shocks with their basic dimensions. With a little research something might could be found but I suspect some shaft work will be needed to make the top hat work. My struts are on the car now, so I do not have one to disassemble and measure...(probably some measurements on one of the forums?). I think I will look in their list for the rear shocks. I feel like the rear shocks will be easier to find.
Looking at the exchange rates, it looks favorable to buy from England now compared to the past year....so I am trying to get up another order to place soon and I suspect the strut inserts will be on that order.
One more thing...one strut I am using has the guts out of a '67 Cortina...I modified the end of the shaft to fit the top bearings and remember doing something with the shaft bushing. The piston tube is the same length but the factory "dimpled " the tube limiting the stroke... loosing about 2" travel. It has not bottomed out yet and seems to work, but like most of these old parts, there is some rust on the shaft which is eating up the seals and leaking.

Brett Wilkie · Post by **Brett Wilkie** » Thu Jul 07, 2016 8:10 pm

I looked also but could not find a 100e listing, even if you found a number I wonder if it would just come up as obsolete and not available? It would not surprize me to find that there are some near compatible Cortina inserts that would do the job with a bit of modification, as I said I do have a set of Konis that I am considering to modify for my stock Anglia. I might just machine down the top of the shaft to allow it to penetrate through the 100e top mount, I have done this before for the front shocks on my modified Anglia.

I will see if I can find a stock 100e shock around here for measuring, I will let you know what I find.