Bewls Posted March 22, 2006 Share Posted March 22, 2006 One of my adjustable spax dampers has started leaking on my 1993 live axle xflow and I’m not sure on the best course of action. I have no idea what spring rates I’m currently running, all I know it that it feels at the stiffer end of the scale based of other sevens I’ve either driven or passengered, and I ground out a lot on even a slightly bumpy road if I drive quickly (68mm of clearance from dry sump pan to road) My first thought was to just replace the two front spax dampers and get the springs swapped over, but I have no spring compressor, so it would mean taking it somewhere to have them fitted, and therefore it would equal more time and expense. I could buy replacement front dampers with the spring already fitted (I think the actual springs are only about £10 each or something) but as I don’t know the spring rate, I can’t really do this without taking it somewhere to find out what it is, and that would negate the point of buying it with the spring already fitted. I then became temped on the idea of just replacing both spring and damper unit, front and rear, with a new set of AVO’s, as recommended by several people, but I phoned up freestyle and they quoted my over £600 just for the parts, without postage or anything, and I’m reluctant to spend, what is about 10% of my cars value, on the suspension! I went to the Bristol and Bath club meet last night, and it was suggested that AVO’s can be brought significantly cheaper, if you buy them direct, but then you have to choose your own spring rates….. Does anyone know a cheaper source (less than £600!) to get a set of 4 adjustable AVO dampers, with adjustable platforms, and what spring rate is best? Oh, and I don’t think I can get the Spax repaired as I think the reason why they are leaking is not just because a seal has gone, but also because the shaft has become scratched, from road grit and alike. The MOT is due soon, and I only have weekends free to play with the 7 as its 160 miles away in a garage in Sheffield at the moment, so I need to sort something out ASAP Any other advice? Thanks, Joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Support Team Shaun_E Posted March 22, 2006 Support Team Share Posted March 22, 2006 Are you sure that the damper cannot be repaired? Try giving Spax a call - they may be able to replace the damaged shaft as well. It would probably be best to get the other one refurbished at the same time to give them a fighting chance of being able to work effectively together. Yellow SL #32 Edited by - Shaun_E on 22 Mar 2006 14:50:50 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rgrigsby Posted March 22, 2006 Share Posted March 22, 2006 I friend was looking at Protechs recently which seem to be pretty good and are cheaper than AVO's (I think they guy running protech is ex-Avo) Rob G www.SpeedySeven.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griff Posted March 22, 2006 Share Posted March 22, 2006 Freestyle suspension will be the best performance upgrade you can make for the money. My car was transformed after fitting their kit (incl. the adjustable ARBs). The £600 figure sounds higher than I paid (something like £450 rings a bell). Does this include a conversion to widetrack too? It's not pink, it's medium red violet...! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaseb Posted March 22, 2006 Share Posted March 22, 2006 Has anyone used Gaz Shocks? Like here Gazzard Engineering used to be a major component manufacturer for Spax and they look quite good value at £399 inc vat and delivery for a car set with springs. Their site says they have a 3 year warranty too?! Are your Spax dampers yellow and/or have a screw closure where the rod goes in? The yellow ones tend not to be rebuildable although a screw top makes the phone call worthwhile. If they are trakspax they, as well as being a very good damper are definitely rebuildable and worth doing. IIRC It used to cost around £35 labour a corner probably plus Vat and parts on Trakspax. Edited by - JaseB on 22 Mar 2006 16:04:39 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Revin Kevin Posted March 22, 2006 Share Posted March 22, 2006 Joe, Avo, will deal direct. find them on the internet. Spring rates depending on your useage, 250/275 on the front 100/120 on the rear. I use AVO's and I feel they are value for money, not the best in the world but good and not too expensive. Springs you can probably get a bit cheaper by going direct to Faulkner springs (they supply AVO I think). I've been experimenting with live axle settings for some time now, if i can help, I'm more than happy too. Cheers Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myles Posted March 22, 2006 Share Posted March 22, 2006 FWIW, most springs I've come across (admittedly not that many) have the spring-rate and free-length inscribed on one of the flat 'tongues' at the extreme ends of the coil. You will have to remove the springs from the dampers to check this though. Project Scope-Creep is live... Alcester Racing 7's Equipe - 🙆🏻™ Alcester-Racing-Sevens.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bricol Posted March 22, 2006 Share Posted March 22, 2006 Spring rates easy - Take unit off the car. Leave car jacked up. Place thick piece of timber on bathroom scales - postioned so you can see the dial. Place shock vertically on scales - get helper to hold tape extended tape measure or ruler on scales and line up on some feature on the top of the shock - lean on shock - you note the scale reading and helper notes deflection in inches - scale up so you get a figure in lb/in - easy! Sometimes easier to lower car onto spring, slowly, sat on scales - slightly compress and note reading - lower a touch more - measure distance dropped and note dial again - . . . Alternatively if you have accurate measuring device (verniers will do) there is a nice calculation that will get you a reasonable answer - but knowing where to start and stop counting coil can really throw the answer out. Bri Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Plato Posted March 22, 2006 Share Posted March 22, 2006 buy the dampers direct from AVO - just ask for a caterham setup to suit 1993 LA spring rates as a base set up are 250 lb front / 175 rear Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris__ Posted March 22, 2006 Share Posted March 22, 2006 GAZ are supposed to be good. Don't know about on 7's though. There's a few s/h bilstein dampers on For Sale atm, any for live axle? Chris. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nickh7 Posted March 22, 2006 Share Posted March 22, 2006 Hi Joe I love my AVO's via freestyle they are magic, I thought Spaxes were about £60 plus VAT if you are happy with your springs we can fit them at Daves one Saturday he has all the kit Nick h Me I'd go freestyle and haggle a bit as that price sounds like the anti roll bar as well Nick h Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bewls Posted March 23, 2006 Author Share Posted March 23, 2006 The price of over £600 was for just the springs and dampers, but that was for them in aluminium, not steel, the steel ones where not that much, I forget the exact cost now, but it was under £500. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rishy Posted March 23, 2006 Share Posted March 23, 2006 Joe, I've just removed a set of front spax adjust damper unit from my 7, 1993 De Dion, standard front suspension set up without adjustable spring platforms. Chassis is going to Arch this weekend for repairs so I'm upgrading to 96 suspension and widetrack. Make me on offer if there any use to you and I'll donate some to NtL. Julian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bewls Posted March 23, 2006 Author Share Posted March 23, 2006 Thanks for the offer but I just ordered 4 AVOs direct from AVO 😳 I'm going to use my current springs for the time being and go from there. Should keep me busy next weekend...... Nick, does Dave have the C ring spanner thingy for moving the spring platforms, hopefully, there coming on Tuesday..... Edited by - joseph on 23 Mar 2006 17:43:23 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petrolhead Posted March 24, 2006 Share Posted March 24, 2006 I have heard mixed reviews about GAZ. They are also quite heavy. One of the ne7ers had just bought a set of ProTech which are alloy and light and cost less than GAZ. I think he paid £400 all in NE7Club Web Site R5 no 65 😬 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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