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Shock Absorbers


Best Answer Tornado99 , 22 October 2021 - 05:22 PM

Thanks very much for the recommendations. KYB Gas Adjust it is then.

Very good point about the front rubber cones being tired. I had not considered changing them.

I will have a look at the book and see if I have the skills to change them.

 

I'm learning very quickly that the work never stops on a Mini.

Again many thanks for all the advice.

Plenty of YouTube videos of changing the front & rear cones for your review. It can be tricky to get at the fittings for the upper control arm. I chickened out and let a pro shop do it (Steveston Motor Co., a mini specialist with many online viddies).

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#1 Geofff

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Posted 21 October 2021 - 03:14 PM

May I scrounge some opinion on shock absorbers.

We purchased a 1993 sprite 4 months ago and now I am pleased to say it is getting close to drivable. It came with GMax shock absorbers front and back.

We have noticed on the Minispares website that this shock absorber is only suitable for lowered cars.

We have also noticed that the car stands much higher at the back than the front.

We can see no evidence of any other changes to the car to suggest that it has been lowered.

 

Again on the Minispares web we notice that standard shock absorbers are different dimensions to the GMax and would raise the front of the car and lower the back probably allowing the car to stand level with the road.

 

Any opinions would be very welcome. We think we should change them but to what?

Thanks

 



#2 cal844

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Posted 21 October 2021 - 03:43 PM

Kyb Gas ajust or call the team at Protech if you want adjustability and not as harsh as GAZ

#3 andyapanel

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Posted 21 October 2021 - 04:07 PM

KYBs

#4 whistler

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Posted 21 October 2021 - 04:12 PM

KYB gas adjust.



#5 Quinlan minor

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Posted 21 October 2021 - 04:15 PM

I've run the KYB Gas-A-Justs for ten years and I'm happy with them.



#6 GraemeC

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Posted 21 October 2021 - 05:16 PM

Shocks will not noticeably affect the ride height, irrespective of their lengths.
If there is no adjustable suspension on the car (hilo’s) the the front rubber cones are probably tired and ready for replacing.

Edited by GraemeC, 21 October 2021 - 05:17 PM.


#7 Tornado99

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Posted 21 October 2021 - 06:16 PM

Shocks will not noticeably affect the ride height, irrespective of their lengths.
If there is no adjustable suspension on the car (hilo’s) the the front rubber cones are probably tired and ready for replacing.

Yes, this should be the case as the springs or cones are what set ride height, shocks are meant to slow down the compression/expansion rate when hitting bumps etc.
That said, when I swapped out my original rear shocks with Gas Adjust, keeping original cones in place, the rear did sit higher. I put this down to the original shocks being simple oil dampers which had no rebound, they would sit at any position you forced them to. The KYB did take constant force to keep them compressed or expanded past their rest point. So that means they are taking some suspension loading at rest, taking some loading off the rubber cones, letting car sit higher.

Edited by Tornado99, 21 October 2021 - 06:17 PM.


#8 Geofff

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Posted 22 October 2021 - 04:30 PM

Thanks very much for the recommendations. KYB Gas Adjust it is then.

Very good point about the front rubber cones being tired. I had not considered changing them.

I will have a look at the book and see if I have the skills to change them.

 

I'm learning very quickly that the work never stops on a Mini.

Again many thanks for all the advice.



#9 Tornado99

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Posted 22 October 2021 - 05:22 PM   Best Answer

Thanks very much for the recommendations. KYB Gas Adjust it is then.

Very good point about the front rubber cones being tired. I had not considered changing them.

I will have a look at the book and see if I have the skills to change them.

 

I'm learning very quickly that the work never stops on a Mini.

Again many thanks for all the advice.

Plenty of YouTube videos of changing the front & rear cones for your review. It can be tricky to get at the fittings for the upper control arm. I chickened out and let a pro shop do it (Steveston Motor Co., a mini specialist with many online viddies).






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