What a difference new shocks make!!!

Just been for a drive in Jasmine after finally fitting the new front shock
absorbers last night. There didn't appear to be anything wrong with the
action of the old ones, but I have no idea how old they are and she's done
over 100K miles now. The difference when cruising along between 40 and 60mph
is fantastic! No wobbles over little potholes or those annoying yellow
stripes before roundabouts.
At under £20 for the pair, it is the cheapest 'improvement' I have ever
made that gives instant gratification. I can now see why there is a lot of
advertisement pushing the safety factor of replacing old shocks.

Stew.

--
1990 Ninety 2.5 n/a D (Jasmine) - the off-road toy
Ex- Freelander Td4 5dr owner - the worst vehicle I have ever had!!!
New Jeep Cherokee Ltd 2.8CRD Auto - freelander replacement.

Stew Hi,

One of the greatest misconceptions having to do with cars is the feel we get
when we replace our worn out and totally knackered coil springs and/or shock
absorbers with new and most of the times far more expensive, heavy duty,
harder, taller etc ones.

We feel a TREMENDOUS difference because of this change and we attribute it,
most of the time, to the new shocks and coils being more expensive or better
(?) than the stock ones.
In the true world if you replace a worn out and destroyed shock absorber
and/or coil spring with a new one, even it being totally standard, the
difference in feel and road manners is absolutely sure to be tremendous and
spectacular.

This is what I tell to my friends and fellow members who ask me about
upgrading to very expensive shock absorbers and coil springs. Replace your
worn out old ones with something logicaly priced and easily available and
you will get almost the same feel. And a cheap shock absorber even if it
lasts less than the very expensive ones is almost sure to be a far more
logical choice in the long term (cheap but good aftermarket shocks usually
cost half or even less money than the very expensive ones, not to mention
gas filled competition specs ones)

Take care
Pantelis

P.S. of course the above applies for drivers who use their vehicles for
everyday life and conditions. Race specs or vehicles with race specs drivers
is a totally different thing.


Take care
Pantelis

"90ninety" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Just been for a drive in Jasmine after finally fitting the new front shock
> absorbers last night. There didn't appear to be anything wrong with the
> action of the old ones, but I have no idea how old they are and she's done
> over 100K miles now. The difference when cruising along between 40 and
60mph
> is fantastic! No wobbles over little potholes or those annoying yellow
> stripes before roundabouts.
> At under £20 for the pair, it is the cheapest 'improvement' I have ever
> made that gives instant gratification. I can now see why there is a lot of
> advertisement pushing the safety factor of replacing old shocks.
>
> Stew.
>
> --
> 1990 Ninety 2.5 n/a D (Jasmine) - the off-road toy
> Ex- Freelander Td4 5dr owner - the worst vehicle I have ever had!!!
> New Jeep Cherokee Ltd 2.8CRD Auto - freelander replacement.
>
>
>

On or around Wed, 12 Oct 2005 13:57:11 +0300, "Pantelis Giamarellos"
<[email protected]> enlightened us thusly:

>This is what I tell to my friends and fellow members who ask me about
>upgrading to very expensive shock absorbers and coil springs. Replace your
>worn out old ones with something logicaly priced and easily available and
>you will get almost the same feel. And a cheap shock absorber even if it
>lasts less than the very expensive ones is almost sure to be a far more
>logical choice in the long term (cheap but good aftermarket shocks usually
>cost half or even less money than the very expensive ones, not to mention
>gas filled competition specs ones)
>
>Take care
>Pantelis
>
>P.S. of course the above applies for drivers who use their vehicles for
>everyday life and conditions. Race specs or vehicles with race specs drivers
>is a totally different thing.

This is all very true. Considering the prices, you could have new elcheapos
every year for less than the cost of putting fancy gas ones on.
--
Austin Shackles. www.ddol-las.net my opinions are just that
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In message <[email protected]>, Pantelis Giamarellos
<[email protected]> writes
>Stew Hi,
>
>One of the greatest misconceptions having to do with cars is the feel we get
>when we replace our worn out and totally knackered coil springs and/or shock
>absorbers with new and most of the times far more expensive, heavy duty,
>harder, taller etc ones.
<Snip>

One of the great misconceptions is I think around gas filled shock
absorbers. These were introduced initially solely to compensate for the
lack of travel of low profile tyres. Yet how many people now firmly
believe they are "better"?.
--
hugh
Reply to address is valid at the time of posting

Exactly my point, Austin,

But then again the PROFLEX nitrogen filled with remote reservoir and twin
direction 20 settings per side adjustment shock absorbers I have fitted but
in 1997 on my 1993 evented CT Discovery are yet to be even refilled or
topped up with nitrogen.

On the other hand I had to change all four shock absorbers twice per year
when I was using the standard Land Rover items.
So those VERY expensive PROFLEX shocks have managed to pay themselves after
3 years (and they are now 8 years old).
And they NEVER felt shoggy or tired when used or abused on and off the road.

Take care
Pantelis


"Austin Shackles" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On or around Wed, 12 Oct 2005 13:57:11 +0300, "Pantelis Giamarellos"
> <[email protected]> enlightened us thusly:
>
> >This is what I tell to my friends and fellow members who ask me about
> >upgrading to very expensive shock absorbers and coil springs. Replace
your
> >worn out old ones with something logicaly priced and easily available and
> >you will get almost the same feel. And a cheap shock absorber even if it
> >lasts less than the very expensive ones is almost sure to be a far more
> >logical choice in the long term (cheap but good aftermarket shocks
usually
> >cost half or even less money than the very expensive ones, not to mention
> >gas filled competition specs ones)
> >
> >Take care
> >Pantelis
> >
> >P.S. of course the above applies for drivers who use their vehicles for
> >everyday life and conditions. Race specs or vehicles with race specs
drivers
> >is a totally different thing.
>
> This is all very true. Considering the prices, you could have new
elcheapos
> every year for less than the cost of putting fancy gas ones on.
> --
> Austin Shackles. www.ddol-las.net my opinions are just that
>
0123456789112345678921234567893123456789412345678951234567896123456789712345
> 1 weebl: What's this? | in recognition of the fun that is weebl and bob
> 2 bob: it a SigRuler! | check out the weebl and bob archive:
> 3 weebl: How Handy! | http://www.weebl.jolt.co.uk/archives.php

Hugh Hi,

I really did not know that.
I was under the impression that gas filled shocks are more resistant against
high temperatures created when the shock absorber is used in heavy duty or
competition applications.

Take care
Pantelis

"hugh" <hugh@[127.0.0.1]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> In message <[email protected]>, Pantelis Giamarellos
> <[email protected]> writes
> >Stew Hi,
> >
> >One of the greatest misconceptions having to do with cars is the feel we
get
> >when we replace our worn out and totally knackered coil springs and/or
shock
> >absorbers with new and most of the times far more expensive, heavy duty,
> >harder, taller etc ones.
> <Snip>
>
> One of the great misconceptions is I think around gas filled shock
> absorbers. These were introduced initially solely to compensate for the
> lack of travel of low profile tyres. Yet how many people now firmly
> believe they are "better"?.
> --
> hugh
> Reply to address is valid at the time of posting

In message <[email protected]>
"Pantelis Giamarellos" <[email protected]> wrote:

> Hugh Hi,
>
> I really did not know that.
> I was under the impression that gas filled shocks are more resistant against
> high temperatures created when the shock absorber is used in heavy duty or
> competition applications.
>
> Take care
> Pantelis

I wasn't aware of the low profile bit either, but for off-road use
I would certainly agree that gas shocks only true benefit is the ability
to work at higher temperatures, really only needed for Comp. Safari and
Hill Climbing in the UK, and places like the desert or outback where
long distances are covered at reasonable speed.
Lets face it, there is a reason why they are painted bright colours
with snazzy lettering.......

Richard

>
> "hugh" <hugh@[127.0.0.1]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > In message <[email protected]>, Pantelis Giamarellos
> > <[email protected]> writes
> > >Stew Hi,
> > >
> > >One of the greatest misconceptions having to do with cars is the feel we
> get
> > >when we replace our worn out and totally knackered coil springs and/or
> shock
> > >absorbers with new and most of the times far more expensive, heavy duty,
> > >harder, taller etc ones.
> > <Snip>
> >
> > One of the great misconceptions is I think around gas filled shock
> > absorbers. These were introduced initially solely to compensate for the
> > lack of travel of low profile tyres. Yet how many people now firmly
> > believe they are "better"?.
> > --
> > hugh
> > Reply to address is valid at the time of posting
>
>

--
www.beamends-lrspares.co.uk [email protected]
Running a business in a Microsoft free environment - it can be done
Powered by Risc-OS - you won't get a virus from us!!
Boycott the Yorkshire Dales - No Play, No Pay

In message <[email protected]>, Pantelis Giamarellos
<[email protected]> writes
>Hugh Hi,
>
>I really did not know that.
>I was under the impression that gas filled shocks are more resistant against
>high temperatures created when the shock absorber is used in heavy duty or
>competition applications.
>
>Take care
>Pantelis
I'm not an expert on the subject. I just remember when the Golf Gti and
the Escort XR3i came out.
The Golf had "low profile tyres and gas filled shock absorber" how sexy
does that sound. The XR3 did not and Ford engineers after exhaustive
tests came to the conclusion that they were a waste of time and did not
improve handling or road holding. They were overruled by Marketing so
the story goes and the XR3i came out shod same as the Golf. (I knew
someone in Ford's marketing dept at the time).

The thing about the gas filled shockers at the time was that as they
compressed the resistance to travel increased so they got progressively
harder. This compensated for the reduced flexibility in the low profile
tyre wall. Obviously this was years ago and things have progressed since
then.
--
hugh
Reply to address is valid at the time of posting

"beamendsltd" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:6675bfb84d%[email protected]...
> In message <[email protected]>
> "Pantelis Giamarellos" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> Hugh Hi,
>>
>> I really did not know that.
>> I was under the impression that gas filled shocks are more resistant
>> against
>> high temperatures created when the shock absorber is used in heavy duty
>> or
>> competition applications.
>>
>> Take care
>> Pantelis
>
> I wasn't aware of the low profile bit either, but for off-road use
> I would certainly agree that gas shocks only true benefit is the ability
> to work at higher temperatures, really only needed for Comp. Safari and
> Hill Climbing in the UK, and places like the desert or outback where
> long distances are covered at reasonable speed.
> Lets face it, there is a reason why they are painted bright colours
> with snazzy lettering.......
>
> Richard

Indeed. However, the original reason for producing "gas" shocks was to
provide a higher pressure above the oil reservoir to try and prevent
foaming/frothing of the oil under extreme conditions. The additional effect
in practice is to prevent the oil foaming until a higher temp is reached
(viscosity change), therefore they work better than an equivalent oil-only
shock absorber (damper) when hot. What a lot of people sometimes don't
realise is that with gas shocks it is still the oil that provides the
damping medium.
Badger.