Too much droop.....

[Cliff Beer]

I have Spax shocks on my CAV and I was going to toss them in connection with the installation of new front and rear uprights. I have the uprights installed, and in the process of doing that acquired a pretty good feel for how these shocks work/feel. Surprisingly, mine are in good shape (8+ years old) and seem to be very adjustable and workable.

One thing I can't seem to determine with these Spax is if there is a limit on the maximum extension. Anybody know? With the new rear uprights there's a bit too much droop and I would like to be able to limit this by lessening the maximum extension of the shock. Is this adjustable somehow? My Spax are the adjustable oil-filled variety, with adjustable spring perches.

Any help is much appreciated.

 

[Rich Roy]

Cliff: I just replaced a broken one that arrived after 100 days order from UK. The shocks have an adjustable setting of 12 positions (on mine) that control the internal flow through the valving. The hight is only changeable with the spring retainer adjustment of up or down on the threaded part of the outter housing at the bottom end. I'am told these shocks are really good, it's my first experence with them, as in the past I always been with Koni or off the shelf Monroe or Gabriel. The broken Spax was cause by me trying to miss pot holes around the back side of Mt. St. Helens.

 

[Phil]

Cliff:
Generally speaking most shocks are limited in droop by the internal structure, I think you already knew that so although I have worked on a couple of vehicles and have Spax on one of mine I have never seen a setting or anything to limit extension.
I would bet that your mount on the new upright is higher than the old one. That extra droop probably wont hurt anything but I would worry about how much travel you now have in bump and the shock limiting travel because its length has not changed.
Is it possible to change your upper shock mount?
Just throwing out some thoughts.
Cheers
Phil

 

[Cliff Beer]

Rich, sorry to hear you had a bad one which was broken. The brits usually build pretty beefy stuff (my range rover's mechanicals resemble a Sherman tank). I'm pleasantly surprised by the Spax, as they appear to be high quality pieces, although somewhat low-tech.... I did figure out the adjustable valving and that seems to work remarkably well - will bolt 'em back on and monkey with the settings. Thanks.

Phil, yes, thanks, exactly right - the lower mount on the wishbone is actually placed higher than on the old wishbone, so I've go to do something about shock length/travel. I will remove one of the two bumper stops on the shaft as the travel is now reduced by about 5/8th to 3/4 inch. I only had about 3/8th inch of travel left on the threaded housing to help address the change, but that's not enough. I'm going to have to machine the perch extensions down about a half inch (I have a decent lathe so this is no problem). You're right, the add'l droop shouldn't hurt anything really, I'm only thinking a limit might be helpful as the limit now is the lower A-arm trailing link bumping up against the chassis (rather than the shock limiting droop). The top mount is fixed...very firmly I might add...so I'll just have to live with it. I'll try not to get airborne too much during track days and everything should be fine.

Yang, fuck off.

 

[Dimi Terleckyj]

Cliff

I think the only time you need to worry about droop is with the wife or girlfriend.

(some one had to say it).

Dimi.

 

[Steve26]

Cliff,
Make sure that in full droop your lower radius arm is not put in bending by contacting the chassis! This would be very bad for many reasons and unsafe at best. You don't need to be airborn to reach full droop, you just need to go over a rise fast enough to become weightless for a moment.

Steve

 

[Cliff Beer]

Dimi, yup, you're right. That was a pretty good setup for you there! Fortunately, my wife doesn't have anything to worry about.....quite the reverse

Steve, thank you, yes, agreed. The lower wishbone trailing link does indeed bump on the tunnel through which it is fed at full droop. I can't limit travel on the Spax shock apparently, so I'm looking for ideas for sure.

Anybody had a Spax apart? Any possibility of modifying things internally to limit travel?