272 replies to this topic

[Richiemouse]

Moreover, Spax are installed upside down versus OEM shock absorbers.



Personally, I had replaced them by Olhins.

Mounting upside down obviously increases unsprung weight, which is undesirable. Do they have to be mounted upside down, or is this just to make the adjuster easy to get at?

Which way up are Nitrons mounted?

[SuperCooper]

Nitrons are the same way up as the OEM shocks

[craglett]

Update. My contact is going to email me by the end of today or at the latest tomorrow morning. I'm hoping the price will be good as he said they were doing a special on Spax at the moment. That of course might be sales talk, we will see. Also, CustardTart, I have enquired about the turbo kit for your car. If they have one then it will be included.

[Dave]

Also, CustardTart, I have enquired about the turbo kit for your car. If they have one then it will be included.

Craglett.

If the spax turbo kit is available I may well be interested (price dependant) Ill keep an eye out here

Dave

[CustardTart]

Cheers Craglett, keep us posted.

[Dave]

Regal do the Turbo ones at £600, would like some at this price though if poss.

Keep me posted, cash is waiting!

Im sure the ones advertised on their website are NA only.

Spoke to Chris a Regal about them a while back - unless something has changed since then?

Dave

Edited by Dave, 15 February 2006 - 10:59 AM.

[benw]

I don't understand how a spring/shock can be mounted upside down? Surely, however you put it in, it just expands and contracts between the chassis and the wheel assembly?

[craglett]

I don't understand how a spring/shock can be mounted upside down? Surely, however you put it in, it just expands and contracts between the chassis and the wheel assembly?

Nor me. Also, having watched the Spaxy Goodness vid (the car seemed to handle well enough for my driving abilities), how much difference can all this extra weight, upside downy thing make? Is it just something we would notice on track days or is it going to affect us fast road people aswell?

[Jase_MK]

I don't understand how a spring/shock can be mounted upside down? Surely, however you put it in, it just expands and contracts between the chassis and the wheel assembly?

The outer half is heaver than the inner piston bit (sliders and stanchions, if you want to get technical). Ideally you want the heavier part at the top rather than the bottom to improve your unsprung/sprung mass ratio - Same idea as shaving a few pounds by using lightweight wheels - makes the wheels travel up and down over bumps more nimbly without transmitting that force to the chassis and rest of the car.

Ben, yes, as far as I can see you can mount them whichever way round you like as they just compress. Mine are mounted different front and rear. The fronts are mounted with the adjuster knob at the bottom so I can reach it when the wheels are at full lock and the rears are mounted the other way round with the adjuster knob at the top so I can stick my arm in through the wheel arch (with the help of a jack to lift the chasis a little).

[Richiemouse]

Jase, is there anything phsically stopping you mounting the fronts the same as the rears? i.e. sticky out bits on the shocks or the chassis. Craglett, I'm interested at the right price

[Jase_MK]

Jase, is there anything phsically stopping you mounting the fronts the same as the rears? i.e. sticky out bits on the shocks or the chassis.

Craglett, I'm interested at the right price

Can't see why not. The previous owner fitted these to mine though so I can't be 100% sure.

[Richiemouse]

Jase, is there anything phsically stopping you mounting the fronts the same as the rears? i.e. sticky out bits on the shocks or the chassis.

Craglett, I'm interested at the right price 

Can't see why not. The previous owner fitted these to mine though so I can't be 100% sure.

Can you swap em round for me tonight to check

And why isn't Thorney selling spax to us?

[craglett]

And why isn't Thorney selling spax to us?

I suppose it goes against his interests seeing as he has put in so much development to other suspension setups.

Update. Not received the email from my contact yet so I am guessing I will get the price in the morning. Will let you know.

[mattcave]

100% in at £460 inc VAT & Delivery:
craglett
MikeF
LY25MAX
two4oneuk
mattcave

My standard shocks have done 50k now and at least one of them is utterly toast and won't go through the MOT when it's due. If I'm going to replace the NSF then I ought to do the OSF too, and if I'm doing that I may as well do the whole set while I'm at it. If I can get the Spax at a decent price then it seems daft to get standard ones again. Crap reasoning? Probably, but if it's enough to justify it to the girlfriend then it's good enough for me....

[benw]

I don't understand how a spring/shock can be mounted upside down? Surely, however you put it in, it just expands and contracts between the chassis and the wheel assembly?

The outer half is heaver than the inner piston bit (sliders and stanchions, if you want to get technical). Ideally you want the heavier part at the top rather than the bottom to improve your unsprung/sprung mass ratio - Same idea as shaving a few pounds by using lightweight wheels - makes the wheels travel up and down over bumps more nimbly without transmitting that force to the chassis and rest of the car.

Ben, yes, as far as I can see you can mount them whichever way round you like as they just compress. Mine are mounted different front and rear. The fronts are mounted with the adjuster knob at the bottom so I can reach it when the wheels are at full lock and the rears are mounted the other way round with the adjuster knob at the top so I can stick my arm in through the wheel arch (with the help of a jack to lift the chasis a little).

I see what you're saying. Effectively, if the heavy part is further from the car, the weight has a greater moment by virtue of it being further away from it's axis of movement thus making the suspension work harder and the the ride/handling more sluggish?
(Sorry, I appreciate this is probably the basics of suspension theory but I know nothing of the subject right now)

[chuno]

100% in at £460 inc VAT & Delivery:
craglett
MikeF
LY25MAX
two4oneuk
mattcave

My standard shocks have done 50k now and at least one of them is utterly toast and won't go through the MOT when it's due. If I'm going to replace the NSF then I ought to do the OSF too, and if I'm doing that I may as well do the whole set while I'm at it. If I can get the Spax at a decent price then it seems daft to get standard ones again. Crap reasoning? Probably, but if it's enough to justify it to the girlfriend then it's good enough for me....

I'd say that was perfect reasoning. The rest probably won't have loads of life left in them, and the cost of these at this price may even be cheaper than the standard ones from vauxhall, and believe me, you won't regret getting them.

[benw]

100% in at £460 inc VAT & Delivery:
craglett
MikeF
LY25MAX
two4oneuk
mattcave
benw

Really not flushed with cash right now but like you Matt I'm convinced my shocks are 'Past their best!' so they're going to need replacing in the next few months whether I like it or not. No point putting OEM's back on that's for sure!

Edited by benw, 16 February 2006 - 10:13 AM.

[LY25MAX]

the names are flying on to the list now, thats what we like to see.

[Richiemouse]

I see what you're saying. Effectively, if the heavy part is further from the car, the weight has a greater moment by virtue of it being further away from it's axis of movement thus making the suspension work harder and the the ride/handling more sluggish?
(Sorry, I appreciate this is probably the basics of suspension theory but I know nothing of the subject right now)

You're thinking too hard it's not the distance the weight is from the car but the fact that the haevy part of the shock is on the wheel side of the spring, so adding to the weight of the wheel/hub/caliper etc. This is why people are always looking to fit lighter wheels and hubs. Remember the whole point of the suspension is to minimise the car bouncing up and down, it should be the wheels moving up and down with undulations to maintain contact with the road, the lighter this bouncing bit is the better.

[Richiemouse]

Update. Not received the email from my contact yet so I am guessing I will get the price in the morning. Will let you know.

Any news on a price?