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Nickaford

SRB original dampers

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I’m working on the build up of my newly acquired mk2 (mainly, I think) RR/SS chassis and have hit a problem with the front dampers (different problem with the back ones as I don’t have any!).

I have cleaned and reassembled the dampers and have used ptfe plumbers tape on the threads of the cylinder ends to try to keep some of the oil inside which seems relatively successful.

The problem I have had is when the cylinder is full and I have got rid of the air bubbles, and I reassemble, the damper won’t compress at all - it is completely rigid. If I then remove some of the oil, there is no damping at all.

Is this just part of the joy of the SRB experience, or is there a knack to the set up?

I have a set of re-re dampers on the way as I need some for the rear, but it would be nice to use the originals if I can.

Thanks in advance.

 

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Have you tried removing just a little shock oil when they don’t compress?, that works for me with cva’s.

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Thanks - I’ll give it a go - didn’t realise too much oil was a problem! Looks like I need to find the sweet spot. I’ll have a look later - probably find that the oil has all leaked out anyway!

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Good luck with it . These are a pain as I said . When I fill shocks I push the piston to the top of the damper very slowly with the damper upside down of course then screw on the end to close it up . There might be a little drip out . There is a sweet spot , and you cannot fill it up completely as you have found . When you fill the damper with oil do it very slowly so you don't create air bubbles in the damper . It is good to leave it upside down for a while before closing up to make sure any air bubbles come out . I tap the damper body gently to displace any air that might be trapped before closing

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A side note: I installed my dampers upside down on my Sand Scorcher. It helps keep the oil inside while stored. Upside down does not effect the operation of them. 

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Thanks guys - just need to defeat the urges to tinker with the car instead of working! This is becoming obsessive!

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SRB are over strung so the dampers do very little in the way of damping all that spring force anyway. . 

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2 hours ago, Snakehands said:

SRB are over strung so the dampers do very little in the way of damping all that spring force anyway. . 

Thanks - good to know. In the spare parts I have bought, I have a new torsion bar and new front springs - am I best to use the new (re-re) ones or stick with the original which may have relaxed a bit over the years?

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11 minutes ago, Nickaford said:

Thanks - good to know. In the spare parts I have bought, I have a new torsion bar and new front springs - am I best to use the new (re-re) ones or stick with the original which may have relaxed a bit over the years?

I would use the old parts.

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Thanks Kev - these are particularly brutal! Looking at the new ones I bought, there is a 90 degree angle between the directions of the two ends - these originals have 180 degrees!

63159888-B702-4F5A-ABC4-2E6846369AD4.jpeg

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7 hours ago, Tudorp said:

A side note: I installed my dampers upside down on my Sand Scorcher. It helps keep the oil inside while stored. Upside down does not effect the operation of them. 

I used the clear TRF o-rings on my dampers, no leaks even with the dampers mounted the correct way.  

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Tinkering done - still not a huge amount of damping but at least not rigid! Thanks for the advice. Waiting for the postman now!

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The diameter of the shock body is just too small to ever offer effective damping. 

It wasn't until a few years after the release of the SRB that manufactures began making shocks that actually worked.  

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