Lowering Gurus wanted - The Gaz shock thread

[Clem]

Well, coming home from Cornwall yesterday I snapped the driverside damper clean in half! :?

Yet to dismantle and investigate but I'll put pics etc up soon. Bugpacks will be going back on for a quick fix! FFS .... :lol:

 

[Myvanway]

:shock:

 

[67westy]

:shock: That sounds a bit scary Clem. They seem like a well made and sturdy bit of kit so surprised that happened, manufacturing fault maybe?

 

[Clem]

I'll contact the supplier and see what gives.

 

[67westy]

That doesn't look good!

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[StuF]

Blimey that looks like a major failing! Hope there wasnt much damage caused when it let go!

Does anyone have an experience with these shocks? http://www.royalcountyautosupply.co.uk/shock-absorders.php" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I am thinking about upgrading my Spax ones to these!

 

[Cali_bay]

Hi Mike,

That's kind of worrying. Did you hit a pot hole or did it just fail? Did it cause your bus to swerve/loss of control?

From your pictures of the end it looks a bit like a fatigue crack which propagated then fractured. The dark line isinteresting, it could be a material flaw or perhaps slight corrosion when a crack first formed.

I run a set of these which replaced some t2d ones as I was not convinced by the quality of them. I am going to have a good look at mine now.

Please let us know what Gaz say.

Si

 

[Clem]

Hi
Yes it was on a pretty rough road but I was going quite slow and I wouldn't say it was enough of a cause. There was no issue when it dropped and rightly or wrongly I drove the van home as I knew that most of the journey was motorway and I took it very gently! I couldn't face the recovery process - evening time in rural Cornwall, low van, trailer etc etc

The dampers have done 600? miles.

 

[rlepecha]

Looking at the pictures Clem, are/were the springs under compression when the shock was fully extended? It looks like when the shock is extended the spring is loose on the shock?

Or have you had the spring wound up under too much preload, therefore its been bottoming out on the coil and not the rubber stop?

I would imagine the material is tested for flaws before and after machining to reduce chances of this sort of failure. It is at the the weak point though.

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[fat duk]

Ok I'm looking to get some Thaus spindles and I will need some coilovers, from what you guys have said is that 16" is the size needed but would 14" shocks work 150 springs!

 

[Zcat7]

I have just picked up a set of Gaz shocks and they don't fit!

The lower shock mount on my 72 crossover looks like its about 2mm bigger diameter than the top bolts. At first I thought it was simply that the tube from the bushing of the old shock had got rusted on (both sides) and actually the shocks I removed don't have a tube in them, which is wrong in my mind, but I cant see even a lip or anything that suggests there is a sleeve rusted in place. Also I notice from the pictures posted by 67Westy and Graham L on page 2 of this thread that there appears to be 2 different lower bush types and pictures in the Bentley manual seem to show quite a step after the thread.

I wasn't asked to specify size when ordering but I wondered if anyone else had noticed this or could comment. I would like to know before I go and try to grind off a sleeve that doesn't exist and knacker my lower arms!

 

[67westy]

No idea if a 72 is different but my 68 both were the same size. Heritage list the same shock absorber for 70-79 and it looks to me like the eyes are the same size

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[Zcat7]

Thanks 67Westy

I noted that there is only one year range quoted too. But if you look at the top and bottom mounts on this picture from Graham L they are quite different; bigger spigots and fatter rubbers and I think a bigger hole (though that could be the photo). The ones in the picture you posted have identical top and bottom ends, which are the same as I got.

Nothing's ever straightforward with these buses!

Hi Adam

I'm sure I put 9" springs on mine so we could play height adjustment with the spring platforms, will check if I get a chance over the weekend

But then looking at the pictures of mine maybe not, do yours have the second lock ring on for the spring as they should do?

 

[67westy]

I see what you mean, not sure then! Maybe graham could shed some light on it for you....

 

[Zcat7]

I had a chat with the chaps at Cool Air today (while ordering a balljoint gaitor) and they are certain that there are only one size of lower mount and that is 10mm the same as the top bolt. They feel certain that I must have the remains of the old bush stuck on there and that I need to get that off; that sounds like a job involving more tears and frustration... Advice anyone?

So looks like you might be right 67Westy, in which case WTF is going on with Graham L's shocks? Has he been sneaky and ordered a bigger size rather than wrestle with the rusted on sleeves like I have...?

Graham?

 

[Zcat7]

After much sweat (in the tropical heatwave we're having) and a few deep breaths I have managed to wrestle what turned out to be the old shock's sleeves off the lower mounts. A combination of penetrating oil, freeze spray, heat, a dremel and a substantial hammer and chisel prevailed. Gaz shocks have been installed and I even managed to replace a split ball joint gator while I was at it.

I have succeeded in raising the ride height a couple of inches and at the moment have the bus looking like I want it. I haven't driven it yet so will have to see if the springs settle and how the ride feels.

Thanks to Graham L for his helpful phone call and for explaining that the shocks in the picture he posted were an early set delivered with the wrong bushings!

 

[simmo111]

My current set up is a stock beam with thaus dropped spindles and kyb shocks, and t2d springplates on the back, tyres on the front are 175 55 15, I want to get a set of gaz shocks up front but I don't really want it to raise the height of the front, so do I order 9" or 10" springs at 150lbs, hope some one can help

 

[Zcat7]

If you phone Gaz directly they'll make them as you want. They just ask for the measurement you want between the 2 mount holes with the van on the ground (for you, as it is now) and the length at full extension (jacked up with wheel hanging) then they make you a set. They are adjustable too so you should have some play within limits.
I actually wanted to raise mine by a couple of inches and it worked perfectly. They were ready for collection in about a week or they post.

 

[simmo111]

Perfect, thank you

 

[Clem]

I'll contact the supplier and see what gives.

Update - I called the supplier who seemed a bit defensive and wasn't too forthcoming so after checking the paperwork I returned them directly to Gazmatic who have repaired and returned both units in double quick time (it's me that took ages to return them). Fantastic service.

The first guy I spoke to mentioned misalignment being a probable cause, which is possible due to my narrow beam (he didn't know this). I'm reluctant to refit as things stand so will look further into this, maybe they are just best for stock width beams?

Meanwhile I've done a massive road trip on the old Bugpacks! :lol: