Protech or Gaz shocks for a Cerbera?

[harry henderson]

I'm planning on getting new springs and dampers in the new year and so need some advice. I was planning on Gaz gold pros as they seem to be bit of a bargain at £600 but I've also seen protechs at the same price, so if anyone could advise it would be a great help.

[aide]

Can I suggest calling Joolz.
I easily can say, hand on heart, he will give you the most impartial advice on the state of the art right now.
Aide

[harry henderson]

I asked at X works and they said go for Protechs but I'm assuming that they aren't the ones For £560 on the Protech website. I was all set to buy the Gaz gold pros until I saw the Protechs at the same price and people on here are always singing their praises. I think the Gaz would be fine as I don't do track days etc, just a Sunday afternoon drive really. My stock items are shot after 20 years so either will be a massive improvement.

[Juddder]

I have Gaz Golds on mine - they seem pretty good, much firmer than stock, but again I'm not racing the 'ring every sunny weekend unluckily!

[aide]

Just to chime in.
I have Joolz spec twin adjustable Protech's with 450/375 springs. Although conventional wisdom errs toward 400/325.

Tbh, dampers with adjustable independent bump & rebound, coupled with correctly rated springs, allong with stiffer rollbars will help get the car setup right. And you could spend alot of money on those areas alone.

But that's only part of the picture. You have to also consider the rest of the suspension: wheels, tyres, ride height and geometry.

If you get all the wishbones rebushed, new tyres, a proper wheel balance and correct alignment; then a standard set of single adjustable Protech's and springs, coupled with the right ride height, is the best way of spending on suspension first time round.

i.e. address every aspect of the suspension at an entry level first as opposed to over spending on one area.

Aide

[harry henderson]

Thanks for the advice everyone. I think I will stick with the Gaz gold pros. To be honest the car handles fine as it is so I assume they can only be an improvement. Cheers all.

[ukkid35]

I have a set of Protechs supplied by Joolz, the car is used primarily on track at the Ring (as well as getting there and back again).

One of the rear shocks started leaking a few months after the warrantee expired. I sent the pair back to Protech for repair/servicing and I received them back within a week totally FOC. Awesome service!

[billynobrakes]

I found Gaz Gold far too harsh but that was on my T350 and fitted Gaz Monotubes a bit more expensive but far better

[Jhonno]

Protech all day long.. Gaz are a bit ste really.

[Mr Cerbera]

I originally contacted Joo and he advised and sent a set of ProTechs, with springs. I put 'em on and they were excellent. They were compression-adjustable only and it took me a few weeks to find a setting that I liked (and stuck to).

After the guarantee ran out, the front/right started to leak. I tried to contact Joo through his website and received no response. The car is now almost undrivable on left handers.

So figure-in downtime and costs for servicing.

If you're only gonna take her out on Sundays you'll be best off sticking with the standard Billsteins.
They last a very long time considering the pounding they receive.

Edited by Mr Cerbera on Thursday 1st December 11:56

[Jhonno]

Mr Cerbera said:

I originally contacted Joo and he advised and sent a set of ProTechs, with springs. I put 'em on and they were excellent. They were compression-adjustable only and it took me a few weeks to find a setting that I liked (and stuck to).

After the guarantee ran out, the front/right started to leak. I tried to contact Joo through his website and received no response. The car is now almost undrivable on left handers.

So figure-in downtime and costs for servicing.

If you're only gonna take her out on Sundays you'll be best off sticking with the standard Billsteins.
They last a very long time considering the pounding they receive.

Edited by Mr Cerbera on Thursday 1st December 11:56

My Nitrons have lasted a long while and they are still spot on.. Not even any corrosion.

[Jhonno]

That also sounds very unlike Joolz..

[Jabbah]

Mine had Protechs when I bought it. Had them rebuilt recently for the grand sum of £30 each. Still happy with them.

[mac315p]

I'm in the process of arranging Protechs (via Joolz) so no experience of the kit yet but the customer service and the time spent on ensuring the right kit and the right setup is implemented (bump stops / shocker bushings / spring rates etc.) goes way beyond the call of duty. Very impressed so far!

[spitfire4v8]

Mr Cerbera said:

I originally contacted Joo and he advised and sent a set of ProTechs, with springs. I put 'em on and they were excellent. They were compression-adjustable only and it took me a few weeks to find a setting that I liked (and stuck to).

After the guarantee ran out, the front/right started to leak. I tried to contact Joo through his website and received no response. The car is now almost undrivable on left handers.

So figure-in downtime and costs for servicing.

If you're only gonna take her out on Sundays you'll be best off sticking with the standard Billsteins.
They last a very long time considering the pounding they receive.

Edited by Mr Cerbera on Thursday 1st December 11:56

Sadly I have to hold my hand up to this, and apologies to Paul.

I have just searched through my emails and in June 2014 you did indeed send me a essage through PH about volunteering for induction testing, and in that email you also do say that you need to speak to me about a leaking protech.
I got a lot of messages about induction testing around that time and sadly it didn't happen and I consigned all the emails to the *thanks for offering but theres nothing further happening on this* part of my brain, and forgot about the bit where you mention your damper.

It sounds like 2 1/2 years on you still have that same leaking damper? in which case please send it back to me (or even better the pair from that axle to keep them a matched pair) and I will get protech to rebuild them and if there's any costs (they're what, 7 years old now?) then I will pay for it and the carriage.



Apologies once again, I'm here to help

[Jhonno]

spitfire4v8 said:

Sadly I have to hold my hand up to this, and apologies to Paul.

I have just searched through my emails and in June 2014 you did indeed send me a essage through PH about volunteering for induction testing, and in that email you also do say that you need to speak to me about a leaking protech.
I got a lot of messages about induction testing around that time and sadly it didn't happen and I consigned all the emails to the *thanks for offering but theres nothing further happening on this* part of my brain, and forgot about the bit where you mention your damper.

It sounds like 2 1/2 years on you still have that same leaking damper? in which case please send it back to me (or even better the pair from that axle to keep them a matched pair) and I will get protech to rebuild them and if there's any costs (they're what, 7 years old now?) then I will pay for it and the carriage.



Apologies once again, I'm here to help

Now that is more like the service from Joolz! Top chap!

[geeeman]

had the double adjustable protechs.. absolutely impossible to get them set up right
car was bouncing over bumps

tried everything

swapped to single adjust with very uprated springs
perfect now.

[Mr Cerbera]

spitfire4v8 said:

Sadly I have to hold my hand up to this, and apologies to Paul.

I have just searched through my emails and in June 2014 you did indeed send me a essage through PH about volunteering for induction testing, and in that email you also do say that you need to speak to me about a leaking protech.
I got a lot of messages about induction testing around that time and sadly it didn't happen and I consigned all the emails to the *thanks for offering but theres nothing further happening on this* part of my brain, and forgot about the bit where you mention your damper.

It sounds like 2 1/2 years on you still have that same leaking damper? in which case please send it back to me (or even better the pair from that axle to keep them a matched pair) and I will get protech to rebuild them and if there's any costs (they're what, 7 years old now?) then I will pay for it and the carriage.

Apologies once again, I'm here to help

Hi Joo

Thanks for lookin’ up your emails - another aspect of your conscientious service – I don’t want or expect you to make a loss on your business just because I’m too dense to ask the right questions when asking for services.
I’ve always truly appreciated your service approach and apologise, without reservation, if anyone knee-jerk reacts to my above comments.

However I will take advantage of this moment of communication, take BlackBeauty© off the road for an early winter service and get all four shocks off to you.

Please bill me for your normal services.

(and as a subnote for others:- I started to get a ‘graunching’ noise when I braked for road junctions which, at first,
I thought was summat to do with the brakes. Fortunately, however, a German mechanic at the MOT station,
spotted the leaking unit. With this in mind I further analysed the reaction of he noise to varying conditions and
deided that it was the unit that was faulty. I then did a bit of searching and found that the unit did, in fact, have a
service period (which seemed far too short in my mind which was why I recommended the Bilsteins to the OP) and that I had exceeded it.

It had taken me forever to change the shocks in the first place (due mainly to the corroded state of the original fixings)
which worried me about the length of time that my baby would be off the road and thus she has stayed on the road ever since.
Now, however, the front right skips laterally when I’m ‘cornering in a spirited manner’ to the point of me having to slow down
and I can’t except that )

Sooooooooooo, as I say, I’ll get ‘em off to you asap (hopefully this year) and will look forward to their pristine return in the New Year.

Very best wishes to you and yours for the Christmas period and best wishes for a healthy, happy and prosperous New ear

Edited by Mr Cerbera on Friday 2nd December 09:27

[julian64]

obviously no advertising, but whats jools website.

He was always in the artic wilderness for a southerner like me, but now my son is In sheffield for university there is a possibility of heading his way for some fettling.

Julian

[Mr Cerbera]

julian64 said:

obviously no advertising, but whats jools website.

He was always in the artic wilderness for a southerner like me, but now my son is In sheffield for university there is a possibility of heading his way for some fettling.

Julian

Joo is here (as in my original email)