Gaz mono shock seized adjuster.

[angus337]

As part of an ever growing list of jobs on the car this year I fitted a new set of Gaz monotubes.

Finally had everything finished this morning and and looking forward to the first test run with the new brakes, suspension and twin carbon plenum fitted.

Tried to set up the shocks to recommended settings, and the o/s front adjuster seems to be seized and can’t be turned either way, other three were fine.

Tried unloading the shock by putting the front back in the axle stands but still stuck solid. Totally gutted after nearly three months off the road.

I’ll remove the shock this afternoon, but just wanted to check if I’ve missed anything obvious before I send it back.

Edited by angus337 on Sunday 17th June 10:27

[SILICONEKID 345HP 12.03]

Those Monos are junk ..Poor quality ..sent mine back .

[TV8]

The monos are not junk. If you speak with Gaz and you have a problem they will sort it for you.

[N7GTX]

Here's SC Powers take on fitting them. Good review.

http://www.sc-power.co.uk/pdf/GAZ%20suspension.pdf

[angus337]

Didn’t have chance to remove the shock, due to a prior promise to the wife to finish painting the bathroom. Did remove the wheel to have a closer look and the bump/rebound adjuster seems to be jammed solid. Im sure I checked them all before installing, so not sure why it has seized now.

I’ll phone Gaz tomorrow, but looks like it will have to be sent back.

Totally hacked off now, car should have been back on the road 2 months ago, but work commitments, family holiday and decorating the house means it’s not been on the road yet this year. Had the MOT booked for Friday as well.

[angus337]

Spoke to Gaz and looks like I’m going to have to send it back.

Off to Ivory Coast on 1st July for work, so looks like mid July now at the earliest before it s back on the road FFS.

[Classic Chim]

^^^^ I see what your saying here,, really very annoying. Have you tried lubing it up and slowly freeing it off. Alloy and roads stuff don’t go well together and corrosion soon forms. My Protech used to do this and I eventually broke one trying to change settings grrrr.
Time off the road should be chargeable
Heat breaking when you have to go away with work so limited time to enjoy. Should be worth it though
Tap the shock shaft with a rubber mallet, not the adjuster but as close to it as you can. Rust might be stopping the ball bearing turning so a bit of shock and plenty of lube might get it turning/working again.

Edited by Classic Chim on Tuesday 19th June 23:49

Edited by Classic Chim on Tuesday 19th June 23:50

[angus337]

Good news! Removed the shock to send back to Gaz. But had one more try at freeing it up. Clamped the bottom end in the vice (protected by a couple of bits of soft wood) This isolated the movement from the Rose joint and with a bit of persuasion managed to rotate the adjuster ring. Now working perfectly and rotating very smoothly.

The shock was set to fully soft when fitting and seemed to have locked up when dropping the car back into its wheels and compressing the shock. Probably a good idea in the future not to fit them when adjusted to fully soft or hard settings.

Now just praying for some decent weather at the weekend to get some miles in.

BTY the shocks were brand new, so nothing to do with wear and tear, hence the frustration

Edited by angus337 on Wednesday 20th June 00:33

[Classic Chim]

angus337 said:

Good news! Removed the shock to send back to Gaz. But had one more try at freeing it up. Clamped the bottom end in the vice (protected by a couple of bits of soft wood) This isolated the movement from the Rose joint and with a bit of persuasion managed to rotate the adjuster ring. Now working perfectly and rotating very smoothly.

The shock was set to fully soft when fitting and seemed to have locked up when dropping the car back into its wheels and compressing the shock. Probably a good idea in the future not to fit them when adjusted to fully soft or hard settings.

Now just praying for some decent weather at the weekend to get some miles in.

BTY the shocks were brand new, so nothing to do with wear and tear, hence the frustration

Edited by angus337 on Wednesday 20th June 00:33

Yeah I’ve got you.
The pro race teams and drivers set the shocks fully hard then step backwards to where you want them to be not the other way round.
Pays to add some light grease or other around the base of the knob, helps keep water and grit out. Do it on all of them but then clean it off every now and then and do it again or they will seize up, saying that if you don’t really drive in bad weather there normally ok.

That’s good to hear,,, good news

Hey it’s a Tvr expect a few teething problems or steam will be coming out your ears

Pictures of the car on the road will cement a good outcome

[phazed]

I have found with mine that the adjuster moves extremely freely when warm, i.e. after using the car.

If you try and adjust them in cold weather they are stiff to move, a very quick blast makes then easy to adjust .

[QBee]

I never leave mine on either fully soft or fully hard, no problems at all. But I do adjust them regularly between track and road settings, and also between just me and me plus wife. Wife not a fan of a firmer set up due to having a slim posterior.

[andrew_r]

I'm about to fit monos to mine, this may be a stupid question but I cannot find the answer...

For the adjuster knob, I assume that turning the knob in the direction of the (+) sign makes for softer damping, and if I want to stiffen it up, I turn it towards (-) i.e. less damping? Am I correct?

Thanks, Andrew.

[QBee]

andrew_r said:

I'm about to fit monos to mine, this may be a stupid question but I cannot find the answer...

For the adjuster knob, I assume that turning the knob in the direction of the (+) sign makes for softer damping, and if I want to stiffen it up, I turn it towards (-) i.e. less damping? Am I correct?

Thanks, Andrew.

I suspect you have that backwards. I would expect + to mean more damping and - to mean less.

I had Gaz shocks before my present ones, and it was always the usual screwdriver adjustment - ie right to tighten, left to soften.
This is useful to remember when lying on your back reaching round under the car to adjust them.

I cannot speak for others, but I have always mounted all 4 of my dampers with the adjuster at the bottom.
On the rears this is essential to be able to reach the adjuster without taking the wheels off.
On the fronts I suspect you might be able to reach the adjuster from within the engine bay with the adjuster at the top, so long as you mount it with the adjuster pointing into the engine bay

[andrew_r]

Thanks, that makes sense.

I’m sure I’ll work it out if I get it wrong, especially on 18 inch RL7s!

Andrew.

[QBee]

To be clear + for harder ride, - for softer

[phazed]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

[m3jappa]

The mono shocks really are good. Mine did seize up after an extended period but gaz sorted them.

To give an idea of how good i really think they are.....

We have a cayenne on air suspension. The monos give a ride which is as compliant, i kid you not. They absorb bumps so well and along with other stuff made my tuscan drive superbly.

[andrew_r]

QBee said:

To be clear + for harder ride, - for softer

All clear now, thank you

Andrew