Gaz Gold - Spring Sink - Anyone ?
Discussion
Trying to sound out if any others have experienced spring sink on their Gaz Golds? Derek not responded yet
Within 200 miles the tyre is rubbing the wheel arch over moderate bumps and stripping away the rubber. I was not supplied with a C spanner to adjust, as they were fitted by Derek himself, can it be done by hand on normal jack/stands?
I am suprised that with the spings now pre-stressed at manufacture, they are experiencing this kind of sink so soon. Its also a good job they are coil overs as fixed spring would clearly be unadjustable. Is this a quality issue ?
The car is really unsafe and undriveable - so any feedback on adjust ment would be appreciated.
Within 200 miles the tyre is rubbing the wheel arch over moderate bumps and stripping away the rubber. I was not supplied with a C spanner to adjust, as they were fitted by Derek himself, can it be done by hand on normal jack/stands?
I am suprised that with the spings now pre-stressed at manufacture, they are experiencing this kind of sink so soon. Its also a good job they are coil overs as fixed spring would clearly be unadjustable. Is this a quality issue ?
The car is really unsafe and undriveable - so any feedback on adjust ment would be appreciated.
Hi Andy,this is my first posting on the site so hi and all that to all.Yes I've experienced "GAZ GOLD DROOP" although not as bad as you by all accounts. Had mine done with new springs etc oh about six months ago and just had the ride height raised at the very same boutique on account of my sump being in contact with the black stuff a little too often!Mind you I live in Cambs and the roads round here are definately not worth paying your taxes for!! I've had my Chim 400 since july last year and have completed over 8000 miles since then.Done all the 'orrible' bits associated with ownership like parting with inordinate amounts of cash on a regular basis and if i'm truly honest "hated the bloody thing" for a lot of the time. Mainly due to it's inability to behave itself in the engine department.All that kangarooing about and never knowing weather it was going to have any juice in the battery to start etc etc etc. So, I ripped out the stepper wotsit never bleedin works anyway thingy, plugged the hole and put a wee experimental clamp on the bypass air hose. (trumpets sounding fanfare) 800 of your very best RPM's and not an antipodean marsupial in sight!! Found the bit of the alternator loom that had given up with heat exhaustion and replaced it(no more discharging) and now I am deeply in love again. Ta ra.............
Apparently Gaz have two spring suppliers, one lot droop more than the other. It is just possible to wind up the springs by hand (on road rates anyway) on stands; however, you may need the services of a soft faced hammer and blunt instrument to release the locking ring from the platform ring.
Regards
Iain
Regards
Iain
We dont have droop problems round ere!My springs/dampers were only fitted 3 weeks ago - i guess i must have had an older batch left on the shelf! the droop is alarming within the time/mileage completed and this hasn't been the only issue.
Hopefully Derek will be responding soon before i loose the reasonable approach to what is looking like a naff quality product
Hopefully Derek will be responding soon before i loose the reasonable approach to what is looking like a naff quality product
[quote=andy jb
Hopefully Derek will be responding soon before i loose the reasonable approach to what is looking like a naff quality product[/quote]
Spring drop is only natural when new springsa are fitted. It is in now way a reflection on the quality of the product and most certainly not the dampers. Any springs can be fitted to the Gaz shocks. I fitted AVO shocks to my S3 a while back and the car dropped quite a lot in the first few days, but such is the nature of springs, ie they compress. Before you go off the deep end and throwing around accusations, do think about what you are saying. 200 miles is quite a distance.
I'm sure Derek will reply, just give him a little time. His products and service is first rate.
In answer to your question, yes you can adjust them on axelstands with a C spanner at home and you don't get supplied with a C spanner when you buy the units.
Hopefully Derek will be responding soon before i loose the reasonable approach to what is looking like a naff quality product[/quote]
Spring drop is only natural when new springsa are fitted. It is in now way a reflection on the quality of the product and most certainly not the dampers. Any springs can be fitted to the Gaz shocks. I fitted AVO shocks to my S3 a while back and the car dropped quite a lot in the first few days, but such is the nature of springs, ie they compress. Before you go off the deep end and throwing around accusations, do think about what you are saying. 200 miles is quite a distance.
I'm sure Derek will reply, just give him a little time. His products and service is first rate.
In answer to your question, yes you can adjust them on axelstands with a C spanner at home and you don't get supplied with a C spanner when you buy the units.
Wildfire said:
Spring drop is only natural when new springsa are fitted. It is in now way a reflection on the quality of the product and most certainly not the dampers. Any springs can be fitted to the Gaz shocks. I fitted AVO shocks to my S3 a while back and the car dropped quite a lot in the first few days, but such is the nature of springs, ie they compress. Before you go off the deep end and throwing around accusations, do think about what you are saying. 200 miles is quite a distance.
Hang on a minute. I've read loads of spring damper topics posted on here and this is the first I've ever heard of 'spring drop'.
If this is as you suggest 'only natural', then surely the installer should have factored this in and set the ride height to compensate for this.
200 miles is really no distance at all.
sparkythecat said:
Wildfire said:
Spring drop is only natural when new springsa are fitted. It is in now way a reflection on the quality of the product and most certainly not the dampers. Any springs can be fitted to the Gaz shocks. I fitted AVO shocks to my S3 a while back and the car dropped quite a lot in the first few days, but such is the nature of springs, ie they compress. Before you go off the deep end and throwing around accusations, do think about what you are saying. 200 miles is quite a distance.
Hang on a minute. I've read loads of spring damper topics posted on here and this is the first I've ever heard of 'spring drop'.
If this is as you suggest 'only natural', then surely the installer should have factored this in and set the ride height to compensate for this.
200 miles is really no distance at all.
Too many variables involved for that (what loads has the car carried? what have the roads been like? etc).... they're an adjustable platform damper for a reason, so you can adjust the platform (and thus ride height). All springs settle.
pupp said:
sparkythecat said:
Wildfire said:
Spring drop is only natural when new springsa are fitted. It is in now way a reflection on the quality of the product and most certainly not the dampers. Any springs can be fitted to the Gaz shocks. I fitted AVO shocks to my S3 a while back and the car dropped quite a lot in the first few days, but such is the nature of springs, ie they compress. Before you go off the deep end and throwing around accusations, do think about what you are saying. 200 miles is quite a distance.
Hang on a minute. I've read loads of spring damper topics posted on here and this is the first I've ever heard of 'spring drop'.
If this is as you suggest 'only natural', then surely the installer should have factored this in and set the ride height to compensate for this.
200 miles is really no distance at all.
Too many variables involved for that (what loads has the car carried? what have the roads been like? etc).... they're an adjustable platform damper for a reason, so you can adjust the platform (and thus ride height). All springs settle.
A great deal is made of having the car set up properly when new springs and dampers are installed. Having parted with the requisite wonga for the benefit of this expert service one doesn't really expect to be under the car, reaching for a non existent spanner after 3 or 4 hours driving.
Edited by sparkythecat on Wednesday 2nd May 22:28
sparkythecat said:
pupp said:
sparkythecat said:
Wildfire said:
Spring drop is only natural when new springsa are fitted. It is in now way a reflection on the quality of the product and most certainly not the dampers. Any springs can be fitted to the Gaz shocks. I fitted AVO shocks to my S3 a while back and the car dropped quite a lot in the first few days, but such is the nature of springs, ie they compress. Before you go off the deep end and throwing around accusations, do think about what you are saying. 200 miles is quite a distance.
Hang on a minute. I've read loads of spring damper topics posted on here and this is the first I've ever heard of 'spring drop'.
If this is as you suggest 'only natural', then surely the installer should have factored this in and set the ride height to compensate for this.
200 miles is really no distance at all.
Too many variables involved for that (what loads has the car carried? what have the roads been like? etc).... they're an adjustable platform damper for a reason, so you can adjust the platform (and thus ride height). All springs settle.
A great deal is made of having the car set up properly when new springs and dampers are installed. Having parted with the requisite wonga for the benefit of this expert service one doesn't really expect to be under the car, reaching for a non existent spanner after 3 or 4 hours driving.
Maybe 'One' doesn't. Anyone else, having thought about it, might not dismiss the possibility. 'Though if 'One' couldn't muster a simple C-spanner from their tool-box, I (for one
) might not be keen on the idea... 
pupp said:
sparkythecat said:
pupp said:
sparkythecat said:
Wildfire said:
Spring drop is only natural when new springsa are fitted. It is in now way a reflection on the quality of the product and most certainly not the dampers. Any springs can be fitted to the Gaz shocks. I fitted AVO shocks to my S3 a while back and the car dropped quite a lot in the first few days, but such is the nature of springs, ie they compress. Before you go off the deep end and throwing around accusations, do think about what you are saying. 200 miles is quite a distance.
Hang on a minute. I've read loads of spring damper topics posted on here and this is the first I've ever heard of 'spring drop'.
If this is as you suggest 'only natural', then surely the installer should have factored this in and set the ride height to compensate for this.
200 miles is really no distance at all.
Too many variables involved for that (what loads has the car carried? what have the roads been like? etc).... they're an adjustable platform damper for a reason, so you can adjust the platform (and thus ride height). All springs settle.
A great deal is made of having the car set up properly when new springs and dampers are installed. Having parted with the requisite wonga for the benefit of this expert service one doesn't really expect to be under the car, reaching for a non existent spanner after 3 or 4 hours driving.
Maybe 'One' doesn't. Anyone else, having thought about it, might not dismiss the possibility. 'Though if 'One' couldn't muster a simple C-spanner from their tool-box, I (for one
) might not be keen on the idea... You're rather missing the point here pupp.
Of course, any resaonably competent home mechanic ( one's self included
)can spanner on some mail order springs and dampers. That same home mechanic would of course expect to have to make some subsequent set up adjustments and may even post on an internet forum asking for advice on the best settings to use However, if instead of getting the spanners out in the first place, our home mechanic instead entrusted this installation to an expert, he shouldn't expect to be having to redo the experts work within a few hours.
Start adjusting the ride height and what happens to that expertly set up corner weighting?
Id hate to see any handbags worn out, cant you just wait & see what Mr Gasman has to say. Springs settling down is not uncommon - but to the extent of body fouling so quickly does sound like a genuine problem. Are you sure the platforms have not slipped - there used to be many tales of platforms working loose - some even used another to lock the first IIRC.
Dave
Dave
Decent springs shouldn't sag enough to be noticeable. Not saying it doesn't happen, but with decent springs it shouldn't. However you can also get similar symptoms if the adjustable spring seats slip. Either way, it's very simple to wind the spring seats up again to correct the ride height.
If, as has been suggested, there is a chance "at all" that re-adjustment may be necessary for what ever reason,then surely this information should be conveyed to the purchaser by the professionals concerned. We all understand the concept of the need to re-torque head bolts etc and if springs are expected to partially degrade in the first few hours/miles of use that would follow the same logic. Any rework required would then be up to us to either do ourselves (if we feel we are competent) or allow our chosen professional to complete. The issue here is not having the information in the first place to make a decision on.
Firtly, Derek is a top bloke no dispute - but as i said at the start of the thread this isn't the only issue I have had and i don't wish to get into listing the issues, i have no wish to damage anyones reputation. I just trust i had a poorer experience than most.
However, I do have an issue with great days & I can't drive my TIV with new (expensive) tyres, new springs and shocks, expensive set up, and after 3 weeks the tyres wearing away the PRG and tyre at the rear of the car, excluding the safety aspect.
I supplied the front set myself which came with a C spanner, but i didn't have it to take away and assumed i wouldn't need it anyway.
Back to the question, can they be adjusted without a C spanner - yes - i will try it later - thanks
However, I do have an issue with great days & I can't drive my TIV with new (expensive) tyres, new springs and shocks, expensive set up, and after 3 weeks the tyres wearing away the PRG and tyre at the rear of the car, excluding the safety aspect.
I supplied the front set myself which came with a C spanner, but i didn't have it to take away and assumed i wouldn't need it anyway.
Back to the question, can they be adjusted without a C spanner - yes - i will try it later - thanks
andy jb said:
Back to the question, can they be adjusted without a C spanner - yes - i will try it later - thanks
If you take the load off the spring, you should be able turn them by hand - but its hit & miss with regard to how far. just keep jacking up and letting down.... No need to butcher the knurled bits
Dave
Sorry guys,I'm up at Middlwich until tonight but available on the phone.
Andy I'll give you a ring in the morning.
On the subject of spring droop: I have found some springs settle more than others and I try and compensate for this but offer a free re-set on the ride height, as do most of my customers whether with Nitron or whatever.
Andy I'll give you a ring in the morning.
On the subject of spring droop: I have found some springs settle more than others and I try and compensate for this but offer a free re-set on the ride height, as do most of my customers whether with Nitron or whatever.
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