Rear dampers for a Plus 2 - Monroe MR246?

[therolfie]

Hi guys just about to fit my Gaz rear inserts. The nyloc that was supplied is a different size to the castle nut that I had before, so I must use the nyloc, but how did you/ what did you use to centre the shaft in the lotocone? Cheers

[olivebdr]

Hi Everybody,

i'm installing new rear gas shock inserts, and as everybody, i'm experiencing some big questions...
I bought it several years ago to dampertech and any manual was included to the kit.

1st issue
I carrefully readen this thread, and if my understanding is good, some people are mentioning the collar should be use to center the bottom of the insert. In fact, if you measure the diameter of the insert, bottom is the same than original unit. There is no play on the bottom when inserted in the tube. So, IMO no need to center it twice. But the above is not, There is 2 mm play

2nd issue
Some thread are mentionning the upper nut centering trouble. Some people found a solution with machining a shoulder in the niloc to center it. Other made a top hat.

My opinion is that the collar is made to center the top of the damper unit as shown on the photo. the bottom cone of collar is going into the rod chamfer. And the upper chamfer of the collar is going into the lotocone.

Only concern left is the Nyloc is not coverering the rod thread

[

[vstibbard]

Hi,

I've restored many standard and narrow spring converted elans, as I know it, you need to have a spring top hat for the spring to press against under the lotocone, NOT the spacer shown in photo unless it is the spring top hat, the diameter from the photo does not suggest that is the case here.the sorting hat rests onto the underside of the lotocone where you have the spacer.

Then above the lotocone is where ordinarily you would have shouldered spacer or top nut which avoid the shock shaft moving around in the lotocone which is a larger diameter to allow for the deflection as the shock runs through its travel.

If you look at Kelsport website as example:
1. the spring top hat is part number RACETSM02
2. rear damper nut( in this instance Koni yellow) is part number RACETSNR01

You need to make up top nut to suit the GAZ shock to centre it in lotocone or a spacer under the nylon that achieves the same function.
hope this helps, cheers

V

[olivebdr]

Dear Vstibbard, thanks a lot for your answer.
Indeed, i did?nt fit all the rear damper parts back to understand the point, i should have seen what you mean immediatly.

I read all the gas litteature on the forum and understood that :
The collar in the photo is in fact a spacer as you mentionned.
I do need a shouldered specific top nut or a top hat sleeve under the nut to center the shaft on the lotocone.

As i do not have lathe, i will ask to lotus parts dealer, but i?m afraid they don?t sell this part for gas shocks
As exemple, keveldon propose this nut for red and yellow koni, spax, avo, but not for gas.

I?m really desappointed the bolt on kit i bought don?t include these unavoidable centering parts... neither a usefull install manual

Anyway, thanks again to take your time to light up my way

[olivebdr]

Great news for today! I just received TTR top hat sleeve and it exactly fit the Gaz dampers.

[Chrispy]

I started installing my Gaz rear shocks in my +2. They came with the spacers as discussed above. For me I required the spacers to ensure that the units were located properly for the retaining nut to hold it down.

Here?s some comparisons with the old Spax units which were proper stuffed - no compression damping and rock hard on rebound. I could barely pull them out by hand. The Gaz units also have a reduced extension which is good for my cv shafts.

Lined up at the top and you can see how the spacer makes it all line up.

[Quart Meg Miles]

It may be too late for you, Olivier, but here's a trick that makes life easier for fitting and removing standard struts.

Drill a hole into the flat on the end of the strut shaft, right through the rod, at about 3/8" (10 mm) above where the flat starts. This is for a split pin of about 5/32" (4 mm) diameter and a hole 11/64" (4.25 mm) is fine. Compress the spring so that you can fit the standard cap on top of it with the rod pulled up through the centre hole; fit the pin from the flat side and bend the ends round close to the shaft, as seen in the photo of the completed assembly. You can now remove the spring clamps and push the strut as a unit up into the Lotocone before fitting the nut. Without this pin the rod and spring are both loose and out of control.

I have just changed a strut (the old Monroe did 25 years and 85,000 miles) to a Spax supplied by Fibreglass Services (St Wilkiins) so let me remind you not to forget the bump rubber on the shaft, like I did!

Incidentally, the Spax is pressurised so the rod stays out whereas with all others I've had the rod sinks back down into the damper (like the Monroe shown). The Spax was supplied with that extra threaded bush too but I couldn't fine a use for it so it is probably for a different make of car.

Spit pin to retain the cap.

.

[Chrispy]

A lot of the shocks these days have adjustments rods running through the centre, so it?s not always practical (I did think about it yesterday after much swearing at the stupid things!)

Do the new Spax shocks still have that awful circlip retainer for the top hat?

[Quart Meg Miles]

A lot of the shocks these days have adjustments rods running through the centre, so it?s not always practical (I did think about it yesterday after much swearing at the stupid things!)

Do the new Spax shocks still have that awful circlip retainer for the top hat?

I don't think so, only the Nyloc top nut and a big threaded retainer (like the one shown on the last photo of Oliverbrd's first post June 29th) which didn't fit my strut top so I used my previous one. The body length is identical to my previous struts.