Topic

Hello everyone, I apologize in advance for my English as I am Italian. I wanted to share an idea that came to mind regarding MGF cars. I have become disheartened by the Hydragas suspensions. I absolutely do not want to convert the Hydragas with Mike Satur's FCC springs because I want a car with all the characteristics as it came out of the factory. I tried filling the Hydragas with nitrogen by welding the valve, but after 2 years, due to the old membranes, they deflate more and more quickly, so it's only a temporary solution.

I thought of cutting the Hydragas at the top where it contains nitrogen (I measured the capacity of the upper chamber at 0.5 liters), removing the membrane, and welding a 2-millimeter thick steel plate. Then, weld a 1/2 inch threaded connector and connect an external membrane pre-loaded nitrogen accumulator (0.5 liters) at 18 bar (the accumulators are tested up to 300 bar). Connect them together with a high-pressure hose, and hide the accumulators somewhere under the car.

What do you think? Am I talking a lot of nonsense or could it work and solve the issue? Comments or insults are welcome; I won't be offended

I attach the diagram

Firstly you English is very good so no need to apologise not that you should need to anyway!
In theory I would think that your proposal would work, the problems that I see are 1st sealing the “cut” upper chamber, and 2nd would be finding space in a very cramped car to fit the new accumulators

Well done for thinking out of the box

I like this idea a lot & agree with Cobbs. The engineering would have to be spot on but you say you fitted valves to your spheres a few years ago which implies a degree of excellence in your work.
The capacity of the remote vessel need not be great, but it’ll need structural integrity enough to take, not only the pressure but the fittings, (nitrogen fill & fluid transfer.
Go for it, it’s bit inspired & performance shock absorbers have used external reservoirs for years.
Blaze the trail.
M

Thank you for the support and advice. So, I'm proceeding with the modification. I've just ordered a 0.5-liter membrane accumulator, which is approximately 17.59754 UK fluid ounces for the English-speaking audience. The cost is not insignificant, at 100 euros. If it arrives next week, I'll have it charged to a pressure of 18 bar, 261 psi at home.I've cut the sphere and used a cardboard template to take measurements for the steel plate to be welded. As you can see in the photo, the membrane is torn at the edges where it's crimped due to significant stress over 24 years, causing nitrogen leaks.Of course, all of this will be done in my spare time outside of work. I'm not a mechanic, but I'm a computer scientist with a passion for mechanics. I have a well-equipped garage for mechanical work. I'll update you soon on the progress of the project.Best regards,K

I’ll be following your progress with this with great interest. We are well served with regassed spheres over here in the UK. To have one of our cars “out of context” & having the determination to recommission it requires an oblique strategy & that is where you are.
Yes, the receiving vessel is relatively expensive especially when you have more work to do in cutting down the original spheres but when you have finished you will have a unique car.
Brilliant, lateral thinking in an up or down world.
M

kenio wrote:

.....which is approximately 17.59754 UK fluid ounces for the English-speaking audience..... [/attachment]

That will be the Americans, I was born in 1964 in England and only learnt metric measurement at school.

I look foward to updates on this project.

talkingcars wrote:

kenio wrote:

.....which is approximately 17.59754 UK fluid ounces for the English-speaking audience..... [/attachment]

That will be the Americans, I was born in 1964 in England and only learnt metric measurement at school.

I look foward to updates on this project.

No not Quite, our American friends have different size ounces to the old UK fluid ounces
This is because in the UK a fluid ounce was determined by the volume of an ounce of water, where as in the US a a fluid ounce is determined by the volume of an ounce of wine.
I was born in 1961 and learned both systems at school including the American variations.
So to translate 17.59754 from UK ounces into US ounces in would be 16.907011 US ounces

Just to chip in as I find this of interest, I wouldn't go to the lengths mentioned above, personally I would just get recon spheres from https://hahsltd.co.uk/hydragas-service.html but that is not to say that the idea is not a good one but should some attention be made to the diaphragm and its elasticity as this must have some bearing on the pressure? With just the gas in the cylinder being compressed would this be a more harsh ride ? I am from a electrical electronic backgound so clanky bits are not my bag, so mainly just curiosity. Born in 1957 if that has any relevance :-)

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Hi Steve, I completely understand your doubts, but I have already bought the balls from hahsltd.co.uk. I modified other spheres by welding the valve. after 2-3 years they all end up the same way, the membrane breaks. I'm not sure that my modification is 100% functional, but I think we should invent something otherwise in a few years we will all be left with unusable cars. I've seen all the solutions, the one by Mike Satur with spring shock absorbers, functional but the car is no longer original. Suplexes break the frame and make a lot of noise. The FTuned modification from Malaysia was abandoned due to frame failure. I really like the MGF car and I don't want to scrap it.

I am open to any idea that may come to mind, we could do it together, also for this reason I wrote that I also accept insults and swear words, any comment is welcome, the important thing is to solve the problem. Regasification is only a temporary palliative

Ideally I think what’s really the best way to solve the problem is to come up with a rechargeable redesigned sphere, with replaceable diaphragms, I envisage bolt together flanges to allow replacement of diaphragms and a schreader valve on the nitrogen chamber to allow for recharging as necessary.

Unfortunately this would probably be not worth the effort and cost involved to develop, but would ultimately be the best solution.
I will continue to give it thought and consideration though.

hi Cobber, i fully agree, but I tried to contact many fluid dynamics and shock absorber factories and I personally went to them who are near me. I live 5 kilometers from the Stellantis FCA plant, there are many factories here that produce parts for them, but no one is interested in reproducing the spheres that can be adapted. so we should adapt ourselves.