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Searched for: suplex
02 Aug 2017 10:40
:welcome2:
One main issue.

Firstly the gas dampers are much better than the rubbish that suplex supply. Good luck with the Suplex!:yesnod:
HOWEVER, the main issue is adequately reinforcing the rear top mounts. The original set up put very little load through this top mount as the original dampers act in only one direction. So the top mount is single layer sheet metal. i.e. A hole through the inner wing.

The problem being that the stress and load through a double acting damper is much greater than the original mount is capable of taking. The hydragas units took all of the compression forces so the original dampers were just there to control the rebound.

I have a SUPLEX/ gaz damper setup and despite reinforcing the rear top mounts they have cracked twice and had to be repaired.

Reinforcing the mounts just moved the stress points and so the inner wing cracks in different places! I currently have another crack in the nearside mount area!
Category: The T Bar
02 Aug 2017 10:22
It's not quite a straight swap with the subframes, you have to cut smal (50mm)holes in the front inner wings.

The TF as standard has a much harder ride than an F! So maybe not the way to go to keep the good lady happy.
A functioning hydragas setup is a MUCH more comfortable ride than even a TF with the full COMFORT pack set up. Plus you would have to factor in the extra cost of the comfort springs and dampers on top of the TF subframes

Having been active in the search for alternatives to knackered hydragas, if I was you I would look to getting the hydragas units refurbished. There is a post by 'Blow in' on that very subject on the forum. The cost is less than a TF comfort pack as well.

I wish I had known about this refurb service before I wasted twice that much buying and struggling with the infamous SUPLEX spring in a can.
Category: MGF/TF Pitstop
01 Aug 2017 20:48
Hi gents
I have just bought an mgf with suplex suspension fitted. Ideally I want to combine the suplex springs with Gaz adjustable dampeners. If I reinforce the towers are there any known issues with this?
Many thanks
Roger


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Category: The T Bar
31 Jul 2017 18:15
We've discussed at great length what to do about prolonging the suspension life of the F. I made it a resolution this year to do something about mine and I finally have.

As I guess all the F owners know, the MGF has a Hydragas suspension with displacers connected side to side acting on double wishbones all round and backed-up with special dampers that have very little compression resistance but more on the rebound. The MGF was the last car designed to use Hydragas (it was dropped for reasons of economy on the replacement TF) which was developed by Dr Alex Moulton with Dunlop. The ride height drops a bit over time so the ‘hydra’ side of the suspension (basically a water & antifreeze mix) can be pumped-up using a special tool. However, the reason for the drop is normally a reduction in the ‘gas’ side of the displacer as the nitrogen gradually disappears via the rubber membrane. The ride, considered exceptional when new, becomes progressively harder. When the cars were built this wasn’t seen as a problem as the life expectancy of the MGF and the displacers was around 15 years. Production ended in early 2002 so all MGFs still existing have passed their use by date but of course many are still providing excellent service.

The stock of new displacers disappeared off the shelves several years ago and even they will have suffered from some gas depletion. Suplex came up with a spring in a can replacement with matching dampers (now marketed by X-Part) but this kit has had very mixed reviews (I'm being polite) and is not cheap at £850 plus fitting. There is an Australian made spring replacement but with shipping included to the UK it’s almost twice the cost of ‘Suplex’ and finally Mike Satur is developing a spring kit solution but this will cost around £1100! But there is another answer.

Ian & Dawn Kennedy are offering a re-gassing service (ie replacing the nitrogen). This involves welding special valves in to the gas chamber then filling with nitrogen to the original pressure. The units are quite small and it would be easy to damage the rubber membrane, also the clearance for the valve in the front displacers when fitted is very tight. Ian, who is a City & Guilds qualified Pressure Vessel welder has found a reliable solution to all these challenges. He can supply units outright, or re-gas customers’ units or even a full service where you leave the car with him and he removes, re-gasses, re-fits the displacers then does a pump-up. I went down the last route and took the car to Telford where Ian started work at lunch time on one day to complete it by mid-morning the following day (it’s an advantage to leave the car overnight to do a final check that the ride height is still correct). All of this cost £480 and I am very pleased with the results – a very well damped and compliant ride (still firm but I'm on 16 inch wheels with low profile rubber). The displacers are well built and Ian reckons the rubber membranes should last another 15 years provided you’ve not left it so late that they have been contacting the rivet in the top of the displacer (the rivet closes the original charging point).

More details at http://www.hydragasandhydrolasticservice.com/

I’m very happy to have kept the car on Hydragas as it is a unique feature of the MGF and no other sports car in the world has had this system or sadly will ever have it in the future.

Here are some photos of the work in progress.



Richard
Category: MGF/TF Pitstop
17 Jul 2017 18:18
Suplex went off the market but is back on but now sold as an 'X-part' kit and the price has gone back up to £850/kit (inclusive VAT). I've seen fitted prices of around £1200. When I looked at the Aussie kit last year, it was going to be around £1200 plus fitting (but that was before the pound took a pounding). I think it's great that Mike Satur is going to offer another solution to this 'problem' and I expect it will be very well engineered. Given the lack of value in the cars, a kit that will cost you over a £1000 before fitting may not look like good sense but then I know someone who spent £20K on a Midget that was then 'worth' £9K when he sold it. I'm going to try re-gassing. The F is off to Telford next week for the Ian & Dawn Kennedy fix. It costs £480 inclusive which involves removing the units, de-gassing, fitting a valve, re-gassing, refitting then a hydragas pump-up. I'll let you know how I get on.

Richard
Category: MGF/TF Pitstop
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