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MG MGB Technical - Moss coil over front suspension

I have bent a shock absorber shaft on my Moss coil over suspension and am trying to find out what brand and model the shockers are? This suspension was supplied by Moss in the mid 90s and was I believe called Moss Dynamic. It has no makings or numbers on the outside. Any ideas?
Mike

Mike Ellsmore

Our local shock absorber reconditioning company has repaired this unit by fitting a new shaft - says they are very poorly made with a lot plastic internal bits and has said I need to replace them asap (his repair is good enough to get me to the Concours and a couple of hillcimbs until I save up). Interestingly these shockers were unbranded, now Moss Europe sell GAZ and QTEC so would expect them to be a lot better as they have a reputation to live up to.
http://www.moss-europe.co.uk/shop-by-model/mg/mgb-c-v8/performance-tuning/steering-suspension/front-suspension-coil-over-conversion-mgb-gt-v8.html
Mike
Mike Ellsmore

20 years ain't bad considering

if your springs and fittings are still in good condition then give Gaz a ring as they *might* be able to replace your existing dampers
Nigel Atkins

The car has had very little use in that time - about 8000 kms with about 2000 kms in competition (racing, sprints, Tarmac rallying, hillclimbs etc) - I suppose when you look at it that way it isn't bad. I have emailed Moss to inquire if current coil over shocks are interchangeable.
Mike
Mike Ellsmore

Mike,
It looks like your damper is the same as my old ones.

I fitted the Moss coil over system in the mid 90's and the attached photo is of the damper supplied. I understood from Moss UK that they were made by Qtec then, but there is no marking on them at all. I think I still have them in somewhere in a box.

My first set of these dampers leaked through the top seal after 6000 miles in less than two years. The second set did the same again 20K further on. These were replaced by Gaz dampers that failed by leaking oil in less than 3000 miles and the current dampers, Gaz again, are holding out but I'm not optimistic. Four sets of dampers in less than 30K is not my idea of what one should expect from a so called performance component.

Had any one any long term/distance experience of the Gaz dampers?

Richard.

Richard Thompson

Not been impressed by Gaz or Spax..Both have started leaking early in life, the Spax are noisy and both are too hard, on their softest setting, at least for the rear end. My V8 roadster has a Ron Hopkinson front end, equipped with Bilsteins. They have been faultless so far (12000).
Allan Reeling

"Both have started leaking early in life, the Spax are noisy and both are too hard, on their softest setting, at least for the rear end. "

Only had (PO fitted) Spax but all of the above applied. After the second set failed I went back to lever arms.
Paul Hunt

I have had Koni dampers on the rear, which I fitted in 1987/8, which have probably covered 80-90K miles. No leaks, or change in performance.

I guess there's a message here.

Richard.
Richard Thompson

Ended up that the other side shocker was bent also and end bushing had failed. Attempts to repair were unsuccessfull, internals were rubbish to quote the repairer. Moss advised that replacement Qtec or GAZ shockers are no longer available (odd they still show on their website). Through a bit of good fortune and a king's ransom our local GAZ agent had an original replacement set in stock that they ordered years ago and the purchase fell through. Car back on the road and all appears okay (for the short term at least). I now know a lot more about fitting coil overs than I did before commencing this project.
I got the poly bushes I needed from the Oz Koni agent - I reckon if the GAZ fail I will go for Koni coil overs, they ooze quality and they reckon they can make up a set to the GAZ critical dimensions.
Mike
Mike Ellsmore

A photo of the new GAZ shocks with springs fitted - hope they last!
Mike

Mike Ellsmore

"...our local GAZ agent had an original replacement set in stock that they ordered years ago "

I hope you got them at the old price ;o)
Dave O'Neill 2

"I hope you got them at the old price ;o)"

Many years ago there was a very old-fashioned 'odds and sods' type shop at Earlswood near Solihull, run by a very elderly gentleman. I happened to go in there one day, goodness knows what for, and most of his wares seemed to be hanging on nails around the walls, with hand-written price tickets hanging from them, yellowed with age and covered in dust. I'm pretty sure his prices hadn't changed in years.
Paul Hunt

This thread was discussed between 12/02/2015 and 21/02/2015

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