Hawk front suspension

[chris.richard]

I've been swapping my front dampers to the lower hole on teh lower arm, and the Gaz dampers are a real tight fit. I've filed back the inner end of the pocket to allow a more acute angle between arm and damper at full droop, but the body of the damper is almost held in teh sides, with no room to move on the ball mount. It really needs the top cm. of the arm removed to allow free movement. Anybody else solved this? Is it unique to Gaz? I suppose a pic would help. Off to the garage!

[chris.richard]

Tight here. :(

[chris.richard]

Dare I lop this bit off? :eek:

[strat6v]

Looks like it would be ok. Just weld some sort of return flange on to stop any sideways flex of the plate bits.

[tryphon]

I would NEVER cut there. Most of the stress on this part is concentrated at this point.

[Chris J]

Anybody else solved this? Is it unique to Gaz?

Chris

Yes, I think it is unique to Gaz, and I've got (I'm gonna have) the same problem, because I want to fix them on the bottom hole too. That's why mine are bolted into the top hole at the moment pending a plan B. My plan was to grind/file as much as I dare off the shock absorber body (as I think Rob Sando has done on his Gaz?) before doing anything to modify the lower arm. I don't really want to have to do anything with the lower arms, especially as I've paid to have them nicely gloss black powder coated!

'Funny thing is....doesn't Gerry supply Gaz for the front now, instead of Spax? Or have I got that wrong?

[Sando]

Chris
(as I think Rob Sando has done on his Gaz?)

I just spread the two sides open a few more mm at the top, the back edge is the worst if you have a lot of Caster set. :)
I wouldn't consider cutting the arm as a solution myself though.

Cheers
Rob

[Chris J]

I just spread the two sides open a few more mm at the top,
Rob

Oh right. Grinding a tiny bit of the shock body must have been my idea?!

[Sando]

Can't remember Chris, I may have done that as well :D

I'd like to get mine a even lower at the front now though, so I may even swop them again this winter for a shorter bodied set and with rose joints like Chris R's. .....I need to build up some shoe and Handbag points first though :rolleyes:

R

[Sptwoman]

Chris R, My Gaz units were supplied by Gerry. Do you have your unit's / springs dimensions or part number? I'm hoping to have them mounted on the lower setting so may need to check with Gerry unless mine's shorter than yours :rolleyes:

[mudhut]

I would NEVER cut there. Most of the stress on this part is concentrated at this point.

I'm with Tryphon and Sando on this. The bending moment is at a maximum here, hence the shape of the arm.

Haven't been a civil engineer for many years now but Brent still is. BAS?

[strat6v]

Took a look at my front arms today, i can see everybodys point so i'll withdraw my statement. It was one componenet that i haven't looked at for quite some time :o

John.

[chris.richard]

Grinding a tiny bit of the shock body must have been my idea?!

Can you do that? :eek:
Well, i know you can, but would you?

[Sptwoman]

Chris R, My Gaz units were supplied by Gerry. Do you have your unit's / springs dimensions or part number? I'm hoping to have them mounted on the lower setting so may need to check with Gerry unless mine's shorter than yours :rolleyes:

Chris, Can you supply the details?

[chris.richard]

Chris R, My Gaz units were supplied by Gerry. Do you have your unit's / springs dimensions or part number? I'm hoping to have them mounted on the lower setting so may need to check with Gerry unless mine's shorter than yours :rolleyes:

9" springs; open/closed lengths 14"/9.5" I think they're Gaz part 140/095R16, although my body length doesn't match their catalogue figure, although I may be measuring it wrong.
Bernard's Gaz dampers are:
2 off - GWD1146
2 off - SAS 022
Don't know which is front, and I can't match them up with their catalogue.

[Chris J]

Can you do that?

I have'nt looked at that end of the car for a while, but that's what I'd intended. I did say a 'tiny' bit. I'll have another look at it. Don't rush into anything!

It would be interesting to see what the bottom of a Hawk supplied Gaz looks like?

[tryphon]

This is how the original looks:

[Sptwoman]

I've spoken to Gerry about the supplied Gaz shocks and the tolerances and the idea is to tease the wishbone sides apart enough to allow a fag paper each side so to speak. It's that tight!!
Some pics of my Gaz / wishbone...

[Sptwoman]

and another....

[Sptwoman]

nearly there...

[Sptwoman]

last one...

[Chris J]

It seems that the bottom shock bush is better spaced towards the front of the arm rather than dead in the middle, to compensate for the backwards castor lean?

[chris.richard]

I was wondering if Gerry's Gaz shocks were for 1.9" springs with a narrower body, but it doesn't look like you've got any more room than me.

[Sptwoman]

Chris, Gerry advised that his show car has the Gaz units and it's a sqeeze. He says to set the bottom in the centre with equal spacers and the top with the unit as straight as possible with no lean. It seems a tap with a hammer on the inside of the wishbone is the way to gain space between the shock and the wishbone!!

[chris.richard]

It seems a tap with a hammer on the inside of the wishbone is the way to gain space between the shock and the wishbone!!

yep, did that! :) I've spaced the bottom end central, at the moment i've omitted all spacers from the top, intending to drop it back on the wheels and roll it about and see where the top end wants to sit, then fit spacers to keep it there.