DanTR6 Posted February 21, 2020 Report Share Posted February 21, 2020 Can anyone recommend a good place to get my leaver arm dampers rebuilt and the usual 25% uprate? I've tried a few places but not having much luck Quote Link to post Share on other sites
iani Posted February 21, 2020 Report Share Posted February 21, 2020 (edited) Stevsons in Birmingham, he is probably the main reconditioned in the UK, he did a great job on mine. http://www.stevsonmotors.co.uk/?LMCL=MhOXUy Ian Edited February 21, 2020 by iani Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Phil H 4 Posted February 21, 2020 Report Share Posted February 21, 2020 I used Stevson last year to have my lever arms refurbished. Unfortunately I didn't get my original arms back. After a month noticed they were leaking so returned and had them replaced. The upgrade wasn't sufficient so when the car was with Enginuity I asked for the oil to be changed. Just doing a break overhaul and noticed one of the arms is leaking again so thinking about a bracket / telescopic conversion. Stevsons have a good reputation on the forum so perhaps I've just been unlucky. Phil Quote Link to post Share on other sites
astontr6 Posted February 21, 2020 Report Share Posted February 21, 2020 25 minutes ago, Phil H 4 said: I used Stevson last year to have my lever arms refurbished. Unfortunately I didn't get my original arms back. After a month noticed they were leaking so returned and had them replaced. The upgrade wasn't sufficient so when the car was with Enginuity I asked for the oil to be changed. Just doing a break overhaul and noticed one of the arms is leaking again so thinking about a bracket / telescopic conversion. Stevsons have a good reputation on the forum so perhaps I've just been unlucky. Phil Hi Phil, I bought my TR new and had 6 sets under warranty, all leaked. Armstrong were the BL OEM producer and they were one of my accounts. When I visited them on business and was walking through their G.I. They had pallet bin loads being returned for re-con. I then decided to go for telescopic conversion. The Spax shocks lasted 44years! before I fitted a new set! I usually tell people to bin levers. The only ones that I was led to believe that were long lasting were the adjustable ones which were mainly, made for competition. Bruce. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Phil H 4 Posted February 21, 2020 Report Share Posted February 21, 2020 Bruce, That's decided it then. Phil Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DanTR6 Posted February 21, 2020 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2020 6 hours ago, iani said: Stevsons in Birmingham, he is probably the main reconditioned in the UK, he did a great job on mine. http://www.stevsonmotors.co.uk/?LMCL=MhOXUy Ian thanks Ian, I dropped them a message earlier in the week but haven't heard back. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DanTR6 Posted February 21, 2020 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2020 3 hours ago, astontr6 said: Hi Phil, I bought my TR new and had 6 sets under warranty, all leaked. Armstrong were the BL OEM producer and they were one of my accounts. When I visited them on business and was walking through their G.I. They had pallet bin loads being returned for re-con. I then decided to go for telescopic conversion. The Spax shocks lasted 44years! before I fitted a new set! I usually tell people to bin levers. The only ones that I was led to believe that were long lasting were the adjustable ones which were mainly, made for competition. Bruce. Good to know Bruce, I read very mixed reviews on Telescopic dampers, some people love them and some dont. My TR will be quite light on the back end and is already lowered so I had through they might be a bit hars, maybe I need to have a better read up on it Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DanTR6 Posted February 21, 2020 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2020 4 hours ago, Phil H 4 said: I used Stevson last year to have my lever arms refurbished. Unfortunately I didn't get my original arms back. After a month noticed they were leaking so returned and had them replaced. The upgrade wasn't sufficient so when the car was with Enginuity I asked for the oil to be changed. Just doing a break overhaul and noticed one of the arms is leaking again so thinking about a bracket / telescopic conversion. Stevsons have a good reputation on the forum so perhaps I've just been unlucky. Phil Thanks Phil, I spoke to Revingtons (unfortunately his rebuild guy is on holiday) and he said to be very careful to make sure I get mine rebuilt and not a different pair back - saying that they do them on an exchange basis as well. Would be good to know what the design flaw is hat makes them leak! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Yarm 783 Posted February 21, 2020 Report Share Posted February 21, 2020 Hi Dan, not sure how far you wanted to go, but there is a video on YouTube which was very useful for me, by a guy called Cheftush, he upgrades the oil in his Armstrongs and the video works a through the whole job. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Hamish Posted February 21, 2020 Report Share Posted February 21, 2020 1 hour ago, Sill Gap Problem said: Hi Dan, not sure how far you wanted to go, but there is a video on YouTube which was very useful for me, by a guy called Cheftush, he upgrades the oil in his Armstrongs and the video works a through the whole job. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tr6tuga Posted February 21, 2020 Report Share Posted February 21, 2020 + for the video, refurbished my self after several atempts with usual supliers and locals, Still good after 5k Uprate the links too Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tim T Posted February 21, 2020 Report Share Posted February 21, 2020 I used Stevsons as well for mine. Initial problem when they were returned is that the arms were fitted the wrong way round. He sorted it. On return they leaked! Not a good experience. Atb Tim Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RobH Posted February 21, 2020 Report Share Posted February 21, 2020 An interesting view on the process here from a US refurbisher: http://www.gerardsgarage.com/Garage/Tech/ShoxWS.htm I wonder whether the UK people go to the lengths described ? The second post down on the following has a detailed description with photos of doing a refurb on a similar unit from a Morris Minor: https://www.morrisminorowners.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=32&t=2355&start=15 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DanTR6 Posted February 21, 2020 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2020 2 hours ago, Sill Gap Problem said: Hi Dan, not sure how far you wanted to go, but there is a video on YouTube which was very useful for me, by a guy called Cheftush, he upgrades the oil in his Armstrongs and the video works a through the whole job. thanks for the video guys, I might just try and rebuild them myself, its a good excuse to put the ultrasonic cleaner to good use :-). I take it the 25% uprated bit is to do with the spring in the bottom and how far its pretensioned? Does anyone do a seal kit for them? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ed_h Posted February 21, 2020 Report Share Posted February 21, 2020 By far the easiest way to manipulate the stiffness of these shocks is by the oil viscosity. I believe stock was about ISO 46 (20 wt). Use hydraulic oil. Ed Quote Link to post Share on other sites
iani Posted February 21, 2020 Report Share Posted February 21, 2020 1 hour ago, DanTR6 said: thanks for the video guys, I might just try and rebuild them myself, its a good excuse to put the ultrasonic cleaner to good use :-). I take it the 25% uprated bit is to do with the spring in the bottom and how far its pretensioned? Does anyone do a seal kit for them? You get different weight oils Dan, Penrite offer a couple of weights in the UK Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DanTR6 Posted February 21, 2020 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2020 28 minutes ago, iani said: You get different weight oils Dan, Penrite offer a couple of weights in the UK thanks, I will see where its leaking, looks a bit more involved to get the central shaft pressed out. If its just bottom seals and new oil I will give it a go Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DanTR6 Posted February 21, 2020 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2020 where did people get the seals from when rebuilding their own? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Hamish Posted February 21, 2020 Report Share Posted February 21, 2020 I’m sure that Alec P suggested 30wt oil to me when he was talking me through competition improvements. motorcycle fork oil was the right stuff and I think specifically Harley Davidson dealer were a source as they need a heavier oil to deal with the weight. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ed_h Posted February 22, 2020 Report Share Posted February 22, 2020 I believe there were at least two designs for that valve assembly. Mine used two O-rings, a -111, and a -113. Ed Quote Link to post Share on other sites
super6al Posted February 22, 2020 Report Share Posted February 22, 2020 Hi Dan Changing the oil is a straight forward job, I did mine last year following the cheftush video. I would try fresh oil first as mine was sludge in one arm & in the other it was virtually non existent. It takes at lot of flushing to get the old stuff out & to get it to run with clear oil. I stuck with SF20 fork oil with a view of changing it if the damping was too soft, however I found just fresh oil made a huge difference with a decent balance between comfort (especially on our poor road surfaces) & handling. If I had access to decent roads then I would probably go to 30wt. Don't want to get into the LA v Teles debate but I wonder how many were binned purely on the basis of poor oil condition. Theres some explanation stuff on www.vitessesteve.blog.com, although the drawings are not the same as the TR ones its does give an idea of whats in there. I'm sure I read somewhere that the units are designed to lose a small amount of oil to facilitate shaft lubrication, however I couldn't find any evidence of this on mine. The only serviceable O rings are the ones on the adjustment valve. Alan Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DanTR6 Posted February 22, 2020 Author Report Share Posted February 22, 2020 2 minutes ago, super6al said: Hi Dan Changing the oil is a straight forward job, I did mine last year following the cheftush video. I would try fresh oil first as mine was sludge in one arm & in the other it was virtually non existent. It takes at lot of flushing to get the old stuff out & to get it to run with clear oil. I stuck with SF20 fork oil with a view of changing it if the damping was too soft, however I found just fresh oil made a huge difference with a decent balance between comfort (especially on our poor road surfaces) & handling. If I had access to decent roads then I would probably go to 30wt. Don't want to get into the LA v Teles debate but I wonder how many were binned purely on the basis of poor oil condition. Theres some explanation stuff on www.vitessesteve.blog.com, although the drawings are not the same as the TR ones its does give an idea of whats in there. I'm sure I read somewhere that the units are designed to lose a small amount of oil to facilitate shaft lubrication, however I couldn't find any evidence of this on mine. The only serviceable O rings are the ones on the adjustment valve. Alan Thanks Alan, from the looks of it my leak on one of them is around the main shaft, but could easily be coming out the top plate cover, it doesnt look like its come out the bottom hole with he adjustment valve. Hopefully I can put the hot ultrasonic cleaner I purchased last year to some use to give them a good clean out inside. Out of interest, where has everyone's shocks been leaking from? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DanTR6 Posted February 22, 2020 Author Report Share Posted February 22, 2020 19 hours ago, ed_h said: I believe there were at least two designs for that valve assembly. Mine used two O-rings, a -111, and a -113. Ed cheers Ed, I will get it apart and have a look Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DanTR6 Posted February 22, 2020 Author Report Share Posted February 22, 2020 21 hours ago, Hamish said: I’m sure that Alec P suggested 30wt oil to me when he was talking me through competition improvements. motorcycle fork oil was the right stuff and I think specifically Harley Davidson dealer were a source as they need a heavier oil to deal with the weight. its 30wt fork oil that guy is using in the video, although I see that 30wt is listed as quite a thick fork oil for heavy duty applications. I have lowered springs on - not sure what type, they have 42 written on the top so a bit of a stiffer damper might complement them Quote Link to post Share on other sites
John Morrison Posted February 22, 2020 Report Share Posted February 22, 2020 What a great insight into lever S/A. so is the 25% updated shocks, simply thicker oil, is that really it? John. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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