Hydrolastic Suspension (empty & fill) machine...
Donald Coley
(empty & fill) machine for sale here in the United States or in
Eastern Canada ???
Does anyone have technical literature / plans / bits, that would
make it possible to build one (assuming the first question either
goes unanswered, or the purchase price + shipping is worth
more than my car, which is now leaning badly to the right).
Thank You !!! - Don Coley -
(Please Reply to: dwc...@erols.com not to this list !)
brodrick2000
I've read of mini owners that have made their own "machines" but I think
methods vary. If you can't devise something yourself contact Marcel
Chicvak chi...@planet.eon.net and he might be able to guide you. Marcel
has installed a neat setup where he replaced the Schraeder valves that
are used to pump up the hydrolastic suspension. The Schraeder valves are
a pain in the neck as they tend to spill lots of fluid when you pump up
or depressurize.
I'm sure other listers will help you out.
Also, try the Montreal Mini Club. I can't get you the address now as I'm
off to work but if you don't get it in a day or so write back to me and
I'll find it.
If all fails, go to a shop that deals with air conditioning for autos
and explain that you want to pressurize a line with fluid and the hoses
are capable of holding 400 psi. They might have some suggestions or
perhaps can loan you a piece of equipment to pump up your car. Basically
all you need are a brake pedal from an old car and a cylinder to hold
fluid such as a propane tank. The tank can be filled with fluid and you
create a pump with the foot pedal and the line goes to the Schraeder
valve. Sounds easy but there's a bit more to it.
Get back to me if you get no other info and I'll search for the article
I saw years ago.
Rich in New York
John Joyce
brodrick2000 <brod...@broadviewnet.net> writes:
>
>I've read of mini owners that have made their own "machines" but I think
>methods vary. If you can't devise something yourself contact Marcel
>Chicvak chi...@planet.eon.net and he might be able to guide you. Marcel
>has installed a neat setup where he replaced the Schraeder valves that
>are used to pump up the hydrolastic suspension. The Schraeder valves are
>a pain in the neck as they tend to spill lots of fluid when you pump up
>or depressurize.
If it's the same system as the earlier metros I don't see a need for
a machine to depressurize - I just loosened off the union on one of
the displacers slowly, wrapped a rag round the joint and dangled it
into a plastic tub to collect the fluid. Not much good if you want
to reuse the fluid or to repressurize it of course!
ttfn
John Joyce
Graham
by email and I'll write up details of a home made unit I used to use
which works fine. It's not particularly complicated or expensive.
Graham.
Rocky Frisco
>
> Does anyone have a used HYDROLASTIC SUSPENSION
> (empty & fill) machine for sale here in the United States or in
> Eastern Canada ???
>
> Does anyone have technical literature / plans / bits, that would
> make it possible to build one (assuming the first question either
> goes unanswered, or the purchase price + shipping is worth
> more than my car, which is now leaning badly to the right).
I had one, but I sold it a while back. I've been told it's quite easy to
make a pressurizer for these and the depressurizer isn't really necessary,
since if nobody from the EPA is watching you can just vent the fluid.
I included the newsgroup too, since this may be of interest to others.
Scott Beavis tends the Mini tech files. Perhaps if you email him:
scott beavis <scott...@mobrey.com>
He can advise you if the files include a make-it-yourself hydro pump.
-Rock http://www.rocky-frisco.com
--
Ask your ISP to amend its TOS & assess fines for spamming and serious
abuse. Clean up the net without government intervention. Pass it on.
Stan Blazejewski
wrote:
>Donald Coley wrote:
>>
>> Does anyone have a used HYDROLASTIC SUSPENSION
>> (empty & fill) machine for sale here in the United States or in
>> Eastern Canada ???
>>
>> Does anyone have technical literature / plans / bits, that would
>> make it possible to build one (assuming the first question either
>> goes unanswered, or the purchase price + shipping is worth
>> more than my car, which is now leaning badly to the right).
>
>I had one, but I sold it a while back. I've been told it's quite easy to
>make a pressurizer for these and the depressurizer isn't really necessary,
>since if nobody from the EPA is watching you can just vent the fluid.
I was under the impression that the depressuriser included a vacuum
pump to ensure no air remained in the system.
Admittedly the vacuum is not required for the 'top up' but if any
hoses are disconnected, air would definitely be in the system & I
would assume this to be detrimental to the correct functioning of the
suspension.
>
>I included the newsgroup too, since this may be of interest to others.
>
>Scott Beavis tends the Mini tech files. Perhaps if you email him:
>scott beavis <scott...@mobrey.com>
>He can advise you if the files include a make-it-yourself hydro pump.
>
>-Rock http://www.rocky-frisco.com
--
Australia isn't "down under", it's "off to one side"!
stan...@netspace.net.au
http://www.netspace.net.au/~stanblaz/
(home of the Cobra Catamaran)
Graham
and then venting it back down again repeatedly would drive the air out
as bubbles in the fluid.
Graham
home made hydro machine I used for the Moke when I had a hydro front
subframe in it. (Easy suspension height adjustment for off road!)
So here we go:
The pumping is done with a conventional Mini master cylinder.
The reservoir is best replaced with a bigger one since the volumes
invloved mean you'll be forever refilling it otherwise.
Mount the beasty on a frame of some sort so you can apply force to the
pushrod with some sort of a lever.
At the outlet to the cylinder you need a non return valve. If you cannot
find a non return valve to suit, you can use a simple on/off valve and
close it each time you let the lever back up for the next stroke, but a
non return valve is simpler, neater and cheaper.
You then have a 4 way junction. (or two consequetive 3 way T junctions).
The "through line" goes to the flexinble hose which has a shrader valve
connector on the end to fit to the car. (It doesn't really have to be
the through line, it just helps conceptually)
One branch outlet has the pressure guage.
The other branch has a valve, such as a ball valve, and then returns to
the reservoir, to allow controlled lowering of the suspension and
recovery of the fluid. Another reason for an enlarged reservoir.
And it's that simple.
BTW, the fluid removes grease and muck from your hands really well, so
if you go to one of those "pull them apart yourself" wreckers with an
empty 4 litre bottle you should be able to collect quite a bit, and if
they ask you about the bottle on the way out, splash a little of your
precious hydro fluid on your hands and explain that it is handclean,
which you brought with you. 8-)
I'll sketch up a diagram shortly too, for those that would like to see
it.
Graham.
Graham
message in this thread (in case your news server rejects binaries)
Graham wrote:
> OK, I finally caught up with the guy that actually made and owns the
> home made hydro machine I used for the Moke when I had a hydro front
> subframe in it. (Easy suspension height adjustment for off road!)
.....
cactus jack
My own home made hydro pump used a master cylinder from an old ford escort.
It does not need a non-return valve and does not have a built-in reservoir;
the inlet was connected by a pipe to the gallon can of hydro fluid, so no
topping up.
Keith
"Graham" <zeb...@alphalink.com.au> wrote in message
news:3A8516E5...@alphalink.com.au...
Roller
>
>BTW, the fluid removes grease and muck from your hands really well, so
>if you go to one of those "pull them apart yourself" wreckers with an
>empty 4 litre bottle you should be able to collect quite a bit, and if
>they ask you about the bottle on the way out, splash a little of your
>precious hydro fluid on your hands and explain that it is handclean,
>which you brought with you. 8-)
If I want to buy fresh fluid, what sort of fluid is it? not just
hydrolic brake fluid?
TIA
Rocky Frisco
The usual replacement fluid for hydrolastic systems is plain old ethylene
glycol antifreeze, NOT brake fluid.
Kelley Mascher
The proper fluid is mostly water and definitely has some alcohol in
it. Some one was selling hydrolastic fluid not too long ago. Try Mini
Spares. It comes as a bottle of stuff that you mix with water.
If you use regular anti-freeze mix it like you would for engine
coolant.
Do Not use hydraulic brake fluid.
Cheers,
Kelley