Metro - How much to pump up suspension?
Lee Shepherd
I have a '92 (K) Rover Metro, and was wondering what I could expect to
pay to pump up the 'Hydragas' suspension. I have had wildly varying
quotes (over the phone) from £5 to £50.
Lee.
--
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Chris Wilson
In article <t7g$rXA0rJ...@demon.co.uk>, Lee Shepherd wrote:
> I have a '92 (K) Rover Metro, and was wondering what I could expect to
> pay to pump up the 'Hydragas' suspension. I have had wildly varying
> quotes (over the phone) from £5 to £50.
We usually charge 18 quid to do both sides,*assuming* the caps will come
off the valves with no hassles.They sometimes seize on...
--
Best Regards,
Chris Wilson.
http://www.maximum-bhp.u-net.com
Gatley,Cheshire,UK
Andrew W. Macfadyen
a very fair price I think
Lee Shepherd
>We usually charge 18 quid to do both sides,*assuming* the caps will come
>off the valves with no hassles.They sometimes seize on...
Thanks for the info, I've had similar posts via e-mail quoting about the
same amount. At least now I've got an idea who's trying to rip me off,
and who is quoting under on the assumption of getting extra work out of
me.
My next question, is how do I know whether it NEEDS pumping up or not?
Someone said that it looks a bit low, but is there a measurement from
ground level or somethig that I can check?
Andrew W. Macfadyen
What you want is called the "Trim Height" usually measured from the wheel
arch to the top of the tyre the Haynes manual should list it.
Graham
>Thanks for the info, I've had similar posts via e-mail quoting about the
>same amount. At least now I've got an idea who's trying to rip me off,
>and who is quoting under on the assumption of getting extra work out of
>me.
>
>My next question, is how do I know whether it NEEDS pumping up or not?
>Someone said that it looks a bit low, but is there a measurement from
>ground level or somethig that I can check?
>
>Lee.
Will post the info tomorrow.
Graham
Graham
On Tue, 19 May 1998 20:41:38 GMT, gra...@motors.karoo.co.uk (Graham)
wrote:
>>My next question, is how do I know whether it NEEDS pumping up or not?
>>Someone said that it looks a bit low, but is there a measurement from
>>ground level or somethig that I can check?
>>
>>Lee.
>
>Will post the info tomorrow.
>
>Graham
The measurements are from centre of wheel to wheel arch lip.
(vertical)
Metro up to 1989
Front 327 mm Rear 321 mm
90 onwards
Front 341 mm
Van
Front 331mm Rear 321 mm
Turbo
Front 315 mm Rear 321 mm
All are + or - 10mm
Note.... The Metro is a car that needs the front toe checking after a
suspension height change, as it could have been set at a previous
wrong height.
Graham
Alan Brooke
>
> Note.... The Metro is a car that needs the front toe checking after a
> suspension height change, as it could have been set at a previous
> wrong height.
>
Err, it shouldn't have any bump steer at all!
Make sure you set the heights with someone in the drivers seat, that way
you get the car set level.
If you actually want the car lower than standard then gets the ally cones
shortened, don't be tempted to bleed down the gas units 'cos you end up
with softer springing. 5mm off the cone for each 25mm lower ride height
keeps the displacer at the same height in the gas unit.
Putting rear units on the front gives firmer springing, all rear units
have internal damping, but it will need a valve adapting to fit the fluid
union.
Al
Graham
>
>>
>> Note.... The Metro is a car that needs the front toe checking after a
>> suspension height change, as it could have been set at a previous
>> wrong height.
>>
>
>Err, it shouldn't have any bump steer at all!
There is a definite change in the front toe if the suspension is
raised or lowered.
>Make sure you set the heights with someone in the drivers seat, that way
>you get the car set level.
But then the car will not be level empty or with a passenger. As far
as I know there is no loading requirement for Metro's as against for
example Vauxhall who specify a certain weight loading when doing
alignment. Even in this case the weight is evenly distributed.
Graham
Alan Brooke
> There is a definite change in the front toe if the suspension is
> raised or lowered.
I would suggest you check the steering rack location, it may need to be
adusted to get rid of the misalignment. Mine has negligable bump steer
over a 6" bump/ droop range. Even though I only use at most couple of
inches of suspension travel on the circuits!
As far as setting the heights is concerned, it shold be set with the
normal load in. Probably one person and half a tank of fuel. The factory
tried to achieve a setting that could cope with one person and empty tank
right up to 5 plus luggage, if the car isn't being used for heavy loads
why not optimise the suspension for better roadholding. I don't see any
necessity to have a car beautifully set up for being parked?
Have you got a ball-park figure for how much pressure rise is needed to
give,say a 1/4" change in front suspension height? I'm using modified
units with variable gas charge pressures. The pressre seems to drop off
exponentially with decreasing ride height, I was expecting something a bit
more linear.
Al
Graham
>
>> There is a definite change in the front toe if the suspension is
>> raised or lowered.
>
>I would suggest you check the steering rack location, it may need to be
>adusted to get rid of the misalignment. Mine has negligable bump steer
>over a 6" bump/ droop range. Even though I only use at most couple of
>inches of suspension travel on the circuits!
I was answering a request for the suspension heights of Metros, I have
noticed in the past that the front toe changes when pumping up the
suspension from low to normal height, and advising the original
requester to have his front toe checked, after re inflating, as a
precautionary measure. If the relationship of the TRE & hub carrier to
the body (rack mounting) is changed then the overall front toe static
will change. Naturally the suspension designer has taken into account
bump steer. If the static setting is OK then on bump (for those few
seconds) the change in toe will be tolerable, but if the ride height
is changed permanently then there would be a constant error.
>As far as setting the heights is concerned, it shold be set with the
>normal load in. Probably one person and half a tank of fuel. The factory
>tried to achieve a setting that could cope with one person and empty tank
>right up to 5 plus luggage, if the car isn't being used for heavy loads
>why not optimise the suspension for better roadholding. I don't see any
>necessity to have a car beautifully set up for being parked?
AFAIK the figures quoted by the manufacturer is for unladened,
presumably they take into account that the body will drop when there
are people in the car. In the Metro's case to inflate to the
recommended height - laden - would result in too high a pressure,
giving a hard ride. If it was logical to have the suspension height
set with a driver in then surely we would be fitting different spring
rates - O/S & N/S - to all cars.
>Have you got a ball-park figure for how much pressure rise is needed to
>give,say a 1/4" change in front suspension height? I'm using modified
>units with variable gas charge pressures. The pressre seems to drop off
>exponentially with decreasing ride height, I was expecting something a bit
>more linear.
Sorry I do not know what the pressures are at various heights, I
believe that if you want the suspension lowered then the trumpet
length should be modified, not simply the pressure.
Graham
Andrew W. Macfadyen
Bump streer correction is a liitle OTT for a road car Metro unless is is
miles out !
Alan Brooke wrote:
> > There is a definite change in the front toe if the suspension is
> > raised or lowered.
>
> I would suggest you check the steering rack location, it may need to be
> adusted to get rid of the misalignment. Mine has negligable bump steer
> over a 6" bump/ droop range. Even though I only use at most couple of
> inches of suspension travel on the circuits!
>
> As far as setting the heights is concerned, it shold be set with the
> normal load in. Probably one person and half a tank of fuel. The factory
> tried to achieve a setting that could cope with one person and empty tank
> right up to 5 plus luggage, if the car isn't being used for heavy loads
> why not optimise the suspension for better roadholding. I don't see any
> necessity to have a car beautifully set up for being parked?
>
> Have you got a ball-park figure for how much pressure rise is needed to
> give,say a 1/4" change in front suspension height? I'm using modified
> units with variable gas charge pressures. The pressre seems to drop off
> exponentially with decreasing ride height, I was expecting something a bit
> more linear.
>
> Al