Seized Protech dampers/shocks

[josephmoore]

Protech coilover single adjustable shocks all round - knobs are seized on the back as standard after more than 5 minutes on a car it seems. Mine are 8 years old now. The fronts are out of sync with each other - turned them down to the next setting down and one of them now has only 8 clicks rather than 13 so it's off the end of the adjustment.

Protech have said they'll fit new control parts and recalibrate them for £30 + P&P + VAT so let's assume that's getting on for £45 each.

Brand new ones are listed at £108 inc VAT on their site - perhaps including delivery, it's not clear. The bonus here is that I can remove and refit in one go.

With a bit of trial and error I can probably sort out the fronts but the rears need fixing properly as they're stuck on the factory standard half way adjustment and far too stiff - on the bumpy b-roads round here it's just plain uncomfortable.

What does everyone think? Get them refurbished? Just buy some new ones? How do Protech compare with the other brands out there if I did just buy a new set?

[stylussprinter]

Well firstly , if you buy Protech shocks don't buy them from Protech --- best deal is from PRO-COMP racing , who will valve them to your spec plus balance them for the same money . Secondly a hard ride will be the springs chosen not the shocks , shocks only control the speed of travel in bump/rebound and therefore handling. The guy you bought your RT from was 6ft5in and over 20 stone so you need to check the springs lbs rating (if he took my advice when building they'll be way too high lbs for you)--- you'll find it etched on the end of each spring flat surface. With your weight and intended use you probably really don't need more than 200lb rears and 225lb fronts but if buying new then rear shocks should be 15inch with 10inch springs ---- fronts 11inch with 7inch springs.
PERSONALLY I'd buy new you won't regret it.

[josephmoore]

The fronts are a million times better since adjusting them down from the default setting like you showed me to do Rob - the shock just wasn't letting the spring travel as it was too stiff - but I suspect you're right in terms of spring rates too. The car gets used for b-road fun and autosolos on less than perfect tarmac surfaces so supple suspension is the way to go

Perhaps time to save those pennies up - might fiddle with the fronts as they feel ok and just replace the rears for now.

[stylussprinter]

The fronts are a million times better since adjusting them down from the default setting like you showed me to do Rob - the shock just wasn't letting the spring travel as it was too stiff - but I suspect you're right in terms of spring rates too. The car gets used for b-road fun and autosolos on less than perfect tarmac surfaces so supple suspension is the way to go

Perhaps time to save those pennies up - might fiddle with the fronts as they feel ok and just replace the rears for now.

If the fronts are now ''free'' and set in the 1st range of 13 clicks , for your use I'd try 7 clicks general driving and up to 10 clicks autosolos . The rears if you can free them up I'd stay in the 2nd range but set at 2 clicks general driving and up to 7 clicks autosolos. Whatever you do make sure you use those settings for all 4 shocks -- ie. all general OR all autosolo -- don't mix them ok.

[josephmoore]

Given a tight budget Protech have said they'll fit new control parts as above for the rears for £30+vat and dyno the fronts free of charge for me which is reasonable.

Fronts came off easily. Rears, the bottom bolts were fine but the tops have both welded themselves to the bushes. Aaaargh. Plusgas and hammer didn't fix it. Time to apply some heat and a bigger hammer.

[josephmoore]

PS. The fronts have "88 250" stamped on them. Can't see any info on Protech's site so I assume the 88 is a part number and 250 is the poundage. I'll ask the guys at Protech when I speak to them and have the numbers for the rears too.

[stylussprinter]

PS. The fronts have "88 250" stamped on them. Can't see any info on Protech's site so I assume the 88 is a part number and 250 is the poundage. I'll ask the guys at Protech when I speak to them and have the numbers for the rears too.

Shocks don't have poundage , only springs . Alec was a very big chap so the springs were quite likely to be high poundage though , front and rear .

[josephmoore]

Yeah, sorry my post wasn't very clear - I was referring to the springs - which I assume Protech also supplied as they're the same as their bog standard ones.

Heat and hammer didn't shift anything... time to try the hacksaw blades...

[CMA]

I have 250s on the front and 200's on the rear. Procomp said 180-200max for the rear. Not got round to replacing the fronts with procomps yet, but if I did I'd prob drop to 225ish but it's all personal preference really

[josephmoore]

Rears are off the car. Much sawing. My arms have fallen off.

[josephmoore]

And on the subject of spring rates: bingo! viewtopic.php?f=15&t=384

250 fronts, 225 rears. No wonder it's hard with my measly 8.5 stone!

[josephmoore]

So, looking at the Protech shocks they're basically a fixed length. Usually there's a locking ring at the bottom and a threaded bottom mount that screws over the main body of the shock to set ride height.

Am I right in thinking that to achieve a height other than the full extension of the shock the spring would have to be wound down so as it was slack when not under load? That just doesn't seem right...?

[stylussprinter]

So, looking at the Protech shocks they're basically a fixed length. Usually there's a locking ring at the bottom and a threaded bottom mount that screws over the main body of the shock to set ride height.

Am I right in thinking that to achieve a height other than the full extension of the shock the spring would have to be wound down so as it was slack when not under load? That just doesn't seem right...?

When fitting them , of course you'd wind the spring seats up so they only just support the spring ie. no rattle but not compressed. Then adjust the amount of piston travel needed and desired ride height once on the car.
However this depends on the shock/spring lengths you've bought , there's no one fits all . With ''your weight'' I would still advise 250 fr 225 r and probably on 11 inch open shock length front , 15 inch open shock length rear(if rear links are the dipped type) Springs length front 7 inch and rear 10 inch . Then simply adjust/play around with the seats to achieve 20mm minimum rake and your chosen front ride height. Using these spring lengths gives plenty of thread to adjust high/low on those shock lengths.
Remember that a hard ride is seldom down to spring rates , usually a combination of either lack of shock piston travel under load (need 15mm minimum front 50mm min rear with your weight & spring rates I've advised), too soft spring rates (both of these will/can cause the shock/spring unit to become a solid item - no suspension) and of course my old favourite of tyre pressures --- 18 psi absolute max even for a big guy but preferably 16/17 psi .

To give you a fixed answer to your question , the car would have to be in my shed because I can't see it with my own eyes to assess it. Nevertheless , the above gives you all the info you'll need to get it right

[josephmoore]

Thanks Rob - 250/225 is what I have currently but I was thinking more along the lines of 200-225 fronts and 180 rears as the roads here are shockingly bad and the car club venues aren't the smoothest of tarmac.

It just seems odd to me that with a low setting in theory you could jack the car up and the spring would dislocate, but I guess it's never a problem in real life? Previously mine have been set to just nipped up against the full extension of the shock as you describe when fitting them.

PS. Just measured the shocks and they're 13" fronts 15" rears. Springs were 8" all round and judging by their positions on the shocks they could have been shorter at the front and longer at the rear as you suggest.

[CMA]

So, looking at the Protech shocks they're basically a fixed length. Usually there's a locking ring at the bottom and a threaded bottom mount that screws over the main body of the shock to set ride height.

Mine have the locking ring setup for adjusting ride height. Are you sure you're looking at the right dampers?