Another DIY Sachs Rebuild/Service

[hoolio]

I just wanted to thanks to TP for the nice little present that I found in my post box when I got home this evening. Not sure when I will get around to fitting them, but thank you.

 

[Rik Perry]

Lol.... TP

 

[SharkyUK]

Huh huh, huh huh... need TP for my damper hole.

 

[ben3486]

I've just sat and read all 11 pages of this thread. Properly awesome work @Rik Perry (even if a lot of the tech bits about spring rates and rebound went straight over my head).

I know where I'll be coming when I get round to having mine done. I have zero paperwork to say they've been done, and the previous owners kept all sorts, so I'm assuming they've never been done and I'm at 100k miles now. I have however had the wheels off and seen that there's still the all important gap between the reservoir sleeve and the bracket that comes out to hold the reservoir so I live in hope they're still holding up.

Great work Rik

 

[NathanH]

Another way of testing to see if you've lost pressure is to wiggle the reservoir. It's shouldn't move at all in any direction.

 

[Rik Perry]

Another way of testing to see if you've lost pressure is to wiggle the reservoir. It's shouldn't move at all in any direction.

Sound advice Nathan... Plus the old fashioned bounce test... A firm push down on the front fender should yield very little movement.. If it's a bit soft you need to get them gassed as a minimum..

 

[Rik Perry]

I've just sat and read all 11 pages of this thread. Properly awesome work @Rik Perry (even if a lot of the tech bits about spring rates and rebound went straight over my head).

I know where I'll be coming when I get round to having mine done. I have zero paperwork to say they've been done, and the previous owners kept all sorts, so I'm assuming they've never been done and I'm at 100k miles now. I have however had the wheels off and seen that there's still the all important gap between the reservoir sleeve and the bracket that comes out to hold the reservoir so I live in hope they're still holding up.

Great work Rik

Happy to help if needed.. DM me if you have any questions or need advice

 

[Rik Perry]

Anyone else want some adjuster covers..? Read back trthe post and send an SAE ..

 

[Big Dave]

Just received my adjuster "condom".
Cheers Rick...

PS note to self, put enough postage on the SAE,,, I put a second class stamp on the envelope, and it wasn't enough,,,, doh.!!!!!!!!!!
Maybe it was because the envelope wasnt flat when the plastic caps were in...

 

[Rik Perry]

Sorry for the spelling.. Read page 9 of the post ....

 

[SharkyUK]

Just received my adjuster "condom".

I think it's important that we all practice...safe Sachs...! :flushed:
(Sorry)

 

[BenG]

The consequences will be costly.

 

[BenG]

Just out of interest... Have you been checking the nitrogen pressures before the disassembly of the dampers? If so, how does this compare to the required figure on average?

 

[Rik Perry]

Most i have seen are empty or very low..
IMHO it is far more realistic to check and top up the pressures as you would to with a tyre as you go to maintain performance than get too hung up on using nitrogen.. There is nothing in the air chamber that will be damaged or corroded by using air.. I recommend to top up using a MTB Shock pump in the same way you would with a bike..
Even in the racing world we don't expect a fill and forget policy to work and this is the biggest problem with the Sachs as owners running them de gassed causes the most wear/ damage

 

[Rik Perry]

I recommend one of these and check/maintain at 75psi for best performance.. If you have the BG double seal end cap tho this won't work .. You need the tyre valve type like the std sach ones..

 

[BenG]

Cheers Rik. I figured the pressure would dissipate over time. I have access to nitrogen at work as we use it frequently for topping up accumulators in hydraulic systems. I've never bothered to check mine though, I wasn't sure what the optimum pressure was. I should imagine after 8 years there won't be much pressure contained within my set of dampers, I'm going to check soon. It will be interesting to find out how much pressure has dissipated during a 1 year period.

 

[Rik Perry]

It was folly of Sachs to expect it to work for the life of the car/damper TBH... But we're glad they tried.. They loctited everything they could to make it better but they are fighting a losing battle..

Damper works fine between 65-85 psi so go in the middle ...

 

[hoolio]

So are you screwed if you have the new BG valve then? Just checked the ones a have sitting here and have no idea how to go about getting into those.

 

[Rik Perry]

So are you screwed if you have the new BG valve then? Just checked the ones a have sitting here and have no idea how to go about getting into those.

You're not screwed.. You need a needle adapter to charge them tho..
When I do sets with the BG end caps tho i machine them and fit a tyre valve.. Much more user friendly IMO

 

[hoolio]

So you have to remove that end plate to get at the valve?