5th option
get a good 2nd hand set of spheres pump up and drive lots of good ones about
then keep an eye out on the forum and ebay for a conversion kit at a good price buy it but dont fit until you need to
Ron

 

I'm not 100% sure i'm reading you correctly here, so please don't take offense, but feel i've covered that in option 1, but one way or the other, the issue with that choice is how do you know a second hand one is good?

The problem appears to be the age/time-based diffusion of the nitrogen through the sphere diaphragms, and while a newer car has less exposure to time (my car is a '98) I want to ensure i'm getting 'bang for my buck' in terms of how long replacements will last.

 

I believe MGF reborn were "very close to production" on a spring replacement system. However thats all gone on the back burner by the looks of things. Maybe someone could ask?

Suplex refused to let me come and have a look at the setup. They also said no demo car is available for a test drive - A letter also appeared online from the GM of the company saying "We are a spring manufacture not a suspension specialist" - so that would rule out any purchase for me.

Im going to see if I can convince my boss to let us buy some in and reverse engineer them.

 

I believe MGF reborn were "very close to production" on a spring replacement system.

As well as a 'weld on roof conversion to make an exact copy of the TF coupe' and the 'Ariel Atom copy with a K series engine for 30k' and not forgetting the V6 conversions and Honda conversions.. The larger front brake kit.. And the golf Mk4 rear brake kits..

All coming to you soon... (I wouldn't hold your breath)

As per Carl.. Why not the TF conversion?

For the money.. It makes perfect sense.. I wish I'd gone this route at the outset of my build (shhh don't tell John) and will convert my car in 2 years time to TF suspension

 

I'll find the thread but David over on the T-bar is still having nightmares with the suplex kit, the latest revelation being that the OEM dampers are not suitable for a spring-in-a-can conversion. There is an Austrailian company that produce a much better received spring conversion for the F, bit more expensive due to shipping and a bit of a wait as it's a small operation but I'm yet to read anything negative about the kit.
MGF-Reborn (aka Pocket Motors) in Dorest were developing a kit as Jay mentioned, might be worth ringing them but make sure you have a bit of spare time.. conversations can go on a bit!

 

I am pricing large diameter aluminium bar as we speak.
The Australian style design would be the one I would base my design on.

 

http://www.the-t-bar.com/en/forum/9...gf-tf-pitstop/15152-new-replacement-units-for-the-mgf-hydragas-spheres?start=30

Rogers comments are interesting.

 

I'd like an update from Roger a year on to see if he is still happy with the setup. Not that it would be any good for my car.

 

anyone got a link to the aussie kit

 

I have the aussie kit fitted to my f

 

do you find it a good alternative and have you a link to company you bought it from.

 

http://www.rv8mg.com.au/gallery/SPARE%2BPARTS/mgf-spring-conversion-kit/45110

It works for me and im happy with quality and ride.

 

I've priced the Austrailian kit and it's around £1200, presumably before shipping, and I can't justify that amount of budget even if it was the best solution in every respect.

It looks very well made and i'm sure it's well thought out and implemented equipment, but sadly it's far more then i'm willing to spend.

 

It may be worth asking if they will supply the spring canisters only and buy the Gaz dampers locally I think someone has already done this and made some saving

 

Suplex kit is a complete POS.
Poorly designed and poorly manufactured.

The springs are too soft and you need to keep adjusting them to stop the ride height dropping.

The dampers that you must buy from Suplex are not specially designed to complement the Suplex spring in a can. They are almost exactly the same as the standard Monroe single action dampers fitted as standard to MGFs.

Any one with engineering knowledge will soon realise that a single action damper is useless with spring suspension. A normal dual action damper is required to prevent a floaty ride.

The company are a joke, and deny these are design problems. When I complained of a really soft bouncy ride and low ride height accompanied by clonking over uneven ground/speed bumps, I was told it was something wrong with my car not their kit.

Strangely, I have 3 other people ,who have approached me since reading my write up, telling me they have suffered exactly the same problems.

I admit I am bitter and disillusioned but personally, I would take more note of someone's comments when they have paid a lot of money for this 'product' rather than someone who has received two complete kits foc for approval.
Your money, your choice.

 

What's the reason for discounting the TF suspension conversion ?

 

Ill be going TF suspension too should the F be staying beyond this year, so in about 1 years time.

 

Mr Gate,
Ok, that is noted, along with the experience of the other three.


Mr Martyr,
I'll email Austraila if that route has been done before.

Messrs Carl and Destroyer,
I do not like the kinematics of the rear suspension or it's complexity compared to the F. It's very hard to compare due to the fluid vs metal springing, of course, but I felt that the TF rear end was set up for compliance in line with the types of kinematic models that BMW started developing at the time and I do not like the strange 'sucking' feel that it gives cars over bumps. It's quite prominent on a lot of new FE RWD set ups and some FWD sporty cars, and it unsettles my expectation of feedback. I think it's to do with the more 3 dimensional change in camber on compression.
It's a matter of feel and opinion - I have no quantifiable data to back this up as being 'right'.
I also like the decoupled spring and damper set up of the F, although as we can see it's coming back to bite me a little.

 

Obviously a matter of personal taste, as you say.

I actually found the TF to be more predictable than the F is, especially when pushed hard into a corner. What I do agree with though is that it feels artificially pulled back down to the deck. That said some F's ive driven (the newer ones especially) have all seemed to floaty, like they jump up and then melt when coming down.

 

Dad and a friend have been doing option 2 to a number of Fs and A series Metros for the last year or so, and have had good results - waaay better than second hand units, even NOS ones (in fact, especially NOS stock ones). They do have the nitrogen pressure data, I think, although not on me. I can ask.

I've driven a couple of the cars they've fitted reconditioned units to and they're a huge improvement, much better than they were and more like when they came out of the factory. The units lose a lot of nitrogen over time.