New dampers for my 1990 Caterham - De Dion with adjustable spring platforms, for road use.

[tompollock]

My Seven sits on its original Spax Gas shocks (adjustable spring platforms).  The piston rods are corroded and the car gets quite lively accelerating at speed on narrow bumpy tar. I chicken out at around 75 mph unless the road is quite wide!  I suspect the dampers aren't doing much.

Can members recommend the best bang for buck adjustable dampers. I would like to use the original springs to save costs. Replacement Spax are reasonable but are there better out there for not too much money?

[JP]

I have just had a set from Protech.  Waiting to be fitted, but they look shiny!

[SM25T]

One way adjustable from Protech for me. Revalved by Procomp Motorsport to suit the 7.

[jbcollier]

Hmm, 1990 so the original Spaxs lasted 30 years.  Why not buy the same again?

[JP]

#3 - What difference did revalving make?

[tompollock]

Ditto the re-valving.  Surely they come off the shelf from Protech already suitably valved as they are Caterham 7 specific?  Did you use them oem spec. before having them re-valved, and if so what difference did it make?

Thanks.

 

[SM25T]

No, they went straight to Procomp for valving to suit the 7.

[JP]

#6 - When I asked Protech, that's what they told me.  Mine are as the come from Protech.

Shiny...

[7 wonders of the world]

I'm on Protech too, Kevin built mine for my Freestyle set up.

 

On a separate note, re your lively handling on un ironed B roads...., are you running ARB's boths ends if so what size / setting are they on ?, tyre pressures..?  and have you have the car set up ad bump steer checked and corrected, all these could be adding to your problems.

 

[TomB]

Nitron Street series could be worth a shout, or NTR1 is your feeling a but flusher.  

 

[Toby S]

Protech for me too - good value and good quality

[Golf Juliet Tango]

Protech. Adjustable platform, adjustable valving, great service (very helpful), good value.

As the street argot goes "What's not to like?"

TBH:- I don't understand why Caterham Cars don't use them as standard.

[rkeywood]

Another with Protech from Procomp who know a lot about building, setting up and racing 7 type cars. Weight, springs, use and preference vary a lot. For example, my stripped track focused car is around 560kg with driver and half a tank whereas a fully trimmed car on the road with 2 up may be 700+kg. 

I had to use Spax when I first got the car (mandated for the race series in the early 90's) and they weren't great. Caterham didn't supply matched pairs so ended up having to dyno them before fitting. The first De Dion's rear dampers were poorly matched and changed to the G978 (stem and loop) around 1991. 

[tompollock]

Lots of happy Protech customers out there. And they do look very shiny!!!!!  I'll give them a call tomorrow and see what they come up with. 

I've only had the car since October so I'm still getting to know the handling. I'm sure the shocks are the main cause of the bad manners on bumpy roads, after all they're 32 years and 20k miles old. I'll get the shocks sorted first then get the geometry sorted afterwards.  Looking forward to the warmer weather

[SM25T]

In my experience, ProComp needed to adjust the valving of the standard Protech dampers.

[7 wonders of the world]

Did you try the stock set up before having them revalved..?  

[SM25T]

No, as I bought from ProComp and they got them from Protech.

[Toby S]

#12 - probably because Protech were preferred suppliers to Westfield for a number of years

[rkeywood]

#16 Not revalving as such - Procomp provide a bespoke build service for Protech dampers. When I bought mine Protech didn't offer a 'standard' damper to suit and referred me to Procomp.

~18 and hence the reason Procomp do what they do. They've prepped race Westfields since the 80's and are also the manufacturers of the LA Gold and Locost.