Beast From The East

Over the last couple of weeks my front end is acting like my shocks are shot. I was an early adopter of the M2 Advanced Design system, which I love. They now have 12,000 miles on them.

I'm having Checkpoint confirm is they think they are bad or not tomorrow. Since I only live about 10 minutes from Ground Control, I gave them a call, and they would not be surprised that they would need rebuilding. They say it is a race shock, and that after 12,000 HARD street miles they are probably due for a rebuild. A rebuild is $50/shock.

So, while I had hoped for a bit longer longevity, the rebuild cost is fairly resonable, especially since they are just down the road. I would be interested in hearing what sort of success others using this setup have had as far as longevity goes.

Beast

Beast From The East

Well, for anyone who gives a ****, my AD shocks are indeed in need of rebuilding. Fortunately Ground Control is only about 12 miles from my house, and I've got Monday off. They will rebuild them in one day for $50 apiece.

If you are considering the AD system, it is WONDERFUL, but fragile for the street. Ground Control recommends that regular racers (say 12 or more races/year) get them rebuilt annually.

I guess I'm going to have to do the same.

Beast

artowar2

I've got a set, but probably have less than 1,000 miles on them. Maybe 300 to 500 track miles. I'd be able to say more about the longevity if I was done removing, cleaning, checking/adjusting nitrogen pressure, and reinstalling them-- but it will be a while before I get done.

I will say that the AD guys, especially Jeremy, have always been very helpful in answering my questions and sending spare parts. I have no regrets over the purchase.

I've loved the performance since first installed. Transformed the car at the track, while liveable on the street. Double adjustability, at the top of the shock, together with the ability to rebuild, revalve, etc., made these an unbeatable value for me.

If there is one change I would make for a street/track car, it would be to find some boots to cover the center rod and seal out the elements. Should help at least the top seal to last longer between rebuilds. I made a few skimpy efforts to find something that would fit under the 2.5" springs, but only could find boots that were too big or too small...

Beast From The East

I'm looking forward to going to GC and meeting their staff. When I put them on I was in heaven - when my Dad got in it he was amazed at the difference over stock. But when these things went bad, they went bad in a hurry, and they don't last very long under street use. Since I'm not a regular racer and don't have access to N2 gas, I don't have any way to 'maintain' my shocks. There were no maintenance instructions - what are you doing as far as maintenance? What pressure should they have, etc?

Info appreciated. I agree that GC is a class act.

Beast

ArcWelder

Same situation with the DMS shocks. I found boots at a truck customizing place, local to me. The boots were a close fit on the inside of the coil springs but still had clearance. The boots had to be trimmed for length, however, because the application was for a truck with much more suspension travel.

Mark

Beast From The East

if there are boots available when I go up next Monday.

Beast

artowar2

Please let us know if they have figured out some to recommend that will fit under 2.5" springs.

artowar2

I wanted to check the pressure in my shocks, without pulling them from the car and shipping them off to AD. So I spoke with Jeremy & Jay about what would be needed to check & adjust the pressure myself. Here's what you need:

1. Nitrogen tank - bought one from a welding supply shop

2. Nitrogen regulator - bought at same shop

3. Zero-loss inflation tool - allows you to open/close a schrader valve independently of attaching the tool itself to the valve. This is critical because it allows you to attach the tool, then open and close the schrader valve, then remove the tool. It's the only way to know exactly how much pressure is in the shock body when you remove the tool. I ordered directly from Penske, but any place that carries Penske shocks also carries this tool. It comes with a built-in pressure gauge, though the quality of the gauge is not good. Intercomp also makes such a combo inflation tool/gauge. And my last Racer Wholesale catalog had a new one that looked promising.

4. Pressure gauge - you can use the one built into the Penske inflation tool, or you can get a higher quality gauge to replace it or the line-side gauge on the regulator.

5. Appropriate hoses & fittings - you have to get stuff that can hold (if I remember correctly) over 2000 PSI. So you want braided stainless lines, or other lines that can be used in hydraulic applications. Check ratings carefully, and don't use regular air hoses, since they are only good to a few hundred PSI at best-- they'll easily blow one apart if you open the regulator too much.

My recollection is that it was a few hundred $$ for all the stuff. When you go to AD, ask Jeremy and Jay to see their inflation setup. I believe they use braided stainless lines and have replaced the line-side regulator gauge with a high-quality digital pressure gauge.

Aside from using the nitrogen to fill shocks (a miniscule amount), I've been using it to fill tires, etc., instead of using compressed air.

M104-AMG

iTrader: (8)

Do you guys still have the Advance Design dampers ? How's the longevity and reliability, aside from rebuilding them annually ?

Thanks,
:-) neil

the_glass_man

iTrader: (2)

Do they even still make them?

Trout2

iTrader: (5)

Yes, Ground Control still makes them and sells them cheaper than M2 did.

I had to get mine rebuilt last year after about 18,000 mi. (had them since July 2002). I blew the piston seal on one.

The problem is that I didn't run any kind of dust boot so debris made it past the seal. Speaking with Jeff - shock rebuilder at GC, FWIW he said that he knows of people using them on daily drivers for 4 or 5 yrs. now w/o needing a rebuild but those people use a dust boot. Real nice of them to tell me this when I bought them or provide simple $2.50 4x4 boots when selling a $2000 set of shocks.

If you need shock boots to fit with 2-1/2 in. Eibachs, see Summit P/N EXP12127 or SJA-B10K (part #'s for black boots, see catolog if you want flourescent). The washer at the top mount fits the narrow end of the boost then I trimmed them and used a zip tie to secure to the shock body. You have to fish the boot through the springs and leave some slack between the individual coils so the boots won't tear. I've got about 2,000 mi on them and so far so good.

The other problem I've had with the AD set-up is that the rubber bushings on the top mounts (same as used in the GC coil-over conversion kit) wear and need replacing. The front wore to where steering started feeling sloppy in about 12,000 mi. Back bushings at the mount still ok at 18,000 mi. but I replaced them since it was apart and I had the parts.

I'm interested to see how Tein, JIC, Apexi, HKS, etc. will hold up over time/miles then what kind of service they get if rebuilding is needed. So many more options are available since I got the AD's. If I had it to do over, for my use I'd get Koni with GC coil-over conversion and spend the other money on trailing arms, toe links, and diff. bushings.

If you get these, I'd recommend the 450F/375R-lb/in. springs. I started with 550F/450R, which still left me with bad wheel hop while also using M2 toe links/trail arms/LaBreack differential and rear upper A-arm bushings. Car rides and grips better now than ever, wheels still spin under hard acceleration with rare wheel hop.

Jack

M104-AMG

iTrader: (8)

Well, I just blew my left-front Advance Design coil-over for the FD.

I hope it's still $50 to rebuild. I take it, I should rebuild both fronts.

:-) neil

RETed

Nice... 2.5 years thread resurrection...
AD's were never meant for the street.
Running them on the street is a waste of time and money.


-Ted

M104-AMG

iTrader: (8)

I blew the shock at a HPDE as an instructor with the local Porsche Club.

:-( neil

1FunR1

I recently had mine rebuilt. They were closer to $110 each with parts. Ground Control are good folks and had quick turnaround too.
-Ken

Bunchies

iTrader: (1)

Yeah, they're pretty cool guys. The only thing I don't like about em is they'll tell you different things at different times. The person I would listen to the most is Mike, their shock guy. He did a pretty good job cleaning up my old Ohlins free of charge, and he knows his bit about suspension dynamics.

M104-AMG

iTrader: (8)

FWIW, I was running a protective rubber boot, and she still blew.

:-( neil