Need help finding a metro front displacer... and shipping it.
Turbo Mini Forums

I seem to have exhausted all other avenues, so willing to pay for someone's time/effort.
I need one (maybe two if this is no extra effort) front displacers for a mk1 metro that are known to be in good shape, or perhaps i might just have you send them to be regassed.... I bought one off eBay U.K. and when it finally arrived, it's a perished pos that is simply junk, so I'm a little wary of that route.

So, if you're willing to help a TMr, let me know.

Oh, I could of course be interested if anyone knows of a full coilover kit for the metro to allow the hydragas to be done away with all together - I can't seem to find anything.

Thanks all.

Edited by turbodave16v on 26th Aug, 2017.

I should have a couple left over from my old MG Metro donor car but, before I go searching for them, I'm almost certain I kept the rears.

Are the fronts different ? I remember a spring assistor and some sort of extension tube on the rear but I thought the actual units were the same, just linked together at the rear with a single filling valve and independent on the front with individual valves.

Also I thought the gas part of the unit was sealed for life and it was just the fluid section of it that was pumped up ???

But it was a long time since I dismantled it so I could be wrong.

Edited by Rod S on 27th Aug, 2017.

Schrödinger's cat - so which one am I ???

Yes, fronts and rears are different. Actually the closest alternate ( and could be considered an upgrade) are MGF rears.

You are correct that they are sealed, but they are all several articles online (and companies that office services of) recharging the nitrogen, by simply welding a schrader valve boss into the side of the sphere and charging it to 250 psi.
The other advantage of this valve is also that you can effectively play with the damping and height characteristics by now being able to adjust the nitrogen pressure and the hydro volume...

315 psi for the mgfs apparently....

http://www.hydragas.co.uk/tech/mgf.html

OK,

Never to old to learn I suppose, I thought they were all the same and they did the "spring" rate by the lever arm lengths like a Mini.

Where do you find the part number ???

I've dug out a couple (and I may have more) but these both have individual valves suggesting front.

They are in poor condition - too many years in a damp UK shed - one has clearly lost its pressure on the fluid side (or a failed nitrogen sphere) and the other has had washers added to the knuckle joint...
But before I wire brush them and spray them red to sell on eBay as go faster suspension, where should I look for the part number.

Attachments:

276.91kb

Schrödinger's cat - so which one am I ???

Individual valves on them means they are front, from either a MK1 or MK2. The part numbers were on the top, but if the cadmium coating has gone, so has the part number. There was a difference to MK1 units as they all came with external shock absorbers, but you have to just take what is on offer these days. The washers added to the knuckle joints are to account for the different side to side weight of the car at the front.
Mike Satur has just released a non welding alternative connector for regassing, but I haven't seen any reviews yet.
There is no direct replacement for the hydragas unit on a metro. There is for MGF, but I don't know if it is a straight fit to a metro. Fitting coilover shock absorbers to the front just puts stress onto the chassis as it wasn't designed to carry the weight of the car on that point.

Have you asked on the owners club ? , in my experience they are really helpful for the most part Also if you join the club the person who does the regassing does a small discount for club members I believe.

Edited by seancv1 on 29th Aug, 2017.