Chicken or Egg?

[Ken Brenton]

I am busy ordering the bits to overhaul my suspension (100VX with AHC) and not sure of the best order to proceed.
Which comes first:
Fit new AHC spheres?
or flush with new fluid?

 

[Gav Peter]

Is your suspension completely flubbered Ken? Have you seen the threads about Plelaides (sp) on here; I think his name is Martin & a few folk have used him to economically repair/refurbish their spheres... Might be worth a phone call to him...

EDIT: I see from a previous thread that you have been introduced to them already

 

[Ken Brenton]

Gav
Yes after my initial inquiry about refurbishing the AHC I was directed to Martin at Pleaedies and have so far received superb support from long range. The next step is to order the kit and I plan to do the job, among other servicing on my next home trip in a couple weeks.

 

[uHu]

If your spheres are completely shot, the car is not very drivable, so no point in changing the fluid.
Otoh, you don't loose much fluid when changing the spheres, but you do have to let some out in order to bleed the air out thoroughly.

 

[warrenpfo]

Ken

If you have all that you need and a weekend to do the job should anything go wrong then I would remove as much of the fluid from the reservoir as you can with the car in low. Then open the 4/5 bleed nipples and the fluid will drain which will drop the car onto its bump stops to mind your fingers. Then replace the spheres, fill the reservoir and make sure it does not run empty as you start to bleed the new fluid back into the system.

Shout if you want a hand

 

[Ken Brenton]

Warren
Thanks for the offer, after email discussion with Martin at Pleaides and reading up on various forums I should be OK. As I guessed it will be better to put the new fluid in first so that the new spheres are filled with clean fluid.

Uhu
The suspension is working OK just overhauling as a precaution before starting touring, also renewing springs at the same time.

 

[Ken Brenton]

Well my 10 days home leave is over and the new spheres are still sitting in the garage
No AHC fluid available nationally and on back order until end of May. So the new spheres will have to wait until next home leave hopefully in September. Did get stuck into lots of other work though described in the maintenance thread.