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MG MGF Technical - Hydragas in Oxford?

Does anyone out there know of a garage in Oxfordshire that has a Hydragas pump? I want to avoind MGR dealers as they are charging £35 per side.

Thanks,

Roger.
Roger

Well I dont' know any independent garages with a pump but I took my F to Banbury Rover garage (Southam rd) and they checked both sides including pumping up and it seemed a reasonable price, about £25 from memory, and did it while I waited. Kernahan in Witney quoted ridiculous prices!
T Green

Our Rover garage charged (from memory) £25 for raising ride hieght as part of the annual service.

It must be worth a call to ask "how much?".

Cheers

Patrick
Patrick Beet

Cheers Guys, I will try Banbury Rover for my service next month, and ask them to pump up the suspension. The prices i quoted were from Kernahans, and i presumed these were across the board!! How naive of me.

Rog.
Roger

Do remember that you will probably require 4 wheel tracking done after pumping up - did Kernhans perhaps include that as part of the cost?

Ted
Ted Newman

Kernahan do not include 4 wheel tracking. They are just rip-off merchants. Also, I cannot see why you would need tracking after a pump-up, as long as the tracking was OK before it deflated.
T. Green

Ok Mr/Mrs/Ms T Green - its your tyres and money!

Ted
Ted Newman

Well, Ted, that's not really an answer, is it? My question is a genuine one - what is the mechanism whereby the steering geometry can change after being pumped back up to the height it was at in the first place?
It is quite expensive to have a full 4 wheel check anyway.
T Green

TG - simply read the archive threads over the last 5 years or so concerning the F suspension geometry / ride height / premature tyre wear issue....... hint - try a search for 'tyre wear'
David

TG

You did not ask a question - you made a statement, so I assumed that you knew what you were talking about.

As David suggests look in the archives and you will find much on the subject of pumping-up or letting-down the suspension and that it changes the geometry and therefore requires a 4 wheel (possibly laser) tracking set.

Also to accuse a dealer of being a 'rip-off merchant' is not good form - unless you have specific evidence to support your claim.

Ted
Ted Newman

Well I did only say that I can't see a mechanism and I still can't. The wheels are located by bits of bent metal and certainly the toe-in can vary for any given height, but when returned to that height the toe-in should be what it was set to before. All I'm asking is if there is any logical reason why there should be changes, I'd be interested.
As far as Kernahan's are concerned, yes I do have some background to my statements, or I wouldn't make them.
I used to live in Witney and used them, my wife works there, and uses them on occasion, and my experience is that they tend to be a good deal more expensive than others. So sorry if that offends you.
T Green

>>>when returned to that height the toe-in should be what it was set to before
===TG, who said anything about returning it to the same height ? Roger just asked for a garage with a Hydragas pump, not why he wanted it. (could be the car has been lowered by a PO and he finds it too low, or the car has been set too high by the dealer and he wants it lowered to factory spec, whatever the reason it is cheaper to have a full alignment done now than buy a new set of tyres in a few months time - and have a full alignment done then when the error is uncovered...) A good tip when replying to posts is 'never assume' - I still do sometimes unintentionally, and usually end up looking foolish !
David

Another option although you have to do some travelling is Techspeed, they can do both the hydrogas adjustment and tracking.

They would probably be cheaper than a MGR dealer but they also know what they are doing. They are based near leamington Spa.

Tom
Tom Randell

Cor blimey, what a fuss.
To put it into context, I had the ride height set and tracking done some time ago. I recently had to reset the height because one side had mysteriously lowered itself. Now, can anyone give me a reason why I should check my tracking. If they can, I will have it done. OK.
T Green

You don't need to get your tracking checked, but due to the nature of the MGF's suspension the ride height can effect the geometry. The only thing which will happen if the tracking is out s that the tyres will wear uneven and maybe stability problems at speed.

It is upto you whether or not you want to risk the tyres wearing uneven, requiring new ones, you decide.

Tom
Tom Randell

This thread was discussed between 24/09/2002 and 26/09/2002

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