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MG MGF Technical - Suspension Pump

Hi folks,

I've bitten the bullet and am in the process of making a hydroelastic suspension pump. I've scoured the archive for most of the info & I have the low loss connector (www.prosol.co.uk seems the best deal in the UK) but I'm unsure which grease / oil gun to buy. I thought I'd have no trouble sourcing this locally, but I can only get hold of Draper, which I understand are not suitable.

Can anyone advise me of a suitable avaliable pump, or specs to look out for. They have some 10,000 psi ones on eBay, but they're so cheap, I'm suspicious. Whereas a Lumination one is £120+ !!!

Thanks in advance, Russ.
Russ D Mellor

I made my hydragas pump from a German made Mato E500 grease gun. I replaced the grease nipple connector with a truck tyre valve connector. I cut off the valve stem release pin on the connector, relying on the pump pressure to open the valve and it works just fine. http://www.lumatic.co.uk/side-lever-grease-guns.htm
J.A. Fredheim

Thanks J.A.

I'll look out for a Mato or something similar.

I tried the job using a locally sourced CK, but even after sealing threads and breather, fluid still leaked from where the bar exits the back of the pump.

Regards, Russ.
Russ D Mellor

Success! I sourced the Mato E500 from Lumination, made it up with the low loss connector & pipe. (Note: I had to drill out the cone on the BSP connector so the threads met on the low loss connector). Despite pre filling the new spheres as best I could, it still took a guns worth of pumping before any notable suspension movement.

I've now set both sides to 350mm and am delighted I now have control of the system.

I juggled a bit before finding the best method to reconnect the pump after refilling, and found disconnecting the low loss to be about the best. If a longer hydraulic pipe was used (mine is c300mm), you could probably just unscrew the barrel of the gun on each refill. Although with the shorter pipe, it all fits neatly back into the box the grease gun came in.

It's been a pain to source all the parts, but this is an effective DIY tool. It cost me about £90 + £15 for 5L of fluid & £17 for an ineffective CK gun. I did consider putting a kit of parts on eBay, but this would be better done by someone in the trade, with better access to trade / bulk prices.

Cheers, Russ
Russ68

How much was the low loss connector ?
Branko

I'm quite surprised to see just how expensive it is to make a DIY pump. I bought mine brand new from Liquid Levers off Ebay a few years ago for about £150. While I'm sure your's works fine the LL one has the advantage of having a pressure guage.
David Clelland

The low loss connector was £30, gun £30, pipe £30 etc.

A little more than I wanted to pay but what they hell, I had no local stockists and everything came mail order including hefty carriage charges in some cases.

I didn't see a deal quite as good as yours Branko, when investigating. Also my pump has the advantage of being the size of a grease gun (because it is a grease gun!), which is handy for storage etc.
Russ68

Oopps, I mean't Dave not Branko sorry. Perhaps this may help re the low loss as well Branko, they knew just what I wanted when I called them:

http://www.prosol.co.uk/

I pulled nearly all the advise I needed from the archive, but can point anybody in the right direction if required...
Russ68

You do not really need the expenscive low loss connector. An ordinary screw-on connector will work just fine. Cut off the valve releasing pin in the centre of the connector to avoid the valve releasing when connecting it. The higher pressure from the pump will take care of opening the Scräder valve.
J.A. Fredheim

This thread was discussed between 06/05/2009 and 28/05/2009

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