SLS spheres

[Dieselman]

Today I finished building a sphere testing rig...well it's not quite finished as I need to make a wooden plinth for it, but it's fully functional.

It's not really designed for testing Mercedes spheres, but with a bit of fabrication I could make an adapter for testing them to see if they are flat, ruptured, serviceable or serviceable after a regas.

The sphere on test here is at ~45Bar/650psi, static pressure, so is serviceable at present.

Does anyone have an old, non ruptured sphere and connecting pipe they don't want as I could then make the adapter and test the sphere pressure.

Piccie of the device so far.

 

[jaymanek]

You must have been really bored this Christmas!

If I'd have known earlier I would have saved you all the old spheres and pipes from my 300te. I threw it all away.

 

[mejermy]

I have 2 spheres from a S124 which was bouncing badly. I replaced both at the same time as it's a long term keeper, and it rides beautifully now. They have sat on my bench since September and you're welcome to them if you wish, but no certainty that they aren't both inop, and no piping I'm afraid. I'm between Glossop and Sheffield.

HNY

Malcolm

 

[nigel cross]

Have got any Citroen chevrons on them, as they look identical to old DS ones?

 

[renault12ts]

Have got any Citroen chevrons on them, as they look identical to old DS ones?

Do you mean the one in the photo...DM is a Citroen man too?

 

[nigel cross]

Yes perhaps he is or perhaps MB copied them

 

[renault12ts]

Yes perhaps he is or perhaps MB copied them

He is...that is a Citroen sphere.

 

[BoyracerAU]

I don't think that's a DS sphere. That's out of something a bit younger.

Here's a set of adjustable damper early DS spheres. 

 

[Dieselman]

I don't think that's a DS sphere. That's out of something a bit younger.

Here's a set of adjustable damper early DS spheres. 

A pair of fronts and a pair of rears off a saloon, no less...
They also look to have been regassed by Pleiades judging by the notch ground into in the plug.

I noticed that Charles' SM has later, welded spheres on instead of the early screw together ones, which it technically should have.

 

[Dieselman]

I have 2 spheres from a S124 which was bouncing badly. I replaced both at the same time as it's a long term keeper, and it rides beautifully now. They have sat on my bench since September and you're welcome to them if you wish, but no certainty that they aren't both inop, and no piping I'm afraid. I'm between Glossop and Sheffield.

HNY

Malcolm

I would indeed be interested as I can probably "do something" for pipe connections.

I'm also building/adapting a regassing rig so should be able to avoid ruptured spheres in future, as it's letting the pressure get too low causes the membrane to be punctured by the sphere internal fitting.

At a guess I would say that 80% of Mercedes with SLS or other hydraulic suspension systems are running on low on pressure spheres and possibly 30% on ruptured ones as a result.

 

[Dieselman]

Yes perhaps he is or perhaps MB copied them

The MB ones are different to get round patent rules. Other manufacturers found it easier and more reliable to just buy from Citroen.

 

[jaymanek]

I would indeed be interested as I can probably "do something" for pipe connections.

I'm also building/adapting a regassing rig so should be able to avoid ruptured spheres in future, as it's letting the pressure get too low causes the membrane to be punctured by the sphere internal fitting.

At a guess I would say that 80% of Mercedes with SLS or other hydraulic suspension systems are running on low on pressure spheres and possibly 30% on ruptured ones as a result.

You do know the spheres are only £70-80 from Euro's - Lemforder ones.

 

[Dieselman]

You do know the spheres are only £70-80 from Euro's - Lemforder ones.

I'm really doing this as a project for my other cars, which have 7 spheres each car, some can have 11 spheres on one car.
It's a bit of an interest thing as well, but once the rig is made and working regassing is cheap so can be done before the pressure gets too low and ensuring the ride is always perfect.

From experience of others, I think that ruptured spheres can lead to other system damage, such as split pipes, broken suspension links and damaged pumps, due to the sudden shock loading imposed by hitting road bumps.

 

[jaymanek]

Ahh i see, interesting....

You need to stop messing with French cars...

 

[Charles Morgan]

A pair of fronts and a pair of rears off a saloon, no less...
They also look to have been regassed by Pleiades judging by the notch ground into in the plug.

I noticed that Charles' SM has later, welded spheres on instead of the early screw together ones, which it technically should have.

Interesting - the suspension was fully rebuilt last year (2011) when the car was done by Andrew Brodie (along with the engine). I wonder why the newer ones apart from availability?

Anyway, took a classic car dealer friend for a drive yesterday, he had never been in an SM but has owned or driven some of the greatest cars ever built and he said it was truly magnificent, probably the best car he has ever been in. Went for an 80 mile tour around the Chilterns today and the ride is just all out sublime. The only surface that troubled it was a concrete one with the tarmac layer degrading in short pitched waves at the M40 roundabout at High Wycombe.

 

[BoyracerAU]

DM, you may be right about Pleiades having done these spheres at some point in their lives, but they were most recently refurbed by a guy named Richo in Tasmania. I bought them from him a couple of years ago and have them in my 1974 auto/carby DS23, alas not a Pallas! They're wonderfully floaty!

Incidentally, Richo is a very ingenious fellow. Whilst I have not seen it, apparently he has built himself a portable test rig that fits in his pocket. He's even been known to fly around Australia with it!

The Citroen Club of NSW, of which I'm a member, regularly has Tech Days and sphere testing and regassing is the main fare, well after the BBQ actually. These days it's the Xantias that get, or seem to need most of the attention, the D owners typically turn up for the BBQ and a sticky beak.

 

[Dieselman]

Incidentally, Richo is a very ingenious fellow. Whilst I have not seen it, apparently he has built himself a portable test rig that fits in his pocket. He's even been known to fly around Australia with it!

I've seen a video of it, it looks like a medum-large aluminium flashlight. Very ingenious.

You can build one out of a hydraulic jack, but I already had these bits so used them.
I've now finished the rig properly and have tested about 30 spheres on it so now know how to readily tell ruptured ones before pumping much fluid into them.

 

[Dichtung]

Do you mean the one in the photo...DM is a Citroen man too?

and perhaps an RR Spirit man too!