Rebuilding pfadt shocks
03-10-2014, 10:47 PM
#1
Melting Slicks
Thread Starter
Rebuilding pfadt shocks
With the loss of Pfadt racing does anyone know if anyone else is rebuilding Pfadt shocks like Performance shock in Sonoma or other notables?
03-10-2014, 11:53 PM
#2
Safety Car
Are they based on a pre-existing shock or are they completely proprietary? It seems to me if someone did some detective work we ought to be able to figure out who actually manufactured the things.
03-11-2014, 06:44 AM
#4
The double adjustable ones use ohlins parts.
I have no idea where the parts came from for the singles.
The doubles should be rebuildable by any ohlins dealer, and spare parts should be readily available. You may be able to get the singles rebuilt by one of the companies that does shocks for various brands... the problem with the single adjustables will be with sourcing major parts if they get damaged or worn.
EDIT:
heres a thread on the pfadt shocks - http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-z...coilovers.html
Also pfadt mentions some of the parts are proprietary such as the pistons which were their own design.
This could mean that they had them made by ohlins (best case scenario), some outside source, or they cnc'd the parts themselves...
I have no idea where the parts came from for the singles.
The doubles should be rebuildable by any ohlins dealer, and spare parts should be readily available. You may be able to get the singles rebuilt by one of the companies that does shocks for various brands... the problem with the single adjustables will be with sourcing major parts if they get damaged or worn.
EDIT:
heres a thread on the pfadt shocks - http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-z...coilovers.html
Also pfadt mentions some of the parts are proprietary such as the pistons which were their own design.
This could mean that they had them made by ohlins (best case scenario), some outside source, or they cnc'd the parts themselves...
Last edited by el es tu; 03-11-2014 at 06:56 AM.
03-11-2014, 07:20 AM
#5
The double adjustable ones use ohlins parts.
I have no idea where the parts came from for the singles.
The doubles should be rebuildable by any ohlins dealer, and spare parts should be readily available. You may be able to get the singles rebuilt by one of the companies that does shocks for various brands... the problem with the single adjustables will be with sourcing major parts if they get damaged or worn.
EDIT:
heres a thread on the pfadt shocks - http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-z...coilovers.html
Also pfadt mentions some of the parts are proprietary such as the pistons which were their own design.
This could mean that they had them made by ohlins (best case scenario), some outside source, or they cnc'd the parts themselves...
I have no idea where the parts came from for the singles.
The doubles should be rebuildable by any ohlins dealer, and spare parts should be readily available. You may be able to get the singles rebuilt by one of the companies that does shocks for various brands... the problem with the single adjustables will be with sourcing major parts if they get damaged or worn.
EDIT:
heres a thread on the pfadt shocks - http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-z...coilovers.html
Also pfadt mentions some of the parts are proprietary such as the pistons which were their own design.
This could mean that they had them made by ohlins (best case scenario), some outside source, or they cnc'd the parts themselves...
03-11-2014, 10:18 AM
#8
Drifting
I dropped my right rear Pfadt Featherlite Single Adjustable coilover off at RE Suspension here in Mooresville late yesterday. It had evidence of leaking after Barber (it was supposedly the "new" version).
They said they had never worked on this version, only the Pfadt Coilovers with the remote reservoirs. So Pfadt must have kept the rebuilds of the Featherlight SA version in house despite our suspicions. Dennis said they could get it figured out and have it back to me next week sometime.
RE bought all of Pfadts leftover parts inventory and can rebuild as long as they have parts. Good bunch to deal with, so far. And at two miles from my house, extremely convenient.
-Kevin
They said they had never worked on this version, only the Pfadt Coilovers with the remote reservoirs. So Pfadt must have kept the rebuilds of the Featherlight SA version in house despite our suspicions. Dennis said they could get it figured out and have it back to me next week sometime.
RE bought all of Pfadts leftover parts inventory and can rebuild as long as they have parts. Good bunch to deal with, so far. And at two miles from my house, extremely convenient.
-Kevin
good to know for the future.
03-11-2014, 11:39 AM
#10
Safety Car
The featherlite doubles are Ohlins LMJs with proprietary mounts.
The double adjustable ones use ohlins parts.
I have no idea where the parts came from for the singles.
The doubles should be rebuildable by any ohlins dealer, and spare parts should be readily available. You may be able to get the singles rebuilt by one of the companies that does shocks for various brands... the problem with the single adjustables will be with sourcing major parts if they get damaged or worn.
EDIT:
heres a thread on the pfadt shocks - http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-z...coilovers.html
Also pfadt mentions some of the parts are proprietary such as the pistons which were their own design.
This could mean that they had them made by ohlins (best case scenario), some outside source, or they cnc'd the parts themselves...
I have no idea where the parts came from for the singles.
The doubles should be rebuildable by any ohlins dealer, and spare parts should be readily available. You may be able to get the singles rebuilt by one of the companies that does shocks for various brands... the problem with the single adjustables will be with sourcing major parts if they get damaged or worn.
EDIT:
heres a thread on the pfadt shocks - http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-z...coilovers.html
Also pfadt mentions some of the parts are proprietary such as the pistons which were their own design.
This could mean that they had them made by ohlins (best case scenario), some outside source, or they cnc'd the parts themselves...
03-13-2014, 04:32 PM
#11
Drifting
I dropped my right rear Pfadt Featherlite Single Adjustable coilover off at RE Suspension here in Mooresville late yesterday. It had evidence of leaking after Barber (it was supposedly the "new" version).
They said they had never worked on this version, only the Pfadt Coilovers with the remote reservoirs. So Pfadt must have kept the rebuilds of the Featherlight SA version in house despite our suspicions. Dennis said they could get it figured out and have it back to me next week sometime.
RE bought all of Pfadts leftover parts inventory and can rebuild as long as they have parts. Good bunch to deal with, so far. And at two miles from my house, extremely convenient.
-Kevin
They said they had never worked on this version, only the Pfadt Coilovers with the remote reservoirs. So Pfadt must have kept the rebuilds of the Featherlight SA version in house despite our suspicions. Dennis said they could get it figured out and have it back to me next week sometime.
RE bought all of Pfadts leftover parts inventory and can rebuild as long as they have parts. Good bunch to deal with, so far. And at two miles from my house, extremely convenient.
-Kevin
Well ladies and gentlemen, I (we) may be screwed. RE Suspension called and said that although they can disassemble my a Featherlight Single Adjustable Coilover and take the shock apart, they cannot see a way to charge it with oil and gas when putting it back together. They assume there is some proprietary tool or tooling that they have not received from Pfadt. Or may never receive. Without having everything on hand, they are not sure how it will go back together. What they are not seeing are any external charging ports.
They stopped before taking the shock completely apart and called me knowing that I have a race in a couple of weeks. The shock is not entirely empty of fluid and gas at this point, so they are going to put it back together and I will run it at Roebling in April, weeping leak and all. If I lose, this will be my excuse.
We are not sure where to go from here... I may be looking at an entirely new set. That blows because we just bought this set last summer. Which means I will be selling my good ones at a premium as everyone else's start leaking and cannot get rebuilt!!!
This sucks.
-Kevin
03-13-2014, 06:14 PM
#12
Race Director
Well ladies and gentlemen, I (we) may be screwed. RE Suspension called and said that although they can disassemble my a Featherlight Single Adjustable Coilover and take the shock apart, they cannot see a way to charge it with oil and gas when putting it back together. They assume there is some proprietary tool or tooling that they have not received from Pfadt. Or may never receive. Without having everything on hand, they are not sure how it will go back together. What they are not seeing are any external charging ports.
They stopped before taking the shock completely apart and called me knowing that I have a race in a couple of weeks. The shock is not entirely empty of fluid and gas at this point, so they are going to put it back together and I will run it at Roebling in April, weeping leak and all. If I lose, this will be my excuse.
We are not sure where to go from here... I may be looking at an entirely new set. That blows because we just bought this set last summer. Which means I will be selling my good ones at a premium as everyone else's start leaking and cannot get rebuilt!!!
This sucks.
-Kevin
They stopped before taking the shock completely apart and called me knowing that I have a race in a couple of weeks. The shock is not entirely empty of fluid and gas at this point, so they are going to put it back together and I will run it at Roebling in April, weeping leak and all. If I lose, this will be my excuse.
We are not sure where to go from here... I may be looking at an entirely new set. That blows because we just bought this set last summer. Which means I will be selling my good ones at a premium as everyone else's start leaking and cannot get rebuilt!!!
This sucks.
-Kevin
03-13-2014, 06:41 PM
#13
Drifting
03-18-2014, 08:58 AM
#15
Drifting
Well ladies and gentlemen, I (we) may be screwed. RE Suspension called and said that although they can disassemble my a Featherlight Single Adjustable Coilover and take the shock apart, they cannot see a way to charge it with oil and gas when putting it back together. They assume there is some proprietary tool or tooling that they have not received from Pfadt. Or may never receive. Without having everything on hand, they are not sure how it will go back together. What they are not seeing are any external charging ports.
They stopped before taking the shock completely apart and called me knowing that I have a race in a couple of weeks. The shock is not entirely empty of fluid and gas at this point, so they are going to put it back together and I will run it at Roebling in April, weeping leak and all. If I lose, this will be my excuse.
We are not sure where to go from here... I may be looking at an entirely new set. That blows because we just bought this set last summer. Which means I will be selling my good ones at a premium as everyone else's start leaking and cannot get rebuilt!!!
This sucks.
-Kevin
They stopped before taking the shock completely apart and called me knowing that I have a race in a couple of weeks. The shock is not entirely empty of fluid and gas at this point, so they are going to put it back together and I will run it at Roebling in April, weeping leak and all. If I lose, this will be my excuse.
We are not sure where to go from here... I may be looking at an entirely new set. That blows because we just bought this set last summer. Which means I will be selling my good ones at a premium as everyone else's start leaking and cannot get rebuilt!!!
This sucks.
-Kevin
UPDATE:
As for the Pfadt Featherlight Single Adjustable Coilovers...
I picked up my coilover yesterday from RE Suspension and I will put it back on the car for the Roebling Road race in April. What is going on is the Featherlight Single Adjustable coilover shocks are assembled in a pressure chamber or something and the RE Suspension guys do not have that from Pfadt. They have the tooling and whatnot, but not the pressure chamber in order to reassemble the shock and charge it with gas.
What we discussed yesterday is RE Suspension using my coilovers as a test on retrofitting in a schrader valve or an air bladder so the shocks can be rebuilt and then gas charged after assembly. After I get back from Roebling in a couple of weeks, we are going to talk about it in further detail and see what my options are.
I do want to thank David Farmer for getting in touch with Aaron Pfadt and relaying multiple messages back and forth through me to RE Suspension. Pfadt is not totally off the radar and sounds like they are trying to continue doing what is right for everyone.
If I can get a rebuild scenario on these Featherlight Single Adjustables worked out with RE Suspension, I think something can be replicated for everyone. Right now, I need the car mobile in order to get my lexan windshield installed prior to my next race.
-Kevin
03-18-2014, 10:32 AM
#16
Le Mans Master
I do want to thank David Farmer for getting in touch with Aaron Pfadt and relaying multiple messages back and forth through me to RE Suspension. Pfadt is not totally off the radar and sounds like they are trying to continue doing what is right for everyone.
If I can get a rebuild scenario on these Featherlight Single Adjustables worked out with RE Suspension, I think something can be replicated for everyone.
03-18-2014, 03:27 PM
#18
Drifting
03-18-2014, 06:36 PM
#20
Drifting
