Hydragass units or the shock absorbers (front suspension only)

[Crack Pot]

Greetings all!

My MK1 Austin Metro has no front suspension what so ever! bough (D/S P/S) side are down and flat.
My manual says there are 2 parts to the suspension and to the front suspension (and even the rear!) and that is the "Hydragass units and the shock absorbers "

Before I jack it up to look into the blind, any ideas please on what has failed hear or what I should be looking for? BTW The last owner mentioned something like sending the parts off to a specialist to re-gas them for repair

[gazza82mp]

There are some parts diagrams on Rimmer Bros website that might be useful to show you what should be there .. even if they can't supply most of it ...

https://rimmerbros.com/Item--i-GRID000412

I think Hydrolastic units are actually gassed ON the car ... so first you need to find them, get them refurbished if necessary, then installed and gassed.

Might be worth a call: https://hahsltd.co.uk/shop/a-set-of-aus ... ly-tested/

[gazza82mp]

If you do facebook you might want to keep an eye on this group https://www.facebook.com/groups/1797545 ... ?ref=share

[Crack Pot]

There are some parts diagrams on Rimmer Bros website that might be useful to show you what should be there .. even if they can't supply most of it ...

https://rimmerbros.com/Item--i-GRID000412

By the look of things they can not even supply the most basic and most two fundamental parts which are part 1 and 8 its self; the hydro gas and shock absorbers

[Crack Pot]

Might be worth a call: https://hahsltd.co.uk/shop/a-set-of-aus ... ly-tested/

that link dose not work!
https://ibb.co/Zhw6sS5

[gazza82mp]

Might be worth a call: https://hahsltd.co.uk/shop/a-set-of-aus ... ly-tested/

that link dose not work!
https://ibb.co/Zhw6sS5

Works for me or I wouldn't have posted it!


I realised that the Rimmer site didn't sell the parts but it was really to SHOW you what parts you would need! I actually said that in the post ...

[Crack Pot]

but its the hydrogas part I need right? That the aluminimum ball shape part?
Do you know if they can be tested by jacking the car up or not?

[gazza82mp]

A photo of your cars suspension might help. You can't upload one here, but if you store it on an image site such as imgur you can post a link to it.

Then someone who knows more about Metros might be able to advise.

[Crack Pot]

I finally got to a scanner!
https://ibb.co/ZhbMXbT

On the first page is the diagram. Number 40 is the Hydro Gas. And the second page. 11.4B is the hydro gas unit its self. Or did you need an actual photo from the car?

[gazza82mp]

I was hoping to see a picture your actual car. Without seeing it, we can't really diagnose what is wrong. We can guess .. and you could be spending money on parts you don't need. And those hydragas units are not cheap!

In your first post you said your car "has no front suspension what so ever!" ..

I take it you mean it's sitting very low .. which would point to the Hydragas units .. they support the car like springs would in most vehicles. The shocks are there simply to even out bounces .. they will not support the car on their own.

Option 1: get the hydragas pumped up
Option 2: replace the hydragas units (which will also need pumping up on the car!)

Read through the manual and run a few google searches and it should all be explained how this suspension works. Bit of info here too: https://www.metropower.info/how-to-guides/suspension