Nitron Rebuilds in the US

As Nitrons exclusive Lotus suspension agent in the US, we offer full rebuilds and repair service here in the US.  Nitrons are a fantastic solution for lower lap times in your track car, but they require occasional rebuilding to stay in the optimal performance range.  We partnered with V2 Motorsports to offer this service in North America.  This Blog entry is devoted to sharing pictures and basic steps taken in rebuilding or repairing Nitrons.

Ralph@V2 has become very good friends of ours and has worked with us to develop some great Lotus solutions, including the popular V2arms and V2linx.  His V2 Fuel Tank that we offer remains the safest way to stop track induced fuel starvation on street legal cars.   Ralph is a true racer who has competed on 2 & 4 wheels as well as powerboats.

We invested in a Roehrig shock dyno a couple of years ago and placed it in Ralph's shop.  He built a clean room specifically for the shock rebuilds and pictures are shown below.  This capability also allowed Ralph to develop special valving for Nitron Triples that he successfully campaigned in two Exige 'S' in SCCA T2 racing.  

Rebuilding the shocks is a time consuming job that requires a full days work.  Here is a detailed list of the rebuild process:

• Fully disassemble shocks(dampers), thoroughly clean and degrease in chemical tank
• Replace all rod seals
• Replace all damper shims
• Replace all critical o-ring and scraper seals
• Replace piston bands
• Replace diaphragm components
• Refill with the best factory shock oil
• Re-gas with Nitrogen to specified pressure
• Reassemble with cleaned springs and bearing spacers with new o-rings
• Reset customer damper and spring preload setting

Nitron's position on rebuild intervals is as follows:

Nitron shocks have been designed and built to provide many years of exceptional performance, however it is recommended that they are serviced by a Nitron approved service centre according to the individual schedule received with the shock. It is recommended that every 12,000 – 18,000 miles (or 10-15 hours race/track use) the shocks are assessed and serviced.

Dampers are rebuilt and serviced to maintain their optimum ‘as new’ performance. As the piston rod assembly moves within the body-tube, tiny atmospheric particles and road debris ingress past the rod seals. This is of course an extremely slow process. Over many miles of driving/riding and millions of damper shaft movements, the oil is subjected to increasing levels of foreign particles. This invasion blackens the damping fluid/oil in just the same way that the oil in your engine turns black over time. This degradation hinders the flow of the oil through the various ports and can significantly reduce the overall damping efficiency. The viscosity of the oil is also likely to have changed and can run ‘thin’ in tired dampers producing adverse handling characteristics.

In addition rebuilding shocks, we can also upgrade them.  Converting Doubles into Triples is possible and well worth the upgrade cost.  Singles are best to leave as singles.  If you are interested in upgrading then it would be best to sell your Singles and buy a new set of Doubles or Triples.  Custom valving is also available and would require a simple phone call to discuss your specific needs.

We know that Nitrons are available on the used market.  If you buy a set, it may be in your best interest to get the shock dynoed to see if they are still in spec.  Give us a call and we can arrange to have the shocks tested.  Nitrons are a high performance item that require maintenance to keep their performance at peak levels.  We are here to ensure that you can enjoy the fast lap times that you earned when you first bolted on your Nitrons!  Learn more about the costs: HERE