USAC Racing Forum

We had our car in the alignment bars on the table and as soon as we took it off the table and put pressure on the shocks both rears started leaking,We also had the left front leak on us at the race track the same day in the hot chute.The shocks are less than a year old,I was just wondering if the car being in the cold garage with no pressure on the shocks would have anything to do with the shocks leaking? Or what can i do to stop this from happening?

Rebuilding is easy to do and doesn't cost much, if your shocks are rebuildable.

Call Corey at ARS and have him send you the stuff to rebuild them.  I don't see how the temp change would cause it, most likely you have o-rings that are worn or other things going on.  Make sure the shafts are straight too!  The only times I have ever had any of our ARS shocks leak was because there was actually a slight bend in the shaft from contact that I just missed until I saw the oil.

Thanks
I thought it might have something to do with something else because we had 3 shocks leak in one day before we could even hit the track and we didn't even get in a wreck the race before. Oh well with that kind of luck i better learn to rebuild. Lol

Before you go to a lot of trouble, check the end of the shock and see if there are slots in a collar or a nut that tightens on the o ring. Sometimes the o rings shrink with age or temp and just tightening the fitting will fix it.

I have seen numerous shocks leak at the indoor for no reason. It is not uncommon. I even had one leak at the last indoor. Just what I see and hear.

Eric

It is not uncommon to have shocks that leak around the shaft during cold weather. In years past Tanners did this all the time. Shocks with seals that have some age on them were the most common. I have had one of my Advanced shocks seep a little lately ( probably time to rebuild...lol). With the cold weather the viscocity of the shock oil increases and there will be more resistance thru the piston, so the oil finds the path of least resistance. Shocks were never meant to be a no maintenence required part. Competeing in extreme enviromental conditions will shorten the time period between rebuilds.

Thanks a lot for the info on the shocks,That explains the wetness at the bottom of the other shocks then.3 of my shocks did leak oil on the ground but the others just have wetness at the bottom,Maybe taking the shocks off and putting them in the house between races might help.
Thanks

I just realized how funny my "I don't see how temp change would cause it" comment was considering it is like 65 degrees here today and we consider that freezing.  I am guessing it is just a tick colder up there and that probably does cause some major "shrinkage" of the o-rings. :)

Yep, it got up to 27 today. They think maybe 30 tomorrow.

Heat wave.

 8)