Northridge Gas Spring Issue?

A

AlphaMoose

Joined
Sep 1, 2016
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About To pull the trigger on a Northridge when I find a whole long forum thread over on another forum basically bashing the use of the gas spring, saying they get gritty and break quick. I plan on using this machine as a pretty constant user, not just as a hobby. Anyone have any experience with this? The guy seemed like he was rather set in his opinions.
 
I'll be using a gas spring on my new build as well. One thing I've noticed about some of the purchased ones is that they often have the shaft up. That doesn't make sense to me since the cylinder will act as a floor to collect grit. I intend to mount mine down, that way if grit settles on the shaft, the gland/wiper should knock it off rather than collect it.
 
I read the thread you're talking about and it gave me concern as well (He is quite opinionated). However I have used a gas shock on my GIB for the last 18months almost daily and it has not been a problem. I know if you have the shock mounted upside down it will collect dust on the seal, but if it's mounted properly and you wipe off any dust on the shaft before you compress the shock. I don't see it being a problem.
 
It looks like Northridge mounts the spring shaft down. It's hard to imagine it being a problem. I think it would be best to not let this one guy spoil my process lol.
 
What forum is that thread on?
I would like to read it
 
AVigil said:
What forum is that thread on?
I would like to read it
Click to expand...
Yes, knifedogs and you can find Ed Caffery's opinion on gas struts in just about any thread about grinders. He says he's had three of them fail within two months and a fourth within the year.
 
I spoke with Northridge and my concerns have been taken care of to say the least. Seems like a stand up company.
 
I can tell you that at least 3 engineers I know have recommended a gas shock over a spring--two of them build grinders--including the Northridge tools one. I can assure you that these engineers would only choose something that is long lived and works well. I would say the fellow posting that info has probably had a bad experience--god knows on what setup, and probably does not have engineering knowledge to make these statements IMO. I wouldn't let this hold me up on purchasing a unit with a gas shock--I've had a unit with a gas shock, an AMK, for 2 years and use it daily and have had no issues, I also have a Northridge grinder, and have had zero issues with it in the 4-5 months I have had it.
 
Slide a piece of bike inner tube over the shaft and secure both ends with a zip tie. I did that with my Fox air shock (from my old mountain bike) when I built my grinder. Solves the problem completely.
 
That's a great, cheap and effective idea. Especially if your wife goes through bike tubes like mine.
 
Here in Pa. it's pretty rocky and I am a big guy so I tend to destroy things! I don't kill tubes like I used to since I went tubeless. One old tube though will last forever as rubber bands and chain stay protectors, etc!
 
I put gas piston tensioners on both my grinders about 2 1/2 years ago. One has a 30 pound piston and the other a 40 pound piston. They have both worked flawlessly since installed and were a major improvement over the springs before. Larry

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I use them all all three of my grinders and haven't had a problem, they are all 50# from McMaster carr.
 
I put a dust boot on mine... I purchased it at NAPA auto parts it's originally meant as a cover for wiring harness seems to work ok 2 years in use.
 
Why is the gas spring better then a normal spring?

I have a 60lb spring on my grinder with no issues.

Are people going from weak springs to stronger gas springs and that is the reason for improvement?
 
AVigil said:
Why is the gas spring better then a normal spring?

I have a 60lb spring on my grinder with no issues.

Are people going from weak springs to stronger gas springs and that is the reason for improvement?
Click to expand...

I can only speak for myself. The spring on my KMG got progressively weaker as time went on and I never did like it's tension. I replaced it once and then found the idea on Blade Forums about gas pistons and had to have one. It is far superior to mechanical springs in my opinion. I use a 40 pounder on my KMG and a 30 pounder on my Polar Bear Forge grinder and they work great. Larry
 
If the spring got weaker I can understand the change.

My 60lb is going strong still after 6 years
 
Most failures do tend to come from grit or other contamination that reduces seal life. As stated, proper orientation goes a long way to mitigate this.

I've got a 100lb strut on a grinder I recently built, and haven't had any problems with it yet. If I do, it's about the cost of a ceramic belt or two to replace.
 
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