Monroe Dampers - Sensatrac vs Reflex

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Tue 4 Apr 2006 23:02
Monroe Dampers - Sensatrac vs Reflex - Ruperts Trooper
I need a new set of dampers on my Mk4 Astra. I've used Monroe Sensatrac on a couple of previous cars and been very pleased.

The Sensatrac may have been replaced by the Reflex but their US website indicates that Reflex are intended for SUV's / light trucks and doesn't have the Position Sensitive Damping (PSD) of the Sensatrac.

Is the Reflex a real replacement for the Sensatrac or just an improvement on their basic gas damper?

Web searches for Monroe suppliers draws blanks (excluding North America!). Are Monroe dampers still available for European models, if so where from?
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Wed 5 Apr 2006 19:54
Monroe Dampers - Sensatrac vs Reflex - Hamsafar
www.fmsolutions.nl/tennecoauto/monroe2005/

I had to ring monroe to find a stockest, they gave me C F Parkinson, I telephoned them, and the price was around twice the retail price of the dampers at the dealer so I politely declined.
I bought Boge in the end locally.
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Wed 5 Apr 2006 19:58
Monroe Dampers - Sensatrac vs Reflex - Dynamic Dave
I thought Monroe Sensatracs had long been discontinued? Well, that's what the local motor factor told me when I enquired about them, having previously bought Sensatracs in the past for one of my old Cavalier's. Ended up with some Kayaba's (KYB's) instead.
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Wed 5 Apr 2006 20:01
Monroe Dampers - Sensatrac vs Reflex - Hamsafar
I should add, I required air-powered self-levelling rear dampers.
These are impossible to get in the UK from motor factors.
I looked for the same car in USA, £17+shipping each for Monroe MA825.
I looked on the EU website above, but none were listed, so I phoned monroe who gave me LA625 or something (but it was 100% identical in design and application to MA825), and CF Parkinson as a stockist. This UK stockist quoted me over £115 each! yet £17 each in USA. The part is £47 from the dealer.
In the end, I got BOGE gas ones which aren't self levelling for £20 each. I never used the self-levelling anyway as I never carry enough weight to activate it, I removed the relay for the compressor.
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Wed 5 Apr 2006 20:02
Monroe Dampers - Sensatrac vs Reflex - Hamsafar
DD, how did you find the Kayabas? I ordered some online, but they never arrived, so I got a refund with paypal, and as the MOT was due, I got BOGE ones from the local factor - nothing special - can't tell the difference at all.
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Wed 5 Apr 2006 20:31
Monroe Dampers - Sensatrac vs Reflex - Dynamic Dave
AL,

They weren't too bad on the whole. I had the uprated gas ones which although they gave a firm ride, they were no where near as back breaking as the Spax adjustables I once fitted to a mk2 Cavalier, and the KYB's still gave as good handling as the Spax's did on another mk2 Cavalier.

Could be wrong, but don't Ford use (or used to use) KYB's? (Info obtained from same motor factor)
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Thu 6 Apr 2006 20:11
Monroe Dampers - Sensatrac vs Reflex - Ruperts Trooper
Thanks for your input. I eventually traced a European website for Tenneco, its www.taeu.com

Apparently the Reflex is an update of their "Original" while the Sensa-trac has been updated to "Sensa-trac Safe Tech" but European applications are limited.

Only the Reflex are available for the Mk4 Astra, which would be too basic for me, so I seem to have a choice of top/side adjustables from Spax or Gaz.

Does anyone have any experience of the Gaz brand?
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