New Air Suspension Footers for VPI TNT

I don't know how long the balls are supposed to last. Estimates as to their longevity may be based on their use as paddleballs, which may be a harder use with a shorter life than in a table suspension. The good news is that they are off-the-shelf paddleballs that are commonly available and shouldn't cost a lot.

I would emphasize that a complete HRX kit should include at least both the upper and lower cup-shaped inserts and the footer foot with screwjacks for plinth leveling, as well as the paddle balls. (You all know the old footers have no screwjacks. If one subscribes to the view that leveling is not necessary, then using the old footers would be OK.} Black plugs for the tower top holes, as Gladstone mentioned, would be a better solution than re-installing the valve assemblies and metal caps, as I did.

Yes, it's critical to be able to level it properly. In fact the screwjack makes it possible, I think, to align about as precisely as theoretically possible, in contrast to the air bladders, which were inherently more imprecise.

James or Cincy_bob,

Can you tell us if the Reactor balls are the blue ones or the green ones?

Also, did the directions that accompanied them indicate if they should be replaced after a period of time? If they are the blue ones and came in a pressurized cannister (I think), then they may lose their pressure over time in the normal atmosphere.

Thanks for any info you can provide.

Melm,

The Reactor paddleballs that came with my new suspension footers are blue. I do expect that the balls will gradually lose their pressurization and I expect they will need to be replaced periodically. However, VPI did not provide any product literature on this topic, and I have not inquired of VPI whether they have any experience that would suggest an average estimated lifespan for the balls in this particular use.

When I spoke to Mike at VPI a little while ago, he said the balls would need to be replaced once a year. I would guess this would have been a pretty wide guestimate as they have not even been out for a year yet.
He seemed to think given thye low cost of the balls, it was easier to replace all the balls every 12 mnths.

Not sure if this advise has changed recently

Does anyone know how much the upgrade is for the HRX??