DIY changing front shocks

[_turtle_]

Hello guys, I want to change the front shocks and was wondering if it is something you can do on ur own. what are ur recommendations? easy job even for a novice? do i need a spring compressor or anything like that? can someone give me really detailed step by step guide to doing it.

cheers

[Anquetil]

Should be easy enough, you will need compressor clamps.

I got mine from K-Mart but they were to big and pretty much useless so dont get them there. So I just booked mine into Midas to be done.

Just remember to compress the spring before undoing the top.

[_turtle_]

thanks. i had a look on the wkend and have decided to take it to the pro's to do. i think pedders charge $65 per shock which i think is a bit steep. i'll ring up some other places and see how much they charge.

[Anquetil]

I think Midas was either $70 or $140 for the front shocks install I cant remember sorry, you mentioned $65 so maybe $70 is right?

[JimX]

You shouldn't need a spring compressor unless maybe you have brand new springs at the stock ride height. After a short time the springs should settle and you won't have any tension in them by the time the nut which holds everything in place is loose.

You can do it yourself if you have a spare couple of hours, even if you don't know what you're doing. Here's a brief rundown:

1. Jack front of car up and take wheels off.

2. Undo the bolts up the top.

3. Undo the bolt down the bottom.

4. Gently tap the strut sideways until it pops off its mounting. Be very careful to take the weight as it slides off so it doesn't drop onto the ground. If you're really worried, leave the top nuts on loosely so that they take the weight when it comes off.

5. Take strut and coil assembly to your workbench.

6. Use an adjustable spanner to hold the shock absorber shaft in place while you undo the nut with a normal spanner.

7. Take the spring and bump stops out, keeping note of the order in which everything comes off. Be careful of spring tension, but I've never had any by the time the nut is fairly loose.

8. Put everything you pulled off onto the new shock. If it was something like a Bilstein, you will need to assemble a couple of parts of it first. Maybe do all of this before step 1 so that you don't mix parts up.

9. when you're putting the top bit on before the nut, if necessary use your own body weight to push the spring down. It should only need to come down a couple of centimetres.

10. Push the strut assembly up through the top, and loosely do up the top nuts to hold it in place.

11. Use either a jack or your own brute strength to push the bottom part onto the bottom suspension arm.

12. Do up the bottom bolt very tightly.

13. Do up the top nuts not very tight at all. Think of how tight they would be if you could tighten them as much as possible using a screwdriver, and do them up a teeny bit tighter than that.

14. Repeat for the other side.

15. Put wheels back on, all done!

I think that's it. No responsibility taken if you screw something up or hurt yourself or the spring is so tight it shoots off across the room and takes someone's eye out The above has been my experience only. Your mileage may vary.

[strutto]

Good info Jimx... Should be helpful in the future...

[_turtle_]

thanks the info. makes it easier when you have instructions to follow.

[51jay]

Jimx's must have been pretty tired, be prepared to have your top plate flying across your workshop when the top nut comes off.When dealing with coil springs the right tools make it a lot easier.....and safer

[JimX]

I think my car came with lowered springs. It's definitely got lowered springs in now (Whiteline), but yeah, I guess if it's the stock ride height be careful and use the spring compressor.

The advice given to not use the spring compressor was given to me by a Whiteline employee so maybe I could have injured myself if I had stock springs in there to start with.

Oh as an aside, the tops can be done up a bit tighter than I said. I had another look the other day and I realised it's the rears that have the really weak studs and can't be done up very tightly.

[lukits01]

Hey does anyone have any idea how the standard front shocks come together?

I just changed my springs on the front shocks and Im getting this strange noise from my left suspension everytime I hit a bump.

Im pretty sure I put everything back together the same way I took them out, because the right shocks seems fine, but I just want to make sure. some pictures or a description of the parts would help a lot

[Mr GTS4]

mine did the same thing but my shocks are stuffed. its really not that hard to pull them out and replace them or the springs it took me about 2 hrs to do mine by myself. give it a go, its not hard.

[lukits01]

allready done

found out I assembled the shocks with that brass cup thing upside down

put them back on and no more clink clank

oh does anyone know where to get that extendable rubber cover? you know the one that covers the shocks so dust doesnt get in? mine is pretty much completely gone