Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[omega2018]

i have a broken rear spring - went with a loud bang while stationary and is snapped in the middle.  still drives ok except for speed bumps.  shock on the other side rear is knackered too.  vaux want £800 to replace both rear shocks and springs that is so ridiculous i didn't even check if they were self levelling ones.  kwikfit don't do self levelling shocks or springs and wanted £180 to replace the lot with standard.  however they thought it might not be possible to convert.  reckon i can do it myself for £70 and that includes buying a spring compressor.  it doesn't seem possible to easily obtain the self levelling parts, at least not at sensible prices. 

question is has anyone converted from self levelling to standard?  i understand i need to do both the springs and shocks (thanks chrisgixer) and both sides and tie up the airline but anything else? pull the fuse on the pump? can it be done?

car also has removable tow bar this seems to be a complication for choice of springs too.

thanks

[05omegav6]

Assuming it works, keep the self leveling and fit the heaviest duty springs you can get

New self leveling shocks are VX only but if you do any towing you would be mad not to keep the system imho...

[VXL V6]

Yeh you'll need to pull the fuse (or just disconnect loom at the pump end) to stop the pump running.

Personally, as you say one of the shocks is kaput, I'd fit Bilstein B4's as they are a more refined shock absorber than the standard Self levelling ones and cheaper to buy, but that's just my opinion and it'd be a shame if we all thought the same! B4's will also take lower riding springs if you ever wanted to take that route, I presume not though if you are utilising the towbar.

[Magwheels]

Mine has "standard" springs and shocks, notice the difference....err no!

But then again mine is a saloon, I don't tow and don't often load up the boot with anything heavy.

My air pump now resides in the garage as I didn't see the point in leaving it on the car.

Seems to be a fix for a problem that wasn't there as my last estate didn't have self levelling, carried an unbelievable amount in the back without an issue and the ride was better than the Elite with low profiles.

So it depends on what you want from the car.

[tidla]

Assuming it works, keep the self leveling and fit the heaviest duty springs you can get

New self leveling shocks are VX only but if you do any towing you would be mad not to keep the system imho...

Are we talking a certain brand or springs suited for a certain model?

(had the rear wheels off today and spotted a broken spring pig tail)

[omega2018]

Mine has "standard" springs and shocks, notice the difference....err no!

But then again mine is a saloon, I don't tow and don't often load up the boot with anything heavy.

My air pump now resides in the garage as I didn't see the point in leaving it on the car.

thanks magwheels do i take that to mean you switched the car to standard springs and shocks? was it straightforward?

[05omegav6]

Assuming it works, keep the self leveling and fit the heaviest duty springs you can get

New self leveling shocks are VX only but if you do any towing you would be mad not to keep the system imho...

Are we talking a certain brand or springs suited for a certain model?

(had the rear wheels off today and spotted a broken spring pig tail)

Not had to buy any springs for my (ab)used 270k mile ex plod... so if anyone has a spare set of plod springs they would be my budget suggestion... ride height is unaffected.

Presumably both Boge and KYB springs are readily available in both self leveling and standard guise, so the suggestion would be to fit standard springs with self leveling shocks, especially if towing... as this would retain functionality whilst making the ride a touch less wallowy than the Elite set up

[ted_one]

Got a set here for a saloon.....can't give em away

[tidla]

These are gsfs current stock.

http://www.lesjofors-automotive.com/automotive-springs/coil-springs.asp

[omega2018]

wow standard springs vary in price from £10  to over £70 each.  it's difficult to see how such a wide range can be justified unless some are gold plated.

to assist anyone else here is a xref list i came across
FAI SP073 / CCPSP073
AMK    CS23296    
APEX    432578    
BOGE    25-E48-0    
KAYABA    RJ5413    
KAYABA    RJ5414    
KAYABA    RJ6228    
KAYABA    RX5414    
KILEN    60640    
KILEN    71026    
LESJOFORS    4263426    
LESJOFORS    4294635    
MONROE    SP0434    
QUINTON HAZELL    QSS2650    
ROC    CS3209    
ROC    CS3300    
SACHS BOGE (HI-DRIVE)    25E480    
SUPLEX    23296    
SUPLEX    23297    
SUPLEX    23379    
VAUXHALL - OEM    424003

[05omegav6]

Got a set here for a saloon.....can't give em away

There you are Migmog

[omega2018]

yes have pm'd him thanks but i'm currently looking at, for non self levelling, new FAI coils £10 each, new KYB excelG shocks at £20 a time.  are those makes ok?

cheap spring compressor, pair, £6.50 or £10 for twin hook ones which look safer?

[chrisgixer]

Sl can be disabled by pulling one of the two small black relays in the top of the drivers fuse box. One is main beam, tother is sl. So pull one, if your main beam still works, you gave the right one. ...you can pull fuse 27 to disable the circuit, but that also disables the rear 12volt socket.

As said on tother thread though, any springs will work with SL shocks. So cheapest option, if your sl shocks are good, is just get standard springs, and be done. Keep sl, Especially if you tow.

Spring compressor not needed. See guide

[omega2018]

are you sure that any springs will do for self levelling?  catalogue says 'except automatic self levelling device' alongside most of them.

having said that the broken spring is marked 'LR' (looked like LA but must be LR) which apparently is for an estate ( 90542361 ) .  my car is a saloon. perhaps that's why it broke.

how long can I drive on a broken spring?  seems Ok except on bumps.  broken side is under an inch down on other side.

[chrisgixer]

ANY springs will work with sl. Plod run them with rough road package, and all sorts. Members here are running standard springs with sl. I've used standard and mv6 lsc with sl. Works well.

Where some fall foul with sl, is when the sl shocks fail. Then fitting standard shocks with the original sl springs on the Elite. Elite suspension is soft. Very soft. So the springs are soft (and therefore weak and prone to break) and the rears rely on the self levelling air bladders to hold them up.

Take the sl shocks away from the sl springs and the ride height drops, the car drags its arse on the road and rolls around all over the place, as there's no ride adjustment to hold the sl springs up.


So, if you want to keep sl. Just change the springs.

If you want to bin sl, change bothn shocks and springs. And pull the relay.

(Look to fit the same type of springs on the front at some stage too)