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[Webby the Bear]

Yo dudes, hope you're all well.

Firstly, when I start my course in September I'm going to set up a Twitter account if any of you would like to follow the Bear on his automotive journey. I'm doing this so I can keep everything documented... thought it would be nice for the future and perfect for my mates to rip the piss give me some moral support. More of that though to come nearer the time. 

Ok, I'm at a bit of a crossroads. I've done full service jobs. Cam cover gaskets. Brakes. I really wanted to move on to the timing belt and then head gasket. I really really really want to do it (did I mention I really want to do it???).

HOWEVER

I realised I have done absolutely nowt on suspension. So what do you lot reckon? Do that first before moving on to what I consider to be the proper tough timing belt and head gasket jobs?

Now I've looked through the guides. Suspension seems to be made up of several components. Are struts and shock absorbers the same things? And then springs.

If you lot decide suspension woul be the natural progression then I shall be doing this tomorrow...

http://www.omegaowners.com/forum/index.php?topic=90587.0

Is the process the same on the front?

 

[Andy B]

.... Are struts and shock absorbers the same things? And then springs.

If you lot decide suspension woul be the natural progression then I shall be doing this tomorrow...

http://www.omegaowners.com/forum/index.php?topic=90587.0

Is the process the same on the front?

 

Struts is the shortened name for McPherson struts. They contain the front springs & the shock absorber in the middle. To remove the shocker bit, you need to remove the spring, for which you need decent spring compressors. Once you've looked up the removal & dismantling process of a strut, you realise it's nothing like the removal & replacement of a rear shocker. 

[Webby the Bear]

.... Are struts and shock absorbers the same things? And then springs.

If you lot decide suspension woul be the natural progression then I shall be doing this tomorrow...

http://www.omegaowners.com/forum/index.php?topic=90587.0

Is the process the same on the front?

 

Struts is the shortened name for McPherson struts. They contain the front springs & the shock absorber in the middle. To remove the shocker bit, you need to remove the spring, for which you need decent spring compressors. Once you've looked up the removal & dismantling process of a strut, you realise it's nothing like the removal & replacement of a rear shocker. 

That's initially what I thought Andy but couldn't find any front springs 'n' shocks guides.... sorry if i missed them.

but yeah if i'm right in thinking (and remember you're talking to someone who doesn't know anything about suspension...although im reading up on the net as we speak  ) it appears that the strut on the rear is completely seperate from the spring where as you say the front is all one piece.

so if i follow the guide for the rear job ill be removing the rear strut, right? and rear spring removal is totally seperate?

[Andy B]

.....
so if i follow the guide for the rear job ill be removing the rear strut, right? and rear spring removal is totally seperate?

You don't have a strut at the back, just a shock absorber, which, as you say is separate form your spring.   

[Andy B]

....
That's initially what I thought Andy but couldn't find any front springs 'n' shocks guides.... sorry if i missed them.
 ......

I don't think the forum has a guide 
I've just had a quick look through this though.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSQPp74ibg8

[Webby the Bear]

.....
so if i follow the guide for the rear job ill be removing the rear strut, right? and rear spring removal is totally seperate?

You don't have a strut at the back, just a shock absorber, which, as you say is separate form your spring.   

Right, got ya. cheers mate. just watching vids as we speak (eric the car guy). think i may have answered my own question as i dont have or indeed have the money for a spring compression tool....

ill do the cam belt next   

however before i do i may get that rear shock absorber out just for the fun of it..... now there's that self levelling/non self levelling thing.... if its not self levelling have i got to do anything special when putting it back?

[Webby the Bear]

ps, this video is great and i presume its pretty much the same... i am biased though as i think ETCG rocks!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEaevAxA8Gc

[Andy B]

....

Right, got ya. cheers mate. just watching vids as we speak (eric the car guy). think i may have answered my own question as i dont have or indeed have the money for a spring compression tool....

ill do the cam belt next   

however before i do i may get that rear shock absorber out just for the fun of it..... now there's that self levelling/non self levelling thing.... if its not self levelling have i got to do anything special when putting it back?

I assume you have (or access to) a cam lock kit 
Removing rear shockers (for saloon) is just a case of removing a nut from inside the boot (don't loose the rubbers & washers from either side of the wheel arch) and one nut & bolt from the bottom. The bolt at the bottom of one of mine was a complete bugger to remove - put up a battle every turn
Normal NONE self levelling requires nothing special at all, Self levellers just need the air line fitting to the side & when new, the instructions say to partially inflate the air bag .....  not exactly sure why it needs to be done though. 

[Webby the Bear]

Yeah i'm ordering my locking kit next week as i have very limited time tomorrow so i knew i wouldn't get far enough to need it until next weekend 

cheers andy, thats given me some food for thought. i may take the front struts off too, again just for the fun of it. obviously as i dont have the compression tool ill prob wait til i get to colege for that and actually make sure my tuition fee teaches me something 

great help though cheers mate 

[Andy B]

..... i may take the front struts off too, again just for the fun of it.  ......

Don't forget that the camber adjustment is made atthe bottom of the strut. 
At best it needs properly setting afterwards, at least, mark/scribe where the strut meets the hub & reset to that. 

[Brikhead]

Is the car your wanting to work on your daily driver?

If it were me then as long as suspension components are not in any danger of falling off then I'd sort out the timing belt first. Saying that though no point in doing a t/b change on an engine with a blown head gasket, gotta do both jobs together really...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MacPherson_strut

[Brikhead]

...i dont have or indeed have the money for a spring compression tool....

I have these...
http://www.lasertools.co.uk/item.aspx?cat=777&item=124
...can be quite scary to use on some of the bigger struts but they have not failed me yet, only paid around twenty squid, that was years ago though...

[TheBoy]

As a local boy, to save buying one-use-only type specific tools, you are welcome to borrow my V6 cam locking kit for a couple of weeks.  You can borrow my spring compressors if you like, but not until after Monday (looks like they may be needed at Wycombe meet).

I won't be able to follow you on idiotter, as I refuse to sign up to that. Or the gayest of gay sites, Arsebook.

[TheBoy]

As a local boy, to save buying one-use-only type specific tools, you are welcome to borrow my V6 cam locking kit for a couple of weeks.  You can borrow my spring compressors if you like, but not until after Monday (looks like they may be needed at Wycombe meet).

I won't be able to follow you on idiotter, as I refuse to sign up to that. Or the gayest of gay sites, Arsebook.

Fallen foul of my own word censor

T-W-A-T-T-E-R

[Webby the Bear]

Hahaha cheers chaps.

Brikhead, no mate it's not my daily runner. I bought ''Ralf'' solely to practise on and learn on so if I nacker something it =s no big problem... although obviously i'd prefer not to 

TB, that's very kind cheers mate. As said I don't need yet anyway.... was so short of time today didn't even get round to doing anything. 

But i'll buzz you when i need to borrow it mate. very kind thanks very much 

As for FB and ''Shitter'' I agree, i dont use these things and im not bothered about adding 8000 friends that ill never speak to  its really just for my self so i can look back on stuff  i suppose a computer diary would do the same but i quite like the odea of my mates (some of whom are actually interested  ) following my endeavours 

[aaronjb]

Webby, start a blog with something like blogger.com (or whatever it's called today) - that's a format much better suited to posting pictures with write-ups and so on. Well .. it's a computerised diary, really

[Webby the Bear]

Cheers Aaron, i'd perfer something with a better format... ill check it out 
cheers mate

[Radar]

Best of luck with your endeavours - i would go down the timing belt route first - as you say you have learnt the other engine related things and this would seem to complete your competency in that area off nicely. Then move onto suspension etc..