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[oro]

Hi OOFERs - Happy New Year to all.

I have just had my facelift V6 auto estate MOTed - all clear except an advisory note requiring attention for the N/S Front shock absorber - light misting of oil.
I have looked in the maintenance guides but nothing.
I guess this must be a job many of you have tackled, can you tell me your experiences, good and bad?
Many thanks
Mike

[Omegadoha, Desert Member]

Generally undo the link rod bolts, other surrounding bolts and bolt at top

It's not too complicated, but when you reomve the strut, you need to be able to compress the spring down so that you can remove the mount at the top.

No bad experiences. 

[TheBoy]

Easy enough - but you need to reset camber afterwards.


Shocks, like all suspension components **MUST** be replaced in pairs!!!

[feeutfo]

fairly easy job imo, will need spring compressers though, £20 odd iirc.

but as said, always change suspension parts in pairs or youll get a lop sided car.

try and measure the camber before dismanteling and try to replicate the same setting when re built. This is the hard bit imo. Then get it set correctly asap or expect premature tyre ware.

[feeutfo]

Generally undo the link rod bolts, other surrounding bolts and bolt at top

It's not too complicated, but when you reomve the strut, you need to be able to compress the spring down so that you can remove the mount at the top.

No bad experiences. 

no mention of camber? i wonder if yours is set correctly in relation to your other thread  re wandering issues?

[Omegadoha, Desert Member]

I had the camber set afterwards. The original shocks were really badly gone. But I need to have it reset again because I've just replaced the mounts as well.

[oro]

Many thanks for info, are there other steering / suspension componants that should be changed whilst the shocks are off, eg mounts? :-/

[Omegadoha, Desert Member]

Many thanks for info, are there other steering / suspension componants that should be changed whilst the shocks are off, eg mounts? :-/

I'm pretty sure the experts will advise to do the mounts as well. Certainly makes a big difference to road noise and potentially eliminate any knocking sounds.

Hopefully, someone will confirm. 

[feeutfo]

I had the camber set afterwards. The original shocks were really badly gone. But I need to have it reset again because I've just replaced the mounts as well.

Well, for me this is something to bare in mind for oro as well, when working on this area of the car it all needs to be set up correctly to avoid tyre ware and handling issues. This can cost up to £80 per set up depending where you go.

So with that in mind its wise to ask what else to replace while you have it apart and save another set up if something else fails. You may decide that the springs are original the mileage as high and that they may brake any time soon, its a common and often un noticed failure, by the law of sod it will fail just after its re assembled settled and setup, and you have to do and pay for the whole lot to be done again. or the car goes in for mot the following month and it fails on wishbone bushes  and to be honest the odds are these need changing anyway if still original

at the end of the the day only you can decide what to replace depending on your wallet and component history, but springs, wishbones, drop links, track rod ends, and of course shocks are all commen failures on any car. Also worth greasing the barings in the top shock mounts while its in bits. Then set it up, imediately after the work is done to avoid tyreware that can affect the handeling for the rest of the tyres life.

hth

[johnbrnrd]

good day to all omega users, as my brother's car has been taken to the shop to change its front shock absorber we also thought of what the previous poster have said since its been taken apart I would also like to check the suspensions and the hub assembly. been reading the thread here and there and have given me as much information, thanks! 

[Kneepad]

Two birds with one stone then.   

Oh!  Welcome to the forum.

[Darth Loo-knee]

Many thanks for info, are there other steering / suspension componants that should be changed whilst the shocks are off, eg mounts? :-/

If I were changing the front shocks/springs, I would check the wishbones, droplinks and steering idler... the reason being you will like said need your cambers setting up again at a later date if you changed the wishbones for eg.... so maybe better to do it all in one go 

[Kneepad]

Many thanks for info, are there other steering / suspension componants that should be changed whilst the shocks are off, eg mounts? :-/

If I were changing the front shocks/springs, I would check the wishbones, droplinks and steering idler... the reason being you will like said need your cambers setting up again at a later date if you changed the wishbones for eg.... so maybe better to do it all in one go 

  Check the date of the Original Post 

[Darth Loo-knee]

Many thanks for info, are there other steering / suspension componants that should be changed whilst the shocks are off, eg mounts? :-/

If I were changing the front shocks/springs, I would check the wishbones, droplinks and steering idler... the reason being you will like said need your cambers setting up again at a later date if you changed the wishbones for eg.... so maybe better to do it all in one go 

  Check the date of the Original Post 

Bloody Hell maybe he is struggling then