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[vauxsull]

Have a banging kinda noise from rear off side and thought I'd test to see if rear shocks are still good.. Followed the guide on testing the elite shock's and expected to see suspension " rise" then " fall" when removing the air connection pipe that's visible through wheel arch..  However all it did was " hiss" when pipe came off.. No change to height of car at all on rather side...?? Both shocks goosed? Or have I dome something wrong here?

[vauxsull]

On either side

[05omegav6]

Both shocks failed...

Does it clonk when you bounce on the boot sill

That said the test is to pop the lever off the trailing arm... right hand side next to diff, then ignition on, push the lever up... pump should run, lifting the car about 5".

Then at full extension give the shocks a good shake... knocking at the top is mountings and knocking/play in the middle is the shock itself...

[vauxsull]

No. All feel's fine.. Bounces just right to me..

[05omegav6]

No. All feel's fine.. Bounces just right to me..

Edited, reread

[vauxsull]

Bounces just right when pushing down on boot.. Normal driving feels ok too apart from when going over bumps as that's when I hear the " banging" noise.. Just rang local Vauxhall dealers and they have a pair in.. £168... Do I need them ?

[vauxsull]

If I need to change them should I just opt for the standard shocks and unplug the self leveling pump? Advantages or disadvantage??

[Entwood]

best way to check self leveling is the way the book says ... measure rear end height at a convenient point  ... wheel arch/bumper/towbar .... get fat bloater of a mate to sit in the boot (or otherwise load boot heavily) .. the measurement taken should now be a considerable amount smaller .. start engine a listen to the self levelling pump running (front right wing), when it stops re-measure, the dimension should be within a whisker of the first measurement. switch off. let fat bloater mate out, or unload boot which should now rise to increase the first measurement ... switch on and wait a short while .. rear should drop back down to, again, within a gnats of the first measurement.

If all that happens the shocks and pump are good.

HTH

[vauxsull]

Right then... Ive just popped the lever off as previously mentioned.. The rear of the car went up and then noticed the rubbers at the top of the offside shock are loose... Near side ok.. Is it simply a case of tightening them up ir are they goosed?

[zirk]

You've probably checked this, but its not always obvious by looking, have you checked for broken spring(s)

[vauxsull]

Springs are 6 weeks old my friend

[vauxsull]

But there's definitely a lot of play in top shock rubbers on off side that was only noticeable when I removed that lever and started car up

[05omegav6]

Bounces just right when pushing down on boot.. Normal driving feels ok too apart from when going over bumps as that's when I hear the " banging" noise.. Just rang local Vauxhall dealers and they have a pair in.. £168... Do I need them ?

Upto you... How old/mileage?

Replacing with standard will require a spring change if it has Elite springs fitted.

IME the mounting kit will now be part of the strut if all original. But if shocks are newish you should be able to undo the top mount and compress it to investigate the state of it. If they come apart, including the metal bush and washer, then simply replace the mounting kit using the parts listed elsewhere.

If they don't, or the shocks are getting on a bit, then replace the lot for the sake of a job done right

Second hand self-levelling shocks have some value if they basically work and are leak free, so you could potentially recoup the cost of the fittings

[Nick W]

Bounce test basically confirms that the shock absorber is still fitted, not its condition.

[tidla]

Top shock rubbers just need tightening.

Had the same when i fitted brand new self leveling shocks. The rubbers that came with kit seem to settle after a bit giving the same noise as you describe.