How to...change your shock absorbers

[muddyboots]

Well I finally managed to change all my shocks this weekend, what fun that was.

Anyway I was armed with my camera and have written up two guides on how to go about it (one for front, and one for rear).

They can be found here: http://www.seat-ibiza-mk4.co.uk/links.htm

The rears are easy, the fronts are a right pain to do, as you will see from my photos

 

[STOCKY]

Well I finally managed to change all my shocks this weekend, what fun that was.

Anyway I was armed with my camera and have written up two guides on how to go about it (one for front, and one for rear).

They can be found here: http://www.seat-ibiza-mk4.co.uk/links.htm

The rears are easy, the fronts are a right pain to do, as you will see from my photos

I wish I waited a week now lol!

 

[STOCKY]

Great guide and even a novice with the correct tools could do it if they followed them instructions

Can I ask where you go the hub seperator tool from?? how much???

I could really have used that yesterday!

 

[muddyboots]

It's a VW tool, number 3424 (or 3242 ???) off the top of my head, cost around a tenner from my local VW dealer. If you search for "hub spreader" on Briskoda you should find it in a post about tools, together with the correct part number.

EDIT: It's 3424, Briskoda Tool Thread

 

[muddyboots]

How did you get on doing the fronts then ? What technique did you employ ??

 

[STOCKY]

How did you get on doing the fronts then ? What technique did you employ ??

i think the big hammer had a little play in it! lol

I empolyed the give it to a mechanic and pay him £30 to do the fronts!

Wish I had of just let him do the lot!

Ill def remember that part for the next time which I hope wont be for a while.

Will try get some pics up next weekend when its clean and settled a bit!

 

[muddyboots]

Yes the hub spreader tool is a must. Put it in, turn through 90 degrees, hub opens. Dead simple.

 

[mexicupra]

Muddy, is there a great difference in the new shocks?

 

[muddyboots]

Not driven it much yet, but on the short journeys I have done, the car seemed more settled & steady, less jiggling about.

I should know more tomorrow when I've covered more miles.

 

[mexicupra]

ok, cos i am dying to change mine as my cupra give a really hard ride and to be honest im getting really tired of feeling every single little bump.

 

[EdButler]

Muddy strikes again! Fantastic guide mate, may end up using it to kill the squeak on my front-right top mount!

 

[maxcars1]

Muddy,

did you change thetop mounts and modify the bump stops? Is there a need as I've read alot about the bump stops.

 

[muddyboots]

Hi mate
No I didn't change the top mounts or bearings, as they were changed about 10k miles ago by the dealer.
I didn't make any changes to the bumpstops either, they seemed in good nick and I haven't lowered the car so didn't see much need to change them.

 

[Niall]

Good news lee. When i get the powerflex done i am going to change the topmounts + bearings

 

[muddyboots]

Good news lee. When i get the powerflex done i am going to change the topmounts + bearings

Just need to try driving it now, haven't been to work today 'cos I feel shite, so haven't had a proper chance to try the new shocks out.

 

[dmjw01]

Great guides!

Refitting of the units to the car is the reverse of the removal procedure.

You don't work for Haynes by any chance, do you?

By the way, you might be amused to learn that I haven't been able to look at those pages from the office. The firewall blocks them for reasons of "nudity".

 

[muddyboots]

By the way, you might be amused to learn that I haven't been able to look at those pages from the office. The firewall blocks them for reasons of "nudity".

You're the second person who's said that ??? If only, eh ?

 

[muddyboots]

You don't work for Haynes by any chance, do you?

LOL I wondered if anyone would spot that...took me a while to remember the "refitting is the reverse of removal" phrase!

 

[NEG]

Nice one Muddy! Great guide as well, although I prefer the 'pay a bloke to do it method'

 

[muddyboots]

But where's the fun in that eh ?