Shock absorbers

[johnro79]

Hi guys

I'm looking to replace my shock absorbers. I've done 230k miles and it's about time. Looking to go KYB

Anyone done them in around croydon area? dealer quoted an arm and a leg for them and my regular mechanic is slow in replying or he is avoiding this kind of work


Thanks for your time.

[luklawecki]

From my experience, KYB shocks were always stiffer then OEM...
I will go with Sachs or Bilstein....
My opinion only....

[Odee]

Whoever you can get to replace your dampers, I suspect will want to cover themselves for the hassle of changing at 230k miles, especially if your suspension hasn't been touched. Having done a diy job changing my dampers at 75k miles I am sure there are bound to be corroded or seized fixings, especially the pinch bolts at the upper position of the front hub carriers. The rear dampers are more simple. You will find some videos on Youtube which explain the work.

John.

[Crasher]

The top arms where they go into the hub carrier are evil. Being as they have now changed the way the bolts go it we leave them in place and pull the strut out. If you try and heat the bolts out, the ally can crack so you have to use an induction heater, not hot spanner. As the rear springs are prone to snapping I would do them at the same time. The none sports OE dampers were often Monroe, a much under rated make.

[luklawecki]

Good point guys.... dreadful pinch bolt.....
I had my done at 130k mls and we had to drill it out.... lucky me had mate working in metal factory so I just drop it to him and they got bolt out for me....
I’ve replaced shocks and springs with Eibach Pro kit b12.... done now 50k on it and very happy with this setup....


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[bluezie]

I though the double pinch bolt was sorted out years ago?
After a proper @~!?* nightmare removing the original bolts on my C5 A6, I got new ones from Audi, and they were black plated, and never gave any hassle for about 10 years more, until I sold the car. The new ones just didn't corrode.

[bluezie]

BTW, the method of removal on my C5, was to shear off the head of the bolt, then using a lot of washers, wound the bolt out the wrong way, using 2 nuts, and a centre punch on the sheared off shaft. + lots of Plus Gas, and a little gentle heat.

[Crasher]

I though the double pinch bolt was sorted out years ago?

No it’s worse than it ever was with the cast steel uprights and even the later alloy ones as for both there were special tools, but anymore! Even worse than doing the top links is changing the wheel bearing; the job SHOULD be easy as the bearing is a cartridge that simply bolts in and therefore unbolts. The reality is the screws holding it in strip out their XZN splines or the screws head shears off leaving the thread solid in the hole. Even if the screws come out, the bearing being steel will have corroded solid in the ally upright and getting them out can be nearly impossible, the one in the previous picture was damaged beyond use so we put it in the press and it maxed out at 10 tonnes without any sign of movement. To get them out we have to use the induction heater wire, wrapped around the location, a special beating bar bolted to the hub (you can see this on the bench in the first picture and in the last one) and bloody big hammer; plus an air chisel from behind with plenty of Würth Rost Off Black and after around an hour of brutal assault by two people, they eventually come free. How a DIY enthusiast on their driveway is going to do this God only knows!

[bluezie]

I recently changed a rear wheel bearing on my 2014 3.0 Quattro (same bearing as front) and had no problems apart from the ABS sensor was really stuck in, and was going to break, so I left it in, and just had to be very careful reassembling everything. The bearing bolts were tight, but came out fine, and the bearing did need a good clout with a 4lb lump hammer, but not stuck in any more than I was expecting.
Next time I have the front wheels off, I'll check the double pinch bolts, and remove them and plaster in copper slip. Any signs of corrosion on the bolts, and I'll renew.
One thing I did on my C5, was run a drill through the bolt hole to remove all the corroded aluminium, just to give as much clearance for future corrosion build up, and plastered everything in copper slip. With the revised black plated bolts, that provided 10 years trouble free service from there on.