Shock absorber

[iallen1@btinter]

My 1.6tdi golf has been making a clonking noise its been into vw and the shock absorber needs replacing and the warranty will cover it, someone told me that it can alter the suspension if both arnt replaced just wondered if this is true, the car is a year old

[james_tiger_woo]

It's the nature of shock absorbers - They leak/wear over time anyway so a new one will have different characteristics to a 3/4 year old one which could alter the handling

[zollaf]

phone up the same garage and ask for a quote to replace a single shock on an older car thats out of warranty. when they tell you they will only do both and the car will be unsafe if they don't, ask them why they are only replacing the one on yours ?

[Keithuk]

You don't say which shock absorber but changing it shouldn't upset the steering geometry as its fixed, providing decent blokes are doing the job.

[iallen1@btinter]

Its the drivers side shocker

[zollaf]

changing one shocker won't affect the geometry at all, but you end up with one new and one used damper holding your car on the road, which in an emergency braking or cornering situation could show itself by unbalancing the car. brakes, springs, dampers, whatever you do to one side you do to the other.

[Keithuk]

Thats normal zollaf on older vehicles, iallen doesn't say how old is car is as he doesn't show any details in his signature.

"Drivers side shocker" is that front or rear?

[iallen1@btinter]

Cars a year old got it back yesterday it need front drivers side shocker absorber, apparently that didnt cure it totally so they fitted two antiroll bar bushes, also new steering wheel airbag as wheel was ceeaking when turned, not good on a year old car

[iallen1@btinter]

creaking