Replacing front and rear shockies

[Mickl]

I have not replaced shock absorbers before but those on my Disco 1 project are all done for.
I am trying to do everything myself so I learn how. I can get some fairly cheaply on eBay for about $200 for the four. Is it a very tricky thing to replace the shockies on the Disco 1? The rear shock absorbers look fairly straightforward but are there a few tricks with the fronts?
Cheers, Mickl

[edddo]

Have a look at this

Landrover Discovery1 - How to Change Front Shock Absorbers - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_uFN-KalT3c)

Fronts are a bit fiddly.

[loanrangie]

They will be crap for $200 even double that is too cheap.

[Mickl]

They will be crap for $200 even double that is too cheap.
Yeah, I thought that was cheap but there won't be much off road, just some beach sand to negotiate to get to the fishing spot. 99.9% on the road at fairly moderate speed.
i just watched the utube video and the front replacement looked fairly straightforward so I can save some money there by doing it myself. Back looks even easier. Thanks for putting me on to utube, no doubt it will be very useful. Cheers, mickl

[Tins]

They will be crap for $200 even double that is too cheap.
x2

[AK83]

x2

X3!!

[UncleHo]

I would suggest that you fit "Dobinsons" brand they are available through REPCO at about $300 a set Front and Rear,and a set of their "Max-Trax" shockers it did wonders to our D1,also replace your sway bar rubbers F&R.

cheers

[Mickl]

Thanks for the good advice. I will check them out. Mickl

[AK83]

Thanks for the good advice. I will check them out. Mickl

I totally understand when finances are strained, and the priority is to keep cost to an absolute minimum, so maybe check out Armstrong shocks for your Disco.

They are cheap, but they're also original fitment units by Landrover(so you know they won't be total crap).

Search for member Roverlord here as he sells them. He may give you a better price for being on AULRO too.

Here's his ebay website listing ~$200 for the set of 4 (http://stores.ebay.com.au/Roverlord-Off-Road-Spares/Discovery-Series1-/_i.html?_nkw=shock+absorbers&submit=Search&_fsub=1115024012&_sid=715161442)!!! [thumbsupbig]

Hope that helps.

[loanrangie]

Shocks are 1 thing you dont skimp on, buy cheap and you'll be buying again in 12 months.

[AK83]

It's not only that skimping is the only problem, it's also the unknown quantity that they can be.

I bought a D2 parts car off ebay, drivable.
So I got the required day rego paperwork and drove it home(not far, mainly freeway driving).
The owner explained all the work he'd had done, one of which was a new set of shocks.
Just plain ol yellow, no markings .. screamed of cheap crap from whatever source.
While the damping action was positive(ie. not old and floaty) you wouldn't wish their firmness level on your worst enemy!
'Rock hard', comes to mind as a apt description .. only 10x the effect! .. even the old hydralastic Mini felt more compliant than these shocks did.

I don't remember having issues with the Armstrongs I fitted to my RRC way back when.
But in the end, the Konis I later fitted to it were definitely nicer to drive on.

[Mickl]

It's not only that skimping is the only problem, it's also the unknown quantity that they can be.

I bought a D2 parts car off ebay, drivable.
So I got the required day rego paperwork and drove it home(not far, mainly freeway driving).
The owner explained all the work he'd had done, one of which was a new set of shocks.
Just plain ol yellow, no markings .. screamed of cheap crap from whatever source.
While the damping action was positive(ie. not old and floaty) you wouldn't wish their firmness level on your worst enemy!
'Rock hard', comes to mind as a apt description .. only 10x the effect! .. even the old hydralastic Mini felt more compliant than these shocks did.

I don't remember having issues with the Armstrongs I fitted to my RRC way back when.
But in the end, the Konis I later fitted to it were definitely nicer to drive on.
Thanks for your good advice once again Arthur. I think I will be taking it! I don't want to go too cheap then find I have to part with more cash and do the work again a second time. It gets a bit unrealistic though to get the "best" when they would cost more than the entire cost of the car! I think a price like those Armstrongs is going to be sensible.
thanks once again. Mickl

[Roverlord off road spares]

Thanks guys they are not Crap! they are Armstrongs, of which we have sold many over the years, I have used them on my old D1 and had many years good use out of them. No they are not intended to be Konis. or Dobis, they are a good shock for the money. a lot better than the cheap unbranded generic stuff being offered. Not every one can afford to buy top of the line shockers like Dobnisons etc . The genuine shockers were Artmstrong, so land rover must have got it wrong also.
I wish you guys would pull your heads in sometimes .:bat:

[AK83]

Thanks guys they are not Crap! they are Armstrongs, of which we have sold many over the years, I have used them on my old D1 and had many years good use out of them. No they are not intended to be Konis. or Dobis, they are a good shock for the money. a lot better than the cheap unbranded generic stuff being offered. Not every one can afford to buy top of the line shockers like Dobnisons etc . The genuine shockers were Artmstrong, so land rover must have got it wrong also.
I wish you guys would pull your heads in sometimes .:bat:

+1
I was even contemplating buying a set, just to rid myself of whatever rubbish a previous owner installed on my D1, which rides way too hard at the moment .. although limousine compared to the D2 parts car!
My brothers D2 rides nicely on what it's PO installed, and the D2 project car( with SLS and ACE, is my current fave! [thumbsupbig])

My plan for the D1 is to eventually go with Bilsteins and a soft set of springs, maybe +1" .. maybe +2" .. just not sure yet.
Rear springs on mine ATM are longer and harder(to suit the towing that this PC must have done too, going by the brake controller I removed from the car).

But as Mario just mentioned, I too had good experience with the original Armstrong shocks on my RRC way back then.

[Roverlord off road spares]

+1
I was even contemplating buying a set, just to rid myself of whatever rubbish a previous owner installed on my D1, which rides way too hard at the moment .. although limousine compared to the D2 parts car!
My brothers D2 rides nicely on what it's PO installed, and the D2 project car( with SLS and ACE, is my current fave! [thumbsupbig])

My plan for the D1 is to eventually go with Bilsteins and a soft set of springs, maybe +1" .. maybe +2" .. just not sure yet.
Rear springs on mine ATM are longer and harder(to suit the towing that this PC must have done too, going by the brake controller I removed from the car).

But as Mario just mentioned, I too had good experience with the original Armstrong shocks on my RRC way back then.
Arthur there are always keyboard warriors. I try to support this forum, i give discounts to members it irititates me when I read post from people always bagging. Support works both ways.

[Fausto79]

I didn’t read the part where they said armstrongs were crap. Few people said 200 shocks will be bad but then ak put a link up to your site saying these are good value for money and original landrover.

I think people were referring to 200 ebay ones and not yours. Maybe i read it wrong.

[Mickl]

The YouTube vid referred in a previous post was pretty good and helped me heaps BUT, it was very difficult to get the top nut off the front shock. Gripping the shaft was impossible and after about an hour trying I got the angle grinder out and fixed it good! But had to move a bit of stuff to make room, even pulled out the dip stick! Surely there is a better way to secure and undo the top nut! And it would help if there was a couple more threads on the shaft too as new rubbers need squeezing somehow to get the thread of the nut started. The youtube vid
also helped for gripping the bottom part of the shock while the bottom nut is removed, which came off quite a bit more easily.
next job is to attack the door catches as the passenger side won't open from the outside.
Cheers to all who posted their help. Mickl

[AK83]

..... it was very difficult to get the top nut off the front shock. ....

For old shocks I use a plumbers wrench.

Did you remove the bottom shock nut and undo the 4 nuts and bolts that hold the tower(ie. remove the shock with the tower) .. or did you undo the nut whilst the tower was still connected to the chassis?

Only when I remove shocks to replace the bushes do I go into panic mode(fear of damaging shocker due to frustration).
But when I've replaced the shocks, (ie. old shocks to go into bin) .. I have no sympathy for the old shocks and use whatever shock mangling method makes it easiest to remove the securing nuts.

Many moons ago the frustration of changing rubber shock bushes very often(high milage/use) got the better of me and I tried poly shock bushes. Fit once, never worry about them until the next set of shocks![thumbsupbig]

I'll never use rubber bushes again on my vehicles(if I have the option not too).

[Mickl]

For old shocks I use a plumbers wrench.

Did you remove the bottom shock nut and undo the 4 nuts and bolts that hold the tower(ie. remove the shock with the tower) .. or did you undo the nut whilst the tower was still connected to the chassis?

Only when I remove shocks to replace the bushes do I go into panic mode(fear of damaging shocker due to frustration).
But when I've replaced the shocks, (ie. old shocks to go into bin) .. I have no sympathy for the old shocks and use whatever shock mangling method makes it easiest to remove the securing nuts.

Many moons ago the frustration of changing rubber shock bushes very often(high milage/use) got the better of me and I tried poly shock bushes. Fit once, never worry about them until the next set of shocks![thumbsupbig]

I'll never use rubber bushes again on my vehicles(if I have the option not too).
Thanks again Arthur, the old shocks are in the bin so the angle grinder removal method was acceptable! Bottom nut came off with help from plumbers wrench as shown in that YouTube vid. I didn't remove the tower completely from the car but did Remove the 4 nuts holding it down so I could move it around a bit to get the grinder on the top nut. Why I didn't think of removing the tower with the shock attached is a mystery!!! Although it would have been very tight on the left side. Ha ha, I will remember for next time. Too late for poly bushes now but good to remember that too. Thanks for your help. Cheers, Mickl

[Fausto79]

Did you notice much difference in drive?

[Mickl]

Did you notice much difference in drive?
Big difference in ride, but those removed had no rubber bushes left on the bottoms at all!!
Mickl

[Bundy]

A cheap rattle gun makes things easy you can just hold shock and rattle the nuts straight off.

Paul

[Umair]

Sorry guys, was supposed to start a new thread. Posted my text here by mistske!!

[Pcm2048]

I am going to go against the trend and tell you I put a set of $240 shocks off ebay and are very happy with them. The original Land Rover shockers had about 300,000 km on them, and to date I have got 30,000 km on the new ones which are still working fine. Time will tell how long they last. It is a pretty easy job, although I did have to use the angle grinder to remove one as the nut had frozen solid. I also replaced the steering damper at the same time, but did not notice any different in driving from that.

[ggrupea]

Hi, I've changed my front and rear shock absorber and coils 2 years ago. I install 2" inch lift Brit part heavy dutty kit with poliuretane bushes. It's not difficult work, but you have to lift the car (ideal scenery) to do it easy. If not, have to lift the wheel and lift the chasis from the axle. AFter that, you can work very fast and easy. If you want I can send you some pictures about my job.