Front Shock replacement - best approach

[1984V8110]

I need to replace the front shock absorbers on my 1984 110 V8 SW and would appreciate some advice or a pointer to a web site where my Q has already been answered. For some reason my manual does not tell me how best to do it.

It looks deceptively simple - but I fear there may be traps to it. Am I correct in assuming that I can remove the bottom nut on the shocky, and then remove the 'turret' with the top of the shockie attached through the hole in the the top of the wing which has a plate screwed down on it? [I hope this makes sense to the cognoscenti] Do I need to take tension off the shock absorber by jacking the axle up a bit?

There is no particular rush on this as I won't get to it until next week, but any advice would be appreciated.


Cheers

[rar110]

I've done it a couple of times when changing springs. Its not complicated. But you need to be extremely careful when jacking up cars.

If you're not changing springs it probably would be easier to undo the 4 nuts on the cone. I dont know if the hole in the guard is big enough to get the cone through.

This is how I did it when changing springs.

1. Handbake on, in gear, chocks for at least one back wheel (before and after wheel). Only work on level concrete. Make sure someone is home in case the worst happens, ie the car drops on you.

2. Take off the black plastic cover on the inner guard.

3. Undo the nut at the top. If the shock spins when undoing the nut use a 6mm open end spanner to hold on to the top of the shock while you undo it. Be careful I broke a 6mm spanner doing this. Alternatively use vice grips. Do the same for the bottom. Also, note the order of the bushes and plates on the top and bottom of the shocks so they go back the same way.

4. Jack up the front wheel on the opposite end of the axle to where the shock is being changed. Axle stand under the axle. Leave the wheel on with the tyre about 50 mm off the ground. Dont use a hi lift jack to achieve the same thing. The idea is to tilt the end of the axle up by compressing the springs - not lift the body.

5. Put something substantial under the chassis rail just behind the front wheel of the side you are working on. I use a spare wheel and tyre, with a couple of pieces of hardwood across top of the wheel to reduce the gap between the chassis rail and support. This is in case something goes wrong and the vehicle moves. It will fall on to the support under the chassis rail.

6. Use a trolley jack (not a bottle jack - too unstable) to jack up the end of the axle you are working on. Take the wheel off. Use the jack to SLOWLY lower the axle down. Removing the wheel lets the end of the axle drop lower. The spring should pop out and you can then get to the shock out and put a new one in. On one occasion I used a bottle jack between the axle and the bump stop to push the axle down further in a controlled way to release the spring.

7. You will probably need to compress the new shock before you put it in. Hold it in position inside the spring with all bushes and plates in place. It should expand up and down so the shock pins go into the holes.

8. Use the trolley jack to lift the end of the axle up again making sure the spring goes properly back into place. If it doesnt, just slowly lower the jack and manouvre it into place, then jack up the axle again. Make sure the shock pins are still through top and bottom. Wheel back on.

9. tighten up the ends of the shock with bushes and plates.

10. black plastic cover back on.

Its probably not a perfect method.

Good luck and be very safety minded when jacking up vehicles.

[Yorkshire_Jon]

Its an easy enough job... You can remove the nut at the bottom, and remove the 4 nuts to the turrent and pull through the whole in the inner wing.

Word of advise though - use copper grease when you put the top damper nut back on.

As said before though caution when jacking.