Thread: Disco 1 1997 V8 Front Shock Bush Replacement

I can't think of any good technical reason why you need to, yes it should all come apart fine. If your shocks are particularly stiff, the tension might make getting the bottom bolt out a little harder. There may be some safety issues involved, being that it is under tension. Though probably, in my opinion based on assumption that holds no warranty or guarantee, wouldn't be a big issue.

Good luck getting those nuts for the tower undone with everything there. Space is fairly limited and mine were an absolute bitch when I first had to undo them! Like many things on your Disco and in life, penetrant is you friend.

Are you certain the shocks themselves are fine and only the bushes need doing? I'm not sure I've had my shocks outlast their bushes, though my ol' girl does get a workout when shes moving.

Good luck with it, other than the nuts for the tower it's a reasonably easy job. Make sure the bushes get pressed in straight and true or you'll be doing this job again in a month or two.

Thanks for the feedback. The tower nuts seem ok, wd40 and a large ratchet extension should do the job I’m hoping. I had one side off in 2008 when I had to replace a bush at the Burke and Wills dig tree as an emergency repair in the middle of nowhere. The roads shredded it. That was a bit scary with only jacks and uneven ground.

The top nut is fine and comes loose easily. The bottom nut is the bugger.

Will report back with results.

Nice. Good luck. Grab a beer (I don't endorse drinking while working with heavy machinery, so just hold onto it... ) and enjoy the time. Many years ago I stopped worrying about "getting it fixed" and started enjoying the process and I quickly fell back in love my occasionally temperamental Landys.

Yeah, I take a bit more gear out with me these days than I used to. After doing a couple of repairs on the side of the track on sketchy jacks, you quickly realise that you can do without one luxury and put something more appropriate in. Death is no fun I'm told! :P

Let us know how you go and keep safe.

No reason at all to Jack it up, only issue is normally the bottom shock nut.

If you are changing the shock or even If you are not a big pair of channel grips through the spring will hold the shock body still.

You may have to jack up to get a pair of multi grips between the coils.
Regards PhilipA

All the advice here has been spot on. Thanks to all.

Didn’t need to jack it.

But couldn’t get the bottom nut off yet, it is wound on very tight. Will try later with grips on the shock as PhilipA suggests. With my Bunnings breaker gall pipe extension on the spanner.

In the mean time I had a go at the top instead, removed top nut and shock tower no problem. Replaced the top bushes and nut with new. Was a bit awkward getting the new top nut on without spinning the shock.

What torque should the top nut be wound up to, or do you go by the look of the rubber bush?

Originally Posted by LRpete

All the advice here has been spot on. Thanks to all.

Didn’t need to jack it.

But couldn’t get the bottom nut off yet, it is wound on very tight. Will try later with grips on the shock as PhilipA suggests. With my Bunnings breaker gall pipe extension on the spanner.

In the mean time I had a go at the top instead, removed top nut and shock tower no problem. Replaced the top bushes and nut with new. Was a bit awkward getting the new top nut on without spinning the shock.

What torque should the top nut be wound up to, or do you go by the look of the rubber bush?

Want to squish it a bit, but not too much, if that makes sense.
You will want to do the lower before you refit the shock tower and top not tho.

Originally Posted by Rick1970

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You will want to do the lower before you refit the shock tower and top not tho.

You can do the lower with the shocker and tower still in place, but it depends on the springs in the car, and the shock types.
If you lift the body(not the axle) the spring may extend enough so that you can thread the bushes and washers between the spring coils.
So you compress the shock and fit stuff in the right order then pull the shock back down on to the seat .. easy done.
But if you or some previous owner fitted gas shocks, of course you need some way to stop the shock from pushing itself down continually, and it's just frustrating.

On my old RRC, it had hydraulic shocks and standard springs so had more than enough room to do the lowers without doing the fronts.
And as that old banger had more oil leaks than the Exxon Valdez, bottom shocks rubbers were a continual issue.
I finally relented and fitted poly shock bushes and never worried about them again.

On my D1 tho, a previous owner has fitted some horrible springs, hardly a few mm between each coil winding, so no room, and some ghastly stiff front shocks to boot.
So the above method could be done, but I'd rather be tortured by some other ... any other method!

Also note that some shocks have a squared off pin end, where you can fit a 5/6(or so) spanner to hold the pin steady as you try to undo the nut. No guarantee that the spanner will hold tho.