Thread: Shock absorber rubbers: roadside repairs

Originally Posted by markandsandy

I'm pretty useless at anything mechanical so would appreciate any good tips on making roadside repairs to blown rubbers on my shock absorbers (terra firmas).

I've managed to succussfully change a top rubber on one of the front shockies but when a bottom rear rubber went, I couldn't get the nut off to change the rubber - even with the wife hanging onto the bottom of the shock with a pair of multi-grips. (It ended up taking two mechanics and a bloody huge plumbers wrench to get that nut off).

I'm going through a few rubbers (two so far and two more on the way out) so making roadside repairs seems like a good think to know!

Also, is it usual to expect to go through so many rubbers? We've done quite a few kays over the past couple of months on rough and corrugated roads, so perhaps it is?

Which vehicle??? That may help...

However, in general, shockie rubbers should last several years - even with lots of 4x4ing.

To remove the bottom nut, I have used a rope or (tiedown)strap wound 2-3 time around the shock to hold it while a 2nd person undoes the nut.

If you happen to have onboard air, use a rattle gun.

I agree with isuzurover however - they should last at least a few years.


James.

I used to use an oil filter wrench to hold the shock still, one of the round enclosed types, i would remove a screw, wrap it around the shock and re fit the screw. You may need a rag between the chock and the wrench or better yet drill an extra hole in the wrench. These days I use the electric impact gun I bought from Aldi for 50 bucks. They were marketed as an electric wheel nut remover and plug into your ciggerette lighter. ARB sells them for about the same price. I have used it to change shocks in everything from the wifes crumble door up to my old sbr isuzu. I would be asking why the rubbers are failing though, they should last as long as the shocker.

The most common reason that shock absorber rubbers fail is because most people do the retaining nut up way to tight crushing the rubber.The nut only has to be done up tight enough to remove any freeplay,and not compress the rubber,like most seem to think.

Wayne

Thanks everyone for the useful suggestions. Given the views that the rubbers should be lasting better, I'm wondering whether the oil leaks we're also having might be contributing to early deterioration of the rubbers (though I don't think the leaks are any more than you'd expect in an old defender). The shocks have only been on the vehicle for about 3 or 4 months, so the rubbers are also only about three/four months old and were installed by a trusted landrover mechanic.

Thanks LowRanger - I did also wonder about that. I'll check the torque settings in the w/shop manual.

The most common reason that shock absorber rubbers fail is because most people do the retaining nut up way to tight crushing the rubber.The nut only has to be done up tight enough to remove any freeplay,and not compress the rubber,like most seem to think.

Wayne

Wayne sorry but I disagree. The nut should be done up until it grounds on the shoulder of the shock. That is what it is there for. Its cowboys who keep rattling for a while that make the nuts hard to shift.
I have never had rubbers die prematurely.

The reason that some shocks do rubbers is that they are far too stiff and destroy RUBBER rubbers. The answer here if you really want such stiff shocks is to repalce with poly rubbers, and introduce harshness.
I bought some TJM shocks many years ago that killed the bushes in about 500Km,When I complained TJM apologised and sent me some poly bushes and a Maglight! I took the shocks out as they were ridiculously stiff.
Regards Philip A

Originally Posted by PhilipA

Wayne sorry but I disagree. The nut should be done up until it grounds on the shoulder of the shock. That is what it is there for. Its cowboys who keep rattling for a while that make the nuts hard to shift.
I have never had rubbers die prematurely.

The reason that some shocks do rubbers is that they are far too stiff and destroy RUBBER rubbers. The answer here if you really want such stiff shocks is to repalce with poly rubbers, and introduce harshness.
I bought some TJM shocks many years ago that killed the bushes in about 500Km,When I complained TJM apologised and sent me some poly bushes and a Maglight! I took the shocks out as they were ridiculously stiff.
Regards Philip A

Aah, I did wonder about that too. This is the first time we've had these troubles, and it does coincide with the fact that we've put on big bore TerraFirma shocks which give a much harder ride. I thought the bigger bore might be better suited for handling long distances on corrugations . . . .