A friend is helping me change the shock absorbers and springs, I have bought 4 KYB shocks and Tein Springs, as well as drop links boots and bump stops. To make the job a bit easier, I am going to ask a garage to put the new springs on to the new shocks, the garage has a machine that does it in jig time so it does not cost that much as its under an hours work, I am told, as well as potentially saving my good looks. Anyway what I want to ask is where do the boots go, I presume its on the shock before the spring goes on and the bump stop before the nut is fastened at the top so no no rush there I suspect. I would appreciate if someone can confirm my thinking, or put me right please. I have done a few searches but cant find any pictures that might answer the question.
Many Thanks
Colin
Take all your bits to the garage. They will know exactly what to do with them. As the boots and bump stops go inside the springs.....
Brilliant Caroline, thanks.
Colin
Quote from: "ColinC"Brilliant Carolyn, thanks.
Colin
Fixed that for you.
The fronts are pretty straight forward with a set of spring compressors. I have just replaced the rubber bump stop and boot on my drivers side this afternoon. Not sure about the rears.
I guess it will be a lot easier if they are already made up though.
Top mounts?
Fixed that for you.
Apologies Carolyn, and thanks 1979 scottie
Cheers Colin
minimike, I suspect you are correct, but this is beyond my comfort zone already, so its more of a harm reduction programme, and I mean to the car.
Quote from: "Ardent"Top mounts?
As there is no current problem and its just to freshen up the suspension I am hoping that they are ok, I might find out thats not the case but I dont think I will know till its all apart, so I am keeping my fingers crossed.
Colin
Sadly that is true.
Wasn't sure if they are separate or the garage will need them when making up the suspension leg.
I am afraid I have one further question I hope that you can help me with. The advice is that you replace the central top nut when you change the shocks so I ordered 4, and the two pairs are different. I checked the rear ones as its easy access and they are the same part no. 90179-14015 and I cant see the front one as they are under the plastic cover so I thought I would ask before taking it off, and breaking more of the fixings. The front nuts dont have the washer part on the nut and the part number is 94182-11400.
Thank you
Colin
The cover has to come off anyway. Then you can take a proper peek.
Quote from: "ColinC"I am afraid I have one further question I hope that you can help me with. The advice is that you replace the central top nut when you change the shocks so I ordered 4, and the two pairs are different. I checked the rear ones as its easy access and they are the same part no. 90179-14015 and I cant see the front one as they are under the plastic cover so I thought I would ask before taking it off, and breaking more of the fixings. The front nuts dont have the washer part on the nut and the part number is 94182-11400.
Thank you
Colin
My new KYB shocks came complete with new nuts. Have you checked inside the boxes?
What phil said.
Quote from: "Ardent"What phil said.
Good point, I opened it but I will need to take a better look.
Many thanks
Colin
The front nuts are certainly a nylon insert type locking nut and so would / should not be pre fitted to the new shocks.
Quote from: "Joesson"The front nuts are certainly a nylon insert type locking nut and so would / should not be pre fitted to the new shocks.
True. The nut supplied with each of my new shocks was in a small plastic bag, inside the box.
Quote from: "PhilzMR2"Quote from: "Joesson"The front nuts are certainly a nylon insert type locking nut and so would / should not be pre fitted to the new shocks.
True. The nut supplied with each of my new shocks was in a small plastic bag, inside the box.
I took another look and your right, it was in there hiding, so that will teach me "no more cursory looks" Now back to Toyota with 4 nuts.
Thanks
Colin
The saga continues, I ordered all 4 KYB shocks on E -Bay after checking they were all in stock, the prices were a little different as well as not all suppliers had all the parts, anyway 3 shocks delivered some weeks ago and I have ordered the 4th one 4 times now only to be told after confirming stock each time that they dont have it in, but that was only after saying it would be delivered, and it not arriving. It seems that a FL KYB shock is indeed a very rare beast. I have learnt a lesson here as I currently cant do the job after spending a lot of money on parts, which are in the spare room.The lesson being that I should have ordered all the parts from a single reputable supplier, or maybe I have just been unlucky. Does anyone know of a supplier that has a front left KYB shock absorber for a 05 plate in stock?
Cheers
Colin
I bought mine from apd_car_parts on eBay. Might be worth a look at them.
Online car parts in Germany don't have them either. Interesting......
Tried fensport? They're advertising kyb excelg shocks on 3-5 day delivery
Quote from: "PhilzMR2"I bought mine from apd_car_parts on eBay. Might be worth a look at them.
Thanks for the suggestion but they did not have any as I got 2 of the others from them.
Quote from: "delhusband"Tried fensport?
I had a look at this site a few weeks ago and I am sure they were not listed so may have come in to stock, though they are about 40% more expensive then the most expensive of the others, but may well be a solution, so thank you.
I have just reordered the shock as an e-bay lister contacted me to tell me that they are due back in stock next week, so fingers crossed it works out.
Colin
Well its all now here so I plan to do the job, or least try to on Saturday, and have been soaking all the nuts for the last few days, in preperation. When I clean the top mounts and hopefully am able to use them again, is multi purpose grease ok to use for the top mounts, to repack them, or is it something specialist? My apologies for newby questions, but as you may have gathered, my mechanical knowledge does not extend that far.
Thanks
Colin
I'm also looking at doing this job. Would love to hear if you notice a change.
My dampers are 100k old, and seem to crash over bumps. Though they do still damp out the oscillations so would be annoyed to spend hundreds and get no improvement...
What eBay seller did you buy your shocks from??
I went from 100k shocks to fresh kybs and springs.
World of difference.
I have recently changed my 100k dampers for new KYBs. It feels like a new car to be honest. The ride is hard to describe because it feels much less "crashy" but actually firmer (yet more controlled) than before at low speed, it just feels really nice. The handling is really massively improved although the balance is very different. Definitely worth doing in my opinion.
Col C
Dont forget to prime the kybs before fitting. Often forgotten step.
Basically fully depress the shock and release. 4-5 times. Expels any gas air pockets. You will hear feel sense when done enough.
Lamcote.
Well put.
Quote from: "Ardent"Col C
Dont forget to prime the kybs before fitting. Often forgotten step.
Basically fully depress the shock and release. 4-5 times. Expels any gas air pockets. You will hear feel sense when done enough.
Ardent thanks for the advice, its very welcome, any tips on what grease to use?
Quote from: "mr9"Would love to hear if you notice a change.
mr9 I will let you know, my car has done about 64K but I still hope to see a difference. I will get the info on e-bay sellers together but my main bit of advice would be to start way before you need the parts as it took 6/8 weeks to get it all sorted, due to low stock levels.
Cheers
Colin
Thanks guys. I've read lots of threads on here and getting mixed opinions on top mounts, so am probably going to just clean and regrease them?
Quote from: "mr9"What eBay seller did you buy your shocks from??
The ones I got a great service from were, all of them are on e bay for KYB shocks at around £70 £51 and £80, the £80 one was because I ran out of options, but good service.
apd Automotive parts distribution Ltd
BuyCarSpares.co.uk
click car parts m http://www.clickcarparts.co.uk (http://www.clickcarparts.co.uk) m
Others on e- bay were not so good with promises that they did not fulfil, and wasting your time.
Good luck
Colin
Thanks, I've ordered some from those sites.
How did the job go??
I kept soaking the nuts in penetrating oil for the week before and my mate brought his impact gun and I have a grinder so it was fine, everything came off and its straightforward, we only cut one drop link off, the whole job took about 4 hours as we got a bit messed up with getting the torque dialled in for the front ones. Compressing the springs to get them off and the new ones on took most of the time. If you take your time and have all the bits handy it should be ok, I was lucky though in that my mate is far better at this stuff then me, so got it all done in the one day, I still have to take it out so keeping my fingers crossed there are no strange noises when I get it out.
Colin