geoffbeaumont Posted July 1, 2006 Share Posted July 1, 2006 The new (to me) disco needs new front shocks rather badly (don't think the nearside one is doing any damping at all), so I ordered a couple of pro-comps earlier in the week and went to fit them today, foolishly expecting them to be as easy as the range rover... Forgot that as the disco is a coiler (rangie is on air) you have to remove the shock tower to change them. This is easier said than done as most of the nuts are too badly corroded to remove. I got the first one off with out a problem, but sheared the second stud and rounded the next two... Is there any way of doing the shocks without removing the towers? As far as I can see the only possibility would be to jack the chassis high enough above the axle to unseat the spring - would this work, and if so, how high would I need to jack it? Failing that, is it possible to replace the studs? The only way the towers are coming out is with the aid of an angle grinder... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatboy Posted July 1, 2006 Share Posted July 1, 2006 Geoff, I suppose in theory you could probably replace the shocks by pulling through the bottom of the tower but it would be a major league pain in the butt. The studs on the bottom of the turret are in a ring which is held in place above the spring. When you take the turret off, drop the spring and the ring should just fall out. It is pretty cheap to get and straightforward. I'd recommend that route. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffbeaumont Posted July 1, 2006 Author Share Posted July 1, 2006 Geoff,I suppose in theory you could probably replace the shocks by pulling through the bottom of the tower but it would be a major league pain in the butt. The studs on the bottom of the turret are in a ring which is held in place above the spring. When you take the turret off, drop the spring and the ring should just fall out. It is pretty cheap to get and straightforward. I'd recommend that route. Okay - much more of a PITA than I was bargaining on, but not too bad. What possessed me to go and get another land rover? Cheers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Budgie Posted July 2, 2006 Share Posted July 2, 2006 Paddock's do a H/D turret retaining ring if you're interested Geoff. http://www.paddockspares.com/pp/OFF_ROAD/H...ing_(each).html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffbeaumont Posted July 2, 2006 Author Share Posted July 2, 2006 Paddock's do a H/D turret retaining ring if you're interested Geoff. http://www.paddockspares.com/pp/OFF_ROAD/H...ing_(each).html Anyone actually used these? Are they better/worse than standard ones? I don't see anything about them that would make them less prone to the issue I've got with the standard ones, but then at a fiver each they probably aren't any more expensive either. What it really needs is stainless fastners... How high will I need to jack the truck above the axle to dislocate the spring? It's completely standard suspension, no lift or anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landrover598 Posted July 2, 2006 Share Posted July 2, 2006 The HD rings have longer bolts to fit HD turrets and the metal ring is thicker steel, so less likely to rust away like the standard ones do Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julian Posted July 2, 2006 Share Posted July 2, 2006 The HD rings have longer bolts to fit HD turrets and the metal ring is thicker steel, so less likely to rust away like the standard ones do My 1990 disco ones have got holes around the bottom, but I don't think that's too bad for a 16 year old vehicle? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffbeaumont Posted July 2, 2006 Author Share Posted July 2, 2006 So no real benefit on my truck (leads a pretty easy life and I would expect a standard one to last out the rest of the trucks life), but at that price might as well fit them anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Budgie Posted July 2, 2006 Share Posted July 2, 2006 The benifit of the H/D rings is that the standard ones are made of mild steel, including the bolts. The ring on these is mild steel, only thicker than there others, but the blots are high tensile so less likely to snap in the future. I've got a set of these but not fitted them yet so can't say how goot or bad they are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffbeaumont Posted July 3, 2006 Author Share Posted July 3, 2006 How high will I need to jack the truck above the axle to dislocate the spring? It's completely standard suspension, no lift or anything. Anyone? Could do with knowing whether this is something I've actually got the kit to tackle, or if it's garage time... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landrover598 Posted July 3, 2006 Share Posted July 3, 2006 It would be best to jack the landy up a couple of inches, put axle stands under the chassis Then remove wheels and drop the axle down with a trolley jack Thats how i did it anyway Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Posted July 3, 2006 Share Posted July 3, 2006 been trying to remember how long the springs are, gave up & looked at the 'spare' rear spring in my loft. about a foot uncompressed. got a feeling the fronts where a couple of inches longer, but i cant prove that. i'd jack it up till the wheel is off the floor, then remove the wheel & drop the axle. id expect that to be enough space. id do both sides at once too. when i put my spring spacers in i did one side at a time & when lowering the axle the wheel on the floor was pushing the axle sideways so far the car almost fell off the stands. plus it all drops square so its easier to line it all up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffbeaumont Posted July 3, 2006 Author Share Posted July 3, 2006 Cheers for the tips - doesn't sound too bad. Best get on and order the parts then... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Posted July 4, 2006 Share Posted July 4, 2006 nothing is 'too bad' on a landrover! but then again rebuilding a gearbox on a workmate behind the car in the road was probably a bit silly... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffbeaumont Posted July 4, 2006 Author Share Posted July 4, 2006 nothing is 'too bad' on a landrover! but then again rebuilding a gearbox on a workmate behind the car in the road was probably a bit silly... Put it this way, it doesn't look like much of a challenge next to the range rover that's parked next to it... I've got the transfer box out of that (new one going in very shortly), blown head gasket, dodgy swivel and knackered ABS sensor and something else up with the brakes too. Might just need a change of brake fluid and bleeding, but I suspect the master cylinder might be on the way out... Then it needs a new front wing and drivers door, new rear wing on the other side, new lower tailgate, new boot floor. The megasquirt'n'EDIS install needs finishing off properly (it's been sat in the drivers footwell for a couple of months) and the air suspension controller needs setting up from scratch. Plus I've got plans to fit snorkel(s) and rebuild the old engine as something a bit more interesting. Not too bad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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