General Replacing front shocks?

[edessex]

I've got a '93 (Mk2) Uno 999cc, how easy are the front stocks to replace, and what tools are needed?

Is this the type of job that most of you would attempt at home, or is it a mechanics job?

-Ed.M

 

[Gav F]

Its relatively easy, Spanners and Socket Set. You will need some spring compressors to take off the spring but these cost around £10 and come in handy for future.
When you drop the springs you can then remove the shock, three nuts ontop of the wing in the engine bay need undoing to drop the shock down. from memory there are two bolts holding the shocks to the wishbone, i think. I can check tommorow
Hope It was helpful

 

[edessex]

Cheers mate!

How long do you think it would take, if all goes smoothly, to remove the old ones and fit the new ones?

The only other problem is my drive is gravel, and although its only laid thinly, its on top of muck (clay mainly I think), would you attempt it on this kind of surface?

I might be able to do it on the patio, but it would depend how long the job takes!

 

[Gav F]

hmmm, im not sure on the length as ive only ever undone the shock and replaced the springs.
Shouldn't take long atall, just has a few tight bolts to get undone, i used WD40 first left to soak in for about 10mins then tried it, helpd with undoing them.
I usually work in my garage but if you lay something under neath so you get stones diggin in your back and collect the nuts and bolts so you dont lose any i reckon you can do it on gravel

 

[edessex]

Cheers mate.

And I'll let you know about those springs and tyres

 

[Gav F]

 

[thepottleflump]

I've jacked a car up once on clay/soil. It started to sink so I wouldn't recommend it. Getting the top nut off the shock is probably the most difficult bit. If you don't know what you're doing pay a garage to do it. You really don't want a face full of highly tensioned spring.

 

[bandido41]

:yeahthat: it could potentially be fatal if you dont tension the spring clamps correctly and they were to come out of the clamps.

 

[Dunc Uno Turbo]

hour max to swap shocks and springs. i can do it in my sleep tho! done it often enough!

Dunc

 

[antsuno2]

use a piece of wood, a wooden board under your jack and it wont sink! the top nut will be tight and usally needs air gun to remove, but you could always ask a garage to loosen it and lightly tighten it up so you can remove at home, 2 bolts to the hub, and when you remove the parts under the top nut place them in order for refitting, you could take pics of each stage as a ref, or buy a haynes manual which always helps, spring compressors are £20 upwards, its a fairly easy job to the mechanicaly newbs, but if your not i'd pay a garage, they will charge you about an hour a side as a rough estimate! good luck Ant1

 

[Gav F]

the spring compressors can be cheaper then £20 mine were a tenner and ive used them on my uno and dad's jeep

 

[edessex]

Cheers guys...

This may sound like a daft question... but how long do the spring compressers need to be?

I've already got a Haynes manual... and I've had a stare for a little bit, it dosen't seem as complicated as I first thought, but I'm not saying I'll find it easy!

With any luck I might be able to get the car round the back of my house and on to the patio, failing that it will have to be a board on the drive!

 

[Gav F]

i just got some standard ones! and just compress them till i couldnt lol

 

[electricmice]

It's easy, you'll be fine. Just stick to the process and give a good WD40 to everything to make it easier. It gives you a good chance to look up into the wing to clean and check. The next time you will be able to do it in your sleep.