Shock absorber installation - can we do it ourselves?

As a driver, you know that shock absorbers are one of the most important suspension components of your car. You know that in order to take care of your safety and comfort while driving, you need to pay special attention to these very important elements, replacing them when worn.

When should shock absorbers be replaced?

The main objective of these suspension components is to reduce vibration during movement. When driving on rough roads (for example, on most roads in our country), shock absorbers absorb vibrations from these irregularities, providing good adhesion to the wheels of the vehicle, so that it stands firmly on the road surface, and you drive without feeling the car body sway.

To ensure such driving comfort, these very important components are extremely heavily loaded and quite logically lose their properties and wear out over time.

The service life of shock absorbers depends on the make and model, as well as on climatic, road and the latter, but not least on operating conditions. By default, some quality shock absorbers that work properly can last almost 100 km, but experts advise not to wait that long, but to switch to replacing them after a run of 000 - 60 km, because then they begin to lose their strength very quickly. quality.

How to understand that shock absorbers lose their properties?

• If you start to feel the car swaying behind the wheel.
• If you hear atypical sounds, such as clicks, ringing, creaking, and others in the suspension area when cornering.
• If your driving becomes more difficult and the braking distance increases
• If you notice uneven tire wear.
• If you notice fluid leakage or corrosion on the piston rod or bearings.
• You notice any of these symptoms, or everything is fine, but you have traveled more than 60 - 80 km. - consider replacing shock absorbers.

Shock absorber installation - can we do it ourselves?

This question is asked by all drivers. The truth is that replacing shock absorbers is not a very difficult task, and if you have at least a minimum of technical knowledge, you can easily do it yourself. The replacement process is simple and relatively quick, the tools you need are basic, and you only need a desire and a convenient place to work.

Replacing front and rear shock absorbers - step by step
training:

It is worthwhile to prepare in advance everything necessary for this replacement before rolling up the sleeves and starting the replacement of any part of the car.

Especially for installing shock absorbers, you need to prepare the following:

• Flat, comfortable place to work - if you have a well-equipped and spacious garage, you can work there. If you don't have one, the area where you will be changing should be completely flat and spacious enough to work safely.
• Required Tools - The required tools are really basic and include: a jack or stand, supports, and a set of wrenches and screwdrivers. You probably have all these tools on hand so you won't have to buy anything extra, except maybe a suspension spring remover.

However, you can also hire a friend mechanic or do it at a service center. But now is not about that ...

To facilitate the unscrewing of rusty nuts and bolts, it is useful to purchase WD-40 (this is a liquid that will help you deal with rust on nuts and bolts that need to be unscrewed during removal. Shock absorbers)
Protective Gear - To replace the shock absorbers, you will need the following protective equipment: work clothes, gloves and goggles
A new set of front or rear shock absorbers - here you need to be more careful. If you have never had to buy such auto parts, it is better to consult qualified mechanics or consultants in an auto parts store who will help you choose the right brands and models of shock absorbers for your car model and make.

Uninstalling and installing front shock absorbers

• Park your vehicle on a level surface and tear yourself away from speed.
• Use a stand or jack to raise the car so you can work peacefully. If you use a jack for greater safety, make a few extra spacers
• Remove the front wheels of the vehicle. (Remember that shock absorbers always change in pairs!).
• Remove the brake fluid hoses.
• Use a No. 15 wrench to remove the nuts that hold the shock absorbers on top.
• Remove them from the lower supports and remove them together with a spring.
• Remove the spring using a removal device.
• Remove the old shock absorber. Before installing a new shock absorber, inflate it several times manually.
• Install the new shock absorber in the reverse order.

Uninstalling and installing rear shock absorbers

• Lift the car to the stand
• Remove the rear wheels of the car
• Remove the car from the stand and open the trunk.
• Find the bolts that hold the shock absorbers and unscrew them
• Lift the car again, find and remove the bolts that hold the bottom of the shock absorbers.
• Remove shock absorbers with spring
• Use a device to remove the spring from the shock absorbers.
• Put on shock absorbers several times by hand and place them in the spring.
• Install the rear shock absorbers in reverse order - as previously mentioned

Dismantling and installing the front and rear shock absorbers is not a difficult task, but if you are afraid to make a mistake when replacing, you can use the services of specialized services. Prices for the installation process are not high and range from 50 to 100 $ depending on:

• Brand and model of shock absorbers
• Car make and model
• These are front, rear shock absorbers or MacPherson struts

Why not defer the replacement of shock absorbers?

As already noted, these suspension components are subjected to extremely high loads, which leads to their frequent wear. If you ignore the symptoms that indicate the need to replace them, this can lead to many serious problems, including:

• braking distance increase
• malfunctions of the ABS and other systems in the car
• increase body sway
• premature wear of many other car parts
• If the shock absorbers are worn out, this directly affects the tires, springs, the entire chassis and even the steering wheel of the car.

What should not be forgotten?

• Always remember that shock absorbers change in pairs
• Never experiment or use shock absorbers of the same type.
• When replacing, carefully inspect the anthers, pads, spring and, if necessary, replace them.
• Always inflate 3 to 5 times by hand before installing a new shock absorber.
• After installation, be sure to adjust the tires
• To be sure that the shock absorbers are in order, every 20 km. perform diagnostics in a service center
• Visually inspect at regular intervals to check for leaks or corrosion.

Since these suspension components do not immediately lose their properties, you can gradually get used to tougher driving, increased braking distance, or the noise you hear while driving. Try not to ignore even the slightest sign that shock absorbers are losing their properties. Contact a mechanic immediately, ask for a diagnosis, and if it shows that you have a problem, replace the shock absorbers in a timely manner to avoid a bigger problem in the future.
If you are not very confident in your abilities as a mechanic, it is better not to experiment, but to look for a service or at least a familiar mechanic who knows exactly what he is doing.