Cheers for that, Jock! Yeah, this is why I was looking at doing the shocks with a pal. Just learn one thing now rather than overload because I know I won't be taking it in.Nothing wrong with your attitude towards this. It's easy for us, with experience behind us and a good selection of tools, to say this or that is an easy task. Then, someone with very little experience and/or knowledge and/or selection of quality tools, tries to do it and finds a bolt hopelessly corroded or breaks off a stud or any of many other possibilities. It's good to know your limitations but also good to try new things especially if you have a more knowledgeable/experienced friend to offer help and advice. Knowing your comfortable limits is to be applauded.
Do you have a local trade factor nearby? living in a big city I have the choice of several. Like these for instance:
SRS, who are my default source: https://groupauto.co.uk/member/24736/srs-autoparts/
Then there's Pentland Components who are only about another 15 minutes away: https://www.pentlandcomponents.com/
Of course there's also the ever present Euro Car Parts: https://www.eurocarparts.com/edinbu...aces&utm_medium=Listing&utm_campaign=Scotland but they're a wee bit further so I seldom use them.
Organisations like these will be who are supplying all your local wee independent garages - and some of the "Big Boys" too, mostly for non franchise sales vehicles. Quality from sources like these are usually excellent and you might get a very pleasant surprise if you ask for some prices. There's also the big advantage that if a supplied part is not correct for your vehicle, getting it changed is really easy and quick.
We live in the same city, it turns out, so that's helpful. I'll check those places out to get a price for all the parts. I was also looking at Shop4Parts and AutoPartsPro for parts.
For this as well, I'm still a bit unsure about doing it. I thinkt he whole spring pops off and goes through your skull thing put me off (even though that's extremely unlikely). Again, I want to learn one thing at a time, and my friend's good with changing the rear shocks, so we're going to do that part only.If you are doing the shocks you are doing the springs as well, No special tools needed. No additional tools needed. With shocks removed, the axle droops down and the springs literally fall out.
Thanks for the advice, everyone! Been super helpful in here. I'm glad I joined and I can't wait to get the wee Panda on the road