Technical Rear shocks

[B7TMW]

I know this has been discussed before but I'm looking for advice.

1.2 lounge I bought for my daughter has a knock on the rear end. Theres a receipt in the history for new rear shocks LAST YEAR yet both top mount bushes have signs of the rubber de-laminating from the metal surrounds!

We know rear shocks are poor on these an I don't know the make thats been fitted (stickers just have a series of numbers no make). I can get Sachs from ECP and I always fit Sachs to the BMW's I work on as Boge Sachs are OEM equipment and I've never had an issue with them.

My question is, has anyone fitted these and if so, what bolts are required? And where to get them? I'm hearing that people are choosing different makes but the original bolts are smaller than the holes in the shocks? and so they rattle? This may well be my issue and not the mounts at all (as a year and a few thousand miles does seem a bit extreme?).

Thanks in advance.

 

[John202020]

Found Sachs for £47 http://www.carparts4less.co.uk/cp4l...cc6533fba6554605e8b08c3785f3e90804b289&000925

Monroe £30
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-OE-QU...156476?hash=item5b1da1a3fc:g:vB8AAOSwNphWaGHw

Bilstein £41

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bilstein-...692473?hash=item463c8ea6b9:g:r78AAOSwstxVf-WR

Any would be fine and should require no different bolts, if they do then they're not the right part!

 

[B7TMW]

Thanks for that. I can get the Sachs for a very favourable rate at my local ECP so I think I'll go for them.

Or, considering they were only replaced last year, do I try a set of the following?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SUPERFLEX...668993?hash=item1a12916841:g:3ocAAOSwax5Y26X0

 

[John202020]

Thanks for that. I can get the Sachs for a very favourable rate at my local ECP so I think I'll go for them.

Or, considering they were only replaced last year, do I try a set of the following?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SUPERFLEX...668993?hash=item1a12916841:g:3ocAAOSwax5Y26X0

Interesting item, my question would be, how do you press them into the shock(vice might work with protective grips?), and remember to measure the Dia of "your" top eye as it states these are for original fit ones so maybe bigger whilst on measure the bolt dia and ask seller what dia their hole is as its not stated just to be sure?

 

[B7TMW]

I've never poly bushed a car before as I've always used OEM replacements but in this instance, considering the failure rate of the OEM ones, I think it's worth a bash for the money.

Funny thing is, I thought it had had a pair of shocks on the rear but on checking the invoice, they only charged for one. However.......Both shocks on the car are exactly the same and look the same age. They do look like recent replacements but I don't think it had one last year.

I'm going to whip them both off over the weekend and check how efficient they are. My money is on they are going to be good and if that's the case, I'll measure up the top bushes and if the match those powerflex ones? A pair are going in. Lets road test a set, see how they last!

 

[B7TMW]

The plot thickens. As I said, only one shock was paid for last year yet they both look the same.

Today i took them off. The offside is dated 2016 (this was the side that was changed last year) and the Nearside is exactly the same make. It's dated 2015. So it has definitely had a pair of the same make fitted recently. And on checking the part number, they are the more expensive Sachs which is exactly what I would have fitted!

So I see no point in changing them for exactly the same, only to be in the same position (with knocking) in a year to 18 months time!

The newer one has signs of delamination on the top bush. The nearside older one (still looking to be only 2 years to 18 months old) is bad. And I can find NO other obvious faults under there.

So I'm going to road test a set of Powerflex upper bushes. I'll cut the old out, fit these and lets see how it goes.

 

[vanilla8]

Sorry to gatecrash thread but my 2009 500 has just failed MOT on rear shocks.

How much should I expect to pay Labour wise (1 hour job?) and what shocks do people recommend to replace with?

 

[John202020]

Sorry to gatecrash thread but my 2009 500 has just failed MOT on rear shocks.

How much should I expect to pay Labour wise (1 hour job?) and what shocks do people recommend to replace with?

I would get the Monroe I listed above quality British brand(you can get cheaper if you're only keeping the car a few years on Ebay) about 1.5 hours labour they're very easy to replace other than getting the bolts out.

This is a job you could do yourself if you've any DIY experience?

Really cheap shocks, PAIR!; http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FIAT-500-...749376?hash=item25d5064b00:g:-I4AAOSw03lY6Bbj

 

[vanilla8]

Thanks for the reply, unfortunately no time to fix it myself this week - MOT up end of month, but i will note for future.

 

[John202020]

Thanks for the reply, unfortunately no time to fix it myself this week - MOT up end of month, but i will note for future.

At least you know how much the parts can cost retail, if getting the dealer/garage to do them ask what brand and price they are?

 

[vanilla8]

I rang two garages - both quoting KYB branded shocks one at £200 and the other at £150.

 

[B7TMW]

Sorry to gatecrash thread but my 2009 500 has just failed MOT on rear shocks.

How much should I expect to pay Labour wise (1 hour job?) and what shocks do people recommend to replace with?

I don't think it matters what brand you get. Even the more expensive Sachs brand on ours has already started to show signs after 12 months.

I was in having a customers 535d MOTd today and they'd just "advised" rear shock top bushes on a very nice 2011 Lounge. And they said they advise (or fail) this defect on virtually every 500 in for an MOT. I stated that I was going to road test a set of power flex bushes and they want to know the results. They'll be MOTing it in December so it'll have 8 months on them by then.

One thing that has happened after putting the car back together while I await the new bushes, is that the car is quieter. The knocks are still there but much more muted. What I always do with suspension (and have done since my old ford track control arm work) is to NOT torque any bolts until the suspension is loaded. I'm now wondering if that's whats killing so many prematurely. People are torquing up with the suspension dropped and so when loaded up, it's putting undue strain on the bushes.

 

[B7TMW]

I rang two garages - both quoting KYB branded shocks one at £200 and the other at £150.

Is that fitted? I hope so as KYB's are the cheaper ones and you can get them at less that 30 quid a side? Sachs are £70 each retail.

 

[John202020]

Is that fitted? I hope so as KYB's are the cheaper ones and you can get them at less that 30 quid a side? Sachs are £70 each retail.

Wow £200 to replace two parts @£15 each, I know you're short of time but have you 2 hours? That's all it would take and no special tools

 

[bluejohn125]

It's pretty outrageous that professional garages can't be bothered to torque up 4 suspension bolts correctly, i.e. with weight on the suspension. I wouldn't be surprised if this causes problems on these cars, since the shocks do sit at an angle.

I'd be cautious of KYB shocks... I had a set of Excel-G gas shocks put on my Brava a few years back as they were considered a slightly sportier upgrade on standard. However the ride became gradually harsher (I didn't notice but others did) until I realised that they had become truly awful, and I didn't really trust the handling any more. I found a set of Gabriels on Ebay and together with some cheap Suplex springs everything is transformed now.

 

[p6baseunit]

The rear shocks went in both my cars around the 20000mile mark and 3 years. Both the twin air and convertible. The bad handling caused by the bushes was most noticeable on the twin air. The rear shock bushes were cracking and beginning to part and was causing the rear end to hop, on uneven surfaces on dual carriageway bends. A trusted local tire and suspension firm recommended and fitted Monroes for £160 on both cars

 

[B7TMW]

The rear shocks went in both my cars around the 20000mile mark and 3 years. Both the twin air and convertible. The bad handling caused by the bushes was most noticeable on the twin air. The rear shock bushes were cracking and beginning to part and was causing the rear end to hop, on uneven surfaces on dual carriageway bends. A trusted local tire and suspension firm recommended and fitted Monroes for £160 on both cars

That hopping is exactly what ours is doing. How many miles has the car done now and how are they holding up?

 

[p6baseunit]

To be honest the TwinAir had been doing this for a while, gradually getting worse. It was only when I bought a 1.2 convertible with 7000miles that I realised this wasn't normal lol and jacked the TwinAir up to take a look.
The rubber bushes were cracking and only beginning to part a little.
Its been 5000miles and the car still drives fine. The bushes on the monroes is solid, so I hope it will last longer

 

[p6baseunit]

That hopping is exactly what ours is doing. How many miles has the car done now and how are they holding up?

The rear suspension was redesigned in 2010 as this was an issue with previous cars. Replacing the slightly warn shocks on my 2013 car, got the rear end back under control. It was only ever a real issue on my twin air, when going at speed into bends and hitting uneven road.

 

[B7TMW]

Well that didn't go to plan!!!

PowerFlex bushes arrived. Stripped one shock off and offered up a new bush.....

Didn't bloody fit!!!!! Miles out. So they are going back and I've ordered a set of the SuperFlex ones instead.

They'll be here this week sometime.

You can see here, they were as big as the outer rings diameter. Whether you are supposed to squeeze them in I'm not sure but I wasn't going to try to be honest.