Advice please on self levelling shock absorber.

[ajlelectronics]

I had an MOT fail on the Scorpio for oil on one shock. (I have a faint suspicion suddenly appeared during the MOT, but I digress). A secondhand one has been aquired which looks dry although the boot is rotten, but I am surprised that with my weight on it, it will not compress. Is this normal for a self leveller, or is it seized please?

 

[angellonewolf]

I got 2 new shocks for my ford cmax and I can push them down really easy down know if that's helps

 

[ajlelectronics]

I got 2 new shocks for my ford cmax and I can push them down really easy down know if that's helps

Yes I have a pair of new Monroe non levelling and they behave as expected.

 

[octo0072000]

all you can do is fit it and see Scorpio is not a lightweight barge at best

springs for non leveling are also different to leveling ones

 

[normspanners]

They are gas filled and I doubt you will get them to move !!

 

[ajlelectronics]

Norm, that is very interesting. Before my MOT, I had done a lot of work on the bottom of the car and saw nothing in the way of leaky shockers. When it went into MOT, it failed on oil dripping off the bottom and on the lower part of the piston rod, apparently from the shock absorber. Now if it is gas filled, where did that oil come from? It did have the characteristic smell of EP80/90 too.

 

[normspanners]

Shocker oil hardly smells IMO ep 90 cat urine as you know
Well... if the shocker is dry it cant fail best day is a rainy one We dont/ cannot do a bounce check now.
Gas filled still leak but i think you would see the obvious loll of the car because its the gas that holds it up (that is not lol btw ) and the gas would be GONE
LOL
got to go MOT to do at 13.00

 

[ajlelectronics]

I have to withdraw my casting of "perspirations". Just looked at the shocker and it is again wet with oil, clearly failed between my last inspection and the MOT. Tester was very good actually, finding a drop link that has excess play which I had missed as well as the airbag light that had behaved for a fortnight, but came on during the test. So the shocker needs replacing, a job that I am not looking forward to as it seems to require much rear end disassemby. Oh well it will just have to wait until I have the time and interest.

 

[normspanners]

perspirations

That is what is happening to the shocker its sweating

 

[octo0072000]

Rear of car on stands car on stands wheel off jack up suspension arm remove top bolt there used to be a blanking plate over shocker if not remove trim panel
undo two bolts holding bottom shocker mount slides out no need to touch the spring etc

 

[ajlelectronics]

Rear of car on stands car on stands wheel off jack up suspension arm remove top bolt there used to be a blanking plate over shocker if not remove trim panel
undo two bolts holding bottom shocker mount slides out no need to touch the spring etc

Nope! Self levelling are thicker and will not drop through the hole in the wishbone.

 

[ajlelectronics]

Ford instructions
http://www.fordscorpio.co.uk/manual/suspension/RAxleShockAbs.pdf

for the estate with self levelling are to start by removing the spring with this procedure...
http://www.fordscorpio.co.uk/manual/suspension/RearRSpring.pdf

Then swap the shocker before putting it all back again. Looks like a few hours work to me.

I have pondered on dropping the shocker, then using spring compressors to remove the spring. I assume that Ford didn't want their bunnies using such lethal tools which is why the disassembly? Or am I in cuckoo land again as usual?

 

[octo0072000]

Ford instructions
http://www.fordscorpio.co.uk/manual/suspension/RAxleShockAbs.pdf

for the estate with self levelling are to start by removing the spring with this procedure...
http://www.fordscorpio.co.uk/manual/suspension/RearRSpring.pdf

Then swap the shocker before putting it all back again. Looks like a few hours work to me.

I have pondered on dropping the shocker, then using spring compressors to remove the spring. I assume that Ford didn't want their bunnies using such lethal tools which is why the disassembly? Or am I in cuckoo land again as usual?

are you sure it won't drop out the bottom long time since i did one but certainly didn't remove half the stuff the ford manual says

 

[ajlelectronics]

are you sure it won't drop out the bottom long time since i did one but certainly didn't remove half the stuff the ford manual says

I think the key is that it is an estate. The saloon is simple in comparison.

 

[octo0072000]

I think the key is that it is an estate. The saloon is simple in comparison.

No it was estate how does the little bar on the bottom mount of the shocker bolt on is the bar on the inside of wishbone or under it

 

[normspanners]

the gas just improves the ride and makes them more resistant to "frothing" the shock oil which messes with the damping

The Gas doesnt just have one function on self levelers it doesnt just keep pressure on the oil, to maintain damping.
It actively levels and lifts the car, taking the weight of some of the load. The gas is in an accumulator.