Shocks & Springs Replacement & Suspension Setup

[mickydoo]

Gents,

Just had a quote on the following shocks/springs & bushes replacement & setup. Your opinion on competitiveness required. Thanks.

Replace dampers £140.00 +vat
Damper set up £60-100 +vat
Replace susp. bushes & diff bushes £540.00 + parts +vat
Complete susp. set up £120.00 +vat
All done together save £60.00 on the cost

I think that seems quite reasonable to me - what do you think?

[scotty_d]

mickydoo said:

Gents,

Just had a quote on the following shocks/springs & bushes replacement & setup. Your opinion on competitiveness required. Thanks.

Replace dampers £140.00 +vat
Damper set up £60-100 +vat
Replace susp. bushes & diff bushes £540.00 + parts +vat
Complete susp. set up £120.00 +vat
All done together save £60.00 on the cost

I think that seems quite reasonable to me - what do you think?

Replace dampers £140 works out at 2 1/2 work seems like a bit long for 8 nuts and bolts and slipping them in.

What is the diffrence in damper set up and complete suspension set up? Setting dampers involves turning a knob. ??? And they want to charge separate for that.

£540 for the labour for bush's depends if you mean all the wishbone bushs? and the diff. Does sound about right, a good few hours work in that.

Just my take on it as a tight arse home mechanic scotsman

[Tanguero]

Agreed scotty_d!! Dampers shouldn't take half that time though I suppose setting them up involves setting ride height as well as the damper setting. That really is part of the overall suspension setup though.

I am not sure I would change all the bushes for that money though - especially if the diff bushes are included.

[mickydoo]

Sounds like replacing the shocks & springs is quite an easy job.

I'm pretty competent with a set of spanners - can this be done on my driveway with a set of ramps, jack & axle stands? How hard on a scale of 1-5 where 5 is engine out & 1 is removing a wheel? :-)

[TVR_CS]

mickydoo said:

Sounds like replacing the shocks & springs is quite an easy job.

I'm pretty competent with a set of spanners - can this be done on my driveway with a set of ramps, jack & axle stands? How hard on a scale of 1-5 where 5 is engine out & 1 is removing a wheel? :-)

1.5, I've done it and I am no way a mechanic. You would probably be able to do it it in half a day which includes setting up the ride height. I would measure the height at each corner from out rigger to floor so you can set up the new shocks the same. Make sure you get a set of C spanners supplied with the shocks to adjust the springs. Take the car out for an spin and recheck the ride height, you might have to re-adjust the shocks once they have settled in properly.

[ukkid35]

mickydoo said:

Replace susp. bushes & diff bushes £540.00 + parts +vat

Does that include the diff top bush?

[PuffsBack]

mickydoo said:

Sounds like replacing the shocks & springs is quite an easy job.

I'm pretty competent with a set of spanners - can this be done on my driveway with a set of ramps, jack & axle stands? How hard on a scale of 1-5 where 5 is engine out & 1 is removing a wheel? :-)

Shocks and springs is easy, however get a fully geo check done afterwards.

[Tanguero]

And the base setting for ride height is 130mm between the floor and the outrigger corner plate at each corner.

[Boatbuoy]

Mickydoo,

I just did mine last weekend and it's going to Nigel at Red Mist for a Geo check and corner weighting on Saturday. The damper replacement is quite easy and only needs a few simple tools, took me 1/2 a day all in but I was learning as I went and had a seized bolt to deal with. I would say if I was doing it again it would take me 30 mins per corner. I can drop by and lend a hand if you want?

I can thoroughly recomend reading through the couple of useful links on the thread I ran last week, which can be found here:
http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/topic.asp?h=0...

Regards,
Olly

P.S. Having just read your thread about starting issues I'm a little worried you might get confused and try to change the wrong parts

[mickydoo]

You know, I was wondering why the ride was still pants after changing the round wheel inside the car....doesn't this have any effect?