Can shock absorbers be repaired?

[IAmTheWalrus]

Smint said:

IAmTheWalrus said:

Thanks for the responses guys. Do you know if the car can be driven without shocks for the duration if I find a refurbishment company?

No, it would be all over the place.

Depending how poor the present shocks are you might be able to carry on for a while with the existing parts in place, could be worth following your car down normal roads and see how bad the excess bouncing really is.
This is why i suggested getting some used parts, if you can, so the refurber has something to work on whilst yopu stay on the road.
It might be the case this is the first time anyone in refurb world has tried to work on your particular shockers, so could be some time for them sourcing or making parts etc.

My quick search led me to a US Volvo parts place that appeared to offer your shockers @ $369 or so but by the time you've paid shipping and then import charges they'll probably be up to the UK rip off cost, and until you physically offered them up under the car you could never be 100% certain they were the right ones, in which case a nightmare trying to return them.

Thinking laterally, for the time being i wonder if those rubber balls that people used to put inside springs as spring assisters might offer some additional damping effect, obviously this would depend on the springs not being part of a strut with the strut inside the spring.
If this worked, and i submit its only a suggestion off the top of my head, it might give you time to find the right low mileage write off with good used shockers.

What rubber balls? Shocks is all new to me.

thanks.

PS I'm complaining to Volvo that a car worth £3800 which is only that high because of the pandemic, now has an issue that according to their price range costs £1300 for them to fix and asking them to look for cheaper ways to do so, do I have a leg to stand on? I am not original owner. The cars done 140,000 miles but I was told BMW only consider their cars good for 100,000 miles officially, that's their idea of lifetime use FFS. Ironic because their service schedule was replace the head gasket at 100,000 miles.

PSS I was told this type of setup has some special lowered suspension so apparently even if according to a parts guy who has been surprisingly helpful (even though he's clearly not making a sale)and knowledgeable if possible to use standard parts would like end up costing as much as a new pair.

[IAmTheWalrus]

InitialDave said:

IAmTheWalrus said:

PS I'm complaining to Volvo that a car worth £3800 which is only that high because of the pandemic, now has an issue that according to their price range costs £1300 for them to fix and asking them to look for cheaper ways to do so, do I have a leg to stand on?

You have got to be kidding.

You bought a car that probably cost £40k+ new. It comes with £40k+ car bills when things break.

To be clear, you should feel embarrassed for even considering having a moan at Volvo for that.

£40k new, are you serious?

The 'feature' of the self levelling system is not remotely worth the price difference to normal ones. This is outright poor design plain and simple.

[IAmTheWalrus]

Camelot1971 said:

Seriously? You are going to complain to Volvo? About what?? I think I've heard it all on here now. You have a 12 year old car that's been around the world multiple times and an item that wears out with use has worn out after 12 years? What the car is worth these days is completely irrelevant.

Parts are expensive for a car that was expensive back when it was new shocker (pardon the pun). If the car is in good condition and well looked after, and you plan to keep it a while longer, I wouldn't hesitate to have the proper shocks put on, even at £1300.

If the car is a shed and you only have shed money to spend, it's time to sell it as is and buy another shed that fits within your budget to run.

PS I'm speechless that you would even ask if a car could be driven without shocks. Jesus fking Christ.

I don't want the car I bought it in a haste but I don't feel its ethical to sell in this state. Why not ask if a car is driveable without shocks, this is a forum for people to LEARN FROM..

[IAmTheWalrus]

ok well I am hoping I can find a place to repair. I found one company but they only do antique cars. I wonder if the manufacturer itself would have a service? I know they like to sell them, but what happens if someone buys a new car, finds the shocks are gone, they surely don't just toss em and replace with new ones?

[IAmTheWalrus]

paintman said:

IAmTheWalrus said:

ok well I am hoping I can find a place to repair. I found one company but they only do antique cars. I wonder if the manufacturer itself would have a service? I know they like to sell them, but what happens if someone buys a new car, finds the shocks are gone, they surely don't just toss em and replace with new ones?

That'll be 'warranty'.

Oh should I look for warranty companies then?

[IAmTheWalrus]

OK well my optimism got the better of me regarding the warranty comment, OK well I'll emailed 13 mechanics last night to see what they know about refurbishment companies in addition to the three mechanics I spoke to already. Fingers crossed.

[IAmTheWalrus]

Smint said:

To be honest i'd be wary of letting someone loose on your existing shockers unless they've successfully refurbished similar self levellers before, that is unless you have a spare set from a written off (hopefully lower mileage) suitable donor car and send the worse of the two pairs for potential refurb.

If they prove impossible to reseal whilst under considerable gas pressure effectively after being worked on then they're only fit for the skip, and if its the only set you have then you've spent possibly several weeks with an undriveable car and still have no choice but to buy new.

If twer me, i'd be underneath closely examining the existing for any details on the parts, then measuring accurately and taking myrid photgraphs, possibly even nip one off for precise measuring/photgraphing, also checking the other side in case the parts have left/right fittings, then search worldwide for the most economic solution new...in the meantime doing all i could to find suitable used parts, i've found almost brand new self levellers fitted to scrappers for two of my cars in the past, no reason why you shouldn't have the same luck.

I don't think I will be getting the same luck but I'll try. Someone mentioned there's a big volvo scrap place somewhere. Can I take off the shocks with a standard tool set?

[IAmTheWalrus]

Smint said:

That big scrap yard is at Wyboston, St Neots, on the left going north 1/2 mile north of Black Cat roundabout A1.

I only went there once many years ago, not exactly the friendliest of places at the time, i'd be more inclined to ring around the Ebay ads showing your model being broken.

Unless they are inside the springs, like a strut, shockers normally come off ok, normally decent 6 sided sockets will undo the bolts and i would urge you to use 6 sided sockets impact or otherwise as less chance of rounding any nuts off, there might be corrosion issues with any through bolts so i'd give them a soaking or two in Plus Gas (not WD40 which isn't penetrating oil) a few days before trying to undo them.

Edited by Smint on Friday 24th June 13:15

Thank you *very much* for the directs, not sure a place would let me prat about spraying stuff up a couple of days before hand, I've always heard wd40 is penetrative?

[IAmTheWalrus]

Here's a thought, could I not just find out the specs of the nivomat shocks exact size and contact normal shock suppliers to see if they have any to fit? Then it's just a case of getting the ecu sorted to avoid a light.

[IAmTheWalrus]

Well this is turning out to be an expensive problem. The parts guy at pfs seems to be understanding part sizes down to the mm. I just wondered if I had the specs for the shock I could email a load of shock makers to see if they had something. It's strange that the car looks like the ones I see on YouTube and they have normal shocks. I can't find any s80 for parts on ebay, I'm awaiting a response from the big volvo breakers.

[IAmTheWalrus]

trumpet1608 said:

I've just found this kit that replaces your self levelling set up. All for €369.

https://geparts.se/en/rebuildingkit-nivomat/volvo/...

Thanks however everyone is saying that my car cannot be done, though that kit may be not fit as my car is front wheel drive. I've emailed them on Saturday and awaiting response.

[IAmTheWalrus]

trumpet1608 said:

I've just found this kit that replaces your self levelling set up. All for €369.

https://geparts.se/en/rebuildingkit-nivomat/volvo/...

I just realised looking at the link, my Volvo indy told me the part number is 31304101 and this is not on the link for parts it replaces.