Help - rear suspension failure !
Discussion
There I was driving home, wondering if I really wanted to take the dash off to look at the alarm that stopped working today, when there was a nasty banging noise from the rear....sounded like I'd left the boot lid open and it was banging away.
So I stopped to shut the thing properly and found that the ground was a little nearer than it used to be !
Looks like my rear shock has come through the rear parcel shelf.
I still had about 5 miles to get home and it was a very slow and painful journey, with the exhaust catching the road every so often.
Any advice on how bad this might actually be /
Thanks
Phil
So I stopped to shut the thing properly and found that the ground was a little nearer than it used to be !
Looks like my rear shock has come through the rear parcel shelf.
I still had about 5 miles to get home and it was a very slow and painful journey, with the exhaust catching the road every so often.
Any advice on how bad this might actually be /
Thanks
Phil
Philr said:
There I was driving home, wondering if I really wanted to take the dash off to look at the alarm that stopped working today, when there was a nasty banging noise from the rear....sounded like I'd left the boot lid open and it was banging away.
So I stopped to shut the thing properly and found that the ground was a little nearer than it used to be !
Looks like my rear shock has come through the rear parcel shelf.
I still had about 5 miles to get home and it was a very slow and painful journey, with the exhaust catching the road every so often.
Any advice on how bad this might actually be /
Thanks
Phil
Hi Phil
This happened to me a week after I bought the car back in January. I was taking it to local specialist to have an idling issue looked at, when similar to you there was a strange knocking / creaking noise from the back behind the passenger seat. I thought at first that one of the roof struts was loose and carried on the journey. However as I carried on, the knocking got worse so I stopped. Seeing that the suspension was a lot lower than it should be, I lifted up the carpet to also the suspension spring had broken through. You're braver than me for continuing the journey - I called the AA and had it low loaded down to APM Automotive in Liphook.
According to Andy, he had only ever seen a couple before - top of strut had sheared off by the thread. Car had only passed MOT week before, so wasnt something that could have been foreseen.
I was worried about massive expense, but in the end the bill was approx £550 (cant be more specific as had a few other bits done as well so cant divide the bill properly just for the shocks). This was 2 shocks, bushes, labour and VAT. Shocks were standard replacement rather than anything special but suit me fine. Bill also included re-glassing back shelf where shock broke through, and with carpet over the top you cant tell the difference.
Have just had the car serviced where Andy changed the fronts as well - said that they were a bit worn, and after my earlier experience he didnt want to risk it again! So might be worth checking out when you get the rears replaced.
Good Luck
Tony
So I stopped to shut the thing properly and found that the ground was a little nearer than it used to be !
Looks like my rear shock has come through the rear parcel shelf.
I still had about 5 miles to get home and it was a very slow and painful journey, with the exhaust catching the road every so often.
Any advice on how bad this might actually be /
Thanks
Phil
Hi Phil
This happened to me a week after I bought the car back in January. I was taking it to local specialist to have an idling issue looked at, when similar to you there was a strange knocking / creaking noise from the back behind the passenger seat. I thought at first that one of the roof struts was loose and carried on the journey. However as I carried on, the knocking got worse so I stopped. Seeing that the suspension was a lot lower than it should be, I lifted up the carpet to also the suspension spring had broken through. You're braver than me for continuing the journey - I called the AA and had it low loaded down to APM Automotive in Liphook.
According to Andy, he had only ever seen a couple before - top of strut had sheared off by the thread. Car had only passed MOT week before, so wasnt something that could have been foreseen.
I was worried about massive expense, but in the end the bill was approx £550 (cant be more specific as had a few other bits done as well so cant divide the bill properly just for the shocks). This was 2 shocks, bushes, labour and VAT. Shocks were standard replacement rather than anything special but suit me fine. Bill also included re-glassing back shelf where shock broke through, and with carpet over the top you cant tell the difference.
Have just had the car serviced where Andy changed the fronts as well - said that they were a bit worn, and after my earlier experience he didnt want to risk it again! So might be worth checking out when you get the rears replaced.
Good Luck
Tony
Thanks for the replies.
I think I'll be putting in a call to Austec tomorrow. I was thinking about doing this for the alarm...right before the shock came through.
Funnily enough a few weeks back there was a really loud bang from the back of the car. So loud in fact that I took the car down to Austec to get them to check it over on the ramps. Suspension was my concern at the time, but Martin checked it over and everything seemed OK. Sounds like this might have been the problem after all.
I had no option really other than to drive it home. Rejoining AA/RAC was somewhere on my list of things to do....
Might be joining soon with home start option and then wait a week to get it trailered down to Austec.
No way I could drive it that far.
Phil
I think I'll be putting in a call to Austec tomorrow. I was thinking about doing this for the alarm...right before the shock came through.
Funnily enough a few weeks back there was a really loud bang from the back of the car. So loud in fact that I took the car down to Austec to get them to check it over on the ramps. Suspension was my concern at the time, but Martin checked it over and everything seemed OK. Sounds like this might have been the problem after all.
I had no option really other than to drive it home. Rejoining AA/RAC was somewhere on my list of things to do....
Might be joining soon with home start option and then wait a week to get it trailered down to Austec.
No way I could drive it that far.
Phil
Edited by Philr on Thursday 22 May 22:32
Edited by Philr on Thursday 22 May 22:33
trackcar said:
a not-uncommon failure of the damper rod just under the top mounting eye probably. Don't be tempted to jack it up and take a look unless you want a road spring catapulting itself through the air!
I had just this type of failure on my front drivers side shock/damper. As they eye had sheared off the spring was still held by the rest of the damper. Tower View Race Services were able to fit new front springs and dampers the next day.
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