Self repair shock absorber. Do-it-yourself shock absorber strut repair

2024 Author: Erin Ralphs | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-19 11:42

Shock absorbers dampen various kinds of vibrations, soften blows from holes, etc. For this, there is a special piston with liquid inside that goes up and down through a viscous substance. As a rule, this part serves for a long time. Do-it-yourself repair of shock absorber struts may not be required. But this is not about our roads. Therefore, you need to know how to repair the shock absorber. There are several nuances that we will talk about.

Removing shock absorbers

There are front and rear racks. Of course, handling on the road and vibration damping depends on all four pillars, but more attention should be paid to the front ones. If a strange knock, creak, fluid leakage, etc. was noticed, then it's time to go to the inspection hole and make a replacement. Of course, you can always go to the service, but shock absorbers are expensive parts, so sometimes it's easier to repair them yourself.

It is best to put the car on a viewing hole, so it will be much more convenient to perform all procedures. To remove the rear shock absorbers, simply remove the wheels andunscrew the fasteners of the rack on the beam support. That's all. After that, you can start repairing the shock absorber. But we still need to remove the front ones, and this is a little more difficult to do. It is advisable to remove the rack with the brake disc, because it is easier and faster. But in any case, you have to sweat.

DIY shock absorber repair

After all the racks are removed, you can proceed directly to the repair. If we are dealing with non-separable shock absorbers, then, in principle, the choice is small. The only thing we can do is add some fluid by drilling a hole in the body. In other cases, the failed part is simply thrown away, and then a new one is installed.

If we are faced with a collapsible type of shock absorbers, which happens most often on the classics, then this is good. First of all, we need to remove the anther from it, and then unscrew the fastening nut and remove the shock absorber. It is immediately desirable to change the liquid inside to a new one, which is due to the loss of its properties during operation. We need to remove the protective ring with the stuffing box from the stem, as well as the seal (gasket). After that, we carry the body of the device to the vise, where it is necessary to clamp it. This must be done carefully so as not to damage the part.

Repair work continues

After the shock absorber is in the vice, you need to pull out the compression valve. This can be done by hand or with pliers. It is also necessary to disconnect the rod along with the piston. If difficulties arise at this stage, then you canapply enough force or, by shaking the stem in different directions, get it out of the body, which is more effective.

After that, we will see the spring in the housing, as well as the throttle disc. There are also several compression valves. Further, all the parts are removed sequentially, and the collection is carried out in the reverse order. It must be remembered that various kinds of defects are formed during operation: mechanical wear, scuffs, etc. All this must not be left unattended. Since our main goal is to repair the shock absorber, everything that has a defect must be changed. For this, it is recommended to use new spare parts. They are sold in special kits in auto shops.

Shock absorber repair, or what else to look for

Each motorist must remember that the replacement of racks is carried out in pairs. That is, if we change one shock absorber, for example, on the left, then the right one must also be replaced. The same applies to repairs, although visually the device may work normally, but literally after 1000-2000 kilometers it may fail, which means that again you need to disassemble everything and change parts.

It is highly recommended to carry out the repair of the front shock absorber (and the rear one too) on the goats, and not on the jacks. This is done solely for security purposes. It is impossible not to notice that the front shock absorbers on cars of the VAZ series are much easier to change than on front-wheel drive foreign cars, since it will require uniform compression of the spring on both sides with the help of special couplers. Do not forget that after a comprehensive replacement of the strut, you will need to drive into a camber / convergence, as the angle is violated, which causes rapid tire wear, poor handling, suspension destruction, etc.

Practical Tips

If you repair shock absorber struts with your own hands, then you need to remember that oil must be replaced. Moreover, you need to fill in not a motor, but a shock absorber, since it is specifically designed for this. After you complete the repair, you do not need to test the car for strength on a bad road, as this leads to the destruction of the entire suspension. I would also like to note that if you are the owner of a modern expensive car, then most likely you have non-separable shock absorbers installed.

As for the tool, every car enthusiast will have it. You will need a rack wrench, in some cases - couplers and springs (for front-wheel drive). That's all we need from the tool. Do not forget about the "goats", on which we install the car, while the repair of VAZ shock absorbers is in progress.

Conclusion

Most people who undertake self-repairs completely sort out the stuffing of the shock absorber. However, this is not at all necessary, you can limit yourself to replacing the cartridge assembly. This ensures that the entire cartridge comes off long enough that it does not need to be taken apart and reassembled every month.

You always need to be able to visually identify and find defects. It's easy to do. Forit is enough to imagine what a “he althy” shock absorber looks like, and yours. If there are any discrepancies, then this is already a reason to think. As for determining the suitability of the spring, if there are no visible defects in the form of cracks, etc., and there is no loss of properties, then it can be left. In all cases, we change the anther (regardless of its condition).

So it turns out that it is not so difficult to repair a shock absorber on your own. To do this, you just need to follow some rules and have the necessary tools. Experience comes with practice, so don't be alarmed if repairs take a long time. It's ok for the first time.