Jump to content

Front Shock Options


MattLacey

Recommended Posts

  • Member
  • Member For: 12y 6m 10d
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Melbourne

Had a bit of clunking recently and following a service have been told that the front right shock is gone, showed me a picture and there's oil on everything around it. Still waiting on a price for an OEM one from Ford, but does anyone have thoughts on whether it's better to just fit two aftermarket ones instead? Repco do Monroe ones for $195 a corner... any good?

 

Don't exactly have a heap of $$ to spend right now so full on upgrades are out :( 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Gold Donating Members
  • Member For: 8y 11m 6d
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Canberra ACT

I went KYB (and new King Springs) all round in my BA sedan about 6 months ago and am very happy with the handling. About $125 per corner for the shocks at somewhere like Sparesbox. Should last better than Monroe too. Think about springs too if yours have some age - about $200 a pair and you have to remove the old ones anyway to change the shocks so no extra labour.

 

Also do both sides at once otherwise your handling and especially braking might be a bit unpredictable.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Gold Donating Members
  • Member For: 8y 11m 6d
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Canberra ACT

I'd still do both sides, regardless of brand. Otherwise you will have one new and one partially worn, with different performance.

You could almost guarantee that 2x after market units will be less than a single OE, and the OE will be a rebranded after-market manufacturer anyway.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Member
  • Member For: 12y 6m 10d
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Melbourne

Yeah I was expecting OEM would be more but still waiting on a callback. Looks like sparesbox have them for $116 right now so two of those should do the job nicely. Next up just need to find somewhere to hire coil compressors and I'm set.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Manual mode ________________________ All day, erryday
  • Donating Members
  • Member For: 16y 4m 4d
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Probably above atmospheric pressure

You can buy spring compressor pairs for about $30, maybe $50.  You could on sell them after ( I kept mine).  PS don't point the ends of the spring at your body when it's compressed in case you don't already know.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Gold Donating Members
  • Member For: 8y 11m 6d
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Canberra ACT

Good stuff! Make sure you mark how the top hat aligns with lower mount of the shock. If it is out and you have to twist it into place it is hard work! I bought spring compressors and found they got the old springs off but weren't strong enough for the new springs. Removing the spring/shock assemblies and asking a tyre place or something to switch the shocks over might not be much more than hiring.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Manual mode ________________________ All day, erryday
  • Donating Members
  • Member For: 16y 4m 4d
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Probably above atmospheric pressure

That's true actually, the compressors I bought were cheap and did struggle a bit with the new Kings that went in.  Had to go slowly a turn or two at a time each side when it got to the serious end.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
  • Member
  • Member For: 12y 6m 10d
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Melbourne

So got this done today after a lot of swearing... passenger side was a bitch but got it done, driver side I was completely stuck and losing light. Ended up calling out a mobile mechanic called Jarryd (his company is ASAP Mob Mobile Mechanics) and he got me sorted in no time. Even paying him I still got the job done for less the price quoted for one shock originally, and I got two shocks and a few new tools out of it too boot. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Gold Donating Members
  • Member For: 8y 11m 6d
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Canberra ACT

Good work! I got quoted $1300 for 4x Monroe shocks installed. I paid $850ish and got 4x KYB shocks, 4x king springs, front shock mount bushes and rear sway bar links and D bushes including getting a shop to assemble front struts. DIY for the win, plus some advice from here on the day to keep me moving.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
  • Create New...
'