Dieselman
Banned
- Joined
- Jul 13, 2003
- Messages
- 34,199
- Car
- Peugeot 403 Convertible
Having been feeling that my car was a little spongy I decided to replace the dampers.
This is a simple job and can be done at home without special tools or equipment.
Tools required:
6mm spanner or molegrips, 16mm and 17mm spanners and 16mm and 17mm sockets.
Phillips screwdriver and flat screwdriver or trim removal tool
Ramps
Jack.
Chose which end to do and run the car up onto ramps.
Rear end:
To access the rear mounts you need to remove the boot carpet in front of the fuel tank. You can see the top mountings inside the wheel arches.
Undo the locknut whilst retaining the main nut so the piston doesn't twist, then undo the main nut whilst retaining the piston shaft. There are flats on the shaft to do this with.
Next go under the car and undo the small screws retaining the plastic guard covering the lower suspension arm and unclip. Then undo the bolt through the eye of the bottom of the damper.
Repeat on the other side then jack the body of the car up to give enough space to lift then withdraw the dampers.
Jacking under the differential is a good place for this.
Refitting is a reversal of removal but don't tighten the bolts until the weight is back on the suspension, noting to be careful not to turn the piston shaft whilst tightening the nuts.
Note to fit the top rubber mouting to the top of the damper before fitting to the car.
New bolts/washers are supplied with the dampers.
The rust on the subframe is superficial and the oil on the differential is mainly from the breather but the seals are on the hit list along with rustproofing both subframes. The underbody has been done and there is no rust.
Moving to the front end:
Car on ramps then undo the top nuts which are inside the engine bay near the 12v connection and the duo valve.
A crowsfoot spanner would be useful at this point due to access but it can be done with a normal spanner.
Bottom mount.
Jack car up and withdraw dampers. Refit is reverse again pay attention to not turning the piston shaft, fit the upper mouting and don't tighten until the weight is back on the suspension.
This sight will greet you once you remove the front dampers. This is caused by the upper rubber mount rubbing through the paint and it is inevitible. The steel is double plated with heavy steel so corrosion isn't really an issue here. I rubbed this down with a wire brush and have applied rustproofing to the area to stop any further corrosion.
This could be done without ramps if one wheel was removed at a time , however with ramps no wheels need to be removed.
I estimate my dampers to be about 2/3rd worn so no miraculous tranformation, but cornering is definately flatter.
I used Sachs dampers which are the original fitment. Interestingly these are fairly soft until they get to a compressed state when due to an internal bump stop they become much firmer. This gives a supple ride with flatter cornering.
This is a simple job and can be done at home without special tools or equipment.
Tools required:
6mm spanner or molegrips, 16mm and 17mm spanners and 16mm and 17mm sockets.
Phillips screwdriver and flat screwdriver or trim removal tool
Ramps
Jack.
Chose which end to do and run the car up onto ramps.
Rear end:
To access the rear mounts you need to remove the boot carpet in front of the fuel tank. You can see the top mountings inside the wheel arches.
Undo the locknut whilst retaining the main nut so the piston doesn't twist, then undo the main nut whilst retaining the piston shaft. There are flats on the shaft to do this with.
Next go under the car and undo the small screws retaining the plastic guard covering the lower suspension arm and unclip. Then undo the bolt through the eye of the bottom of the damper.
Repeat on the other side then jack the body of the car up to give enough space to lift then withdraw the dampers.
Jacking under the differential is a good place for this.
Refitting is a reversal of removal but don't tighten the bolts until the weight is back on the suspension, noting to be careful not to turn the piston shaft whilst tightening the nuts.
Note to fit the top rubber mouting to the top of the damper before fitting to the car.
New bolts/washers are supplied with the dampers.
The rust on the subframe is superficial and the oil on the differential is mainly from the breather but the seals are on the hit list along with rustproofing both subframes. The underbody has been done and there is no rust.
Moving to the front end:
Car on ramps then undo the top nuts which are inside the engine bay near the 12v connection and the duo valve.
A crowsfoot spanner would be useful at this point due to access but it can be done with a normal spanner.
Bottom mount.
Jack car up and withdraw dampers. Refit is reverse again pay attention to not turning the piston shaft, fit the upper mouting and don't tighten until the weight is back on the suspension.
This sight will greet you once you remove the front dampers. This is caused by the upper rubber mount rubbing through the paint and it is inevitible. The steel is double plated with heavy steel so corrosion isn't really an issue here. I rubbed this down with a wire brush and have applied rustproofing to the area to stop any further corrosion.
This could be done without ramps if one wheel was removed at a time , however with ramps no wheels need to be removed.
I estimate my dampers to be about 2/3rd worn so no miraculous tranformation, but cornering is definately flatter.
I used Sachs dampers which are the original fitment. Interestingly these are fairly soft until they get to a compressed state when due to an internal bump stop they become much firmer. This gives a supple ride with flatter cornering.
