how to remove front rear shocks and put in new -vyss03 ute

[BOSSVY]

gday

my vyss03 manual ute is starting to get a bit bouncy ..... i changed the springs and lowered it about an inch /inch 1/2 a month or so ago ,but didnt do shocks due to money restrictions at the time , so now time to get some shocks in and thought i could do it myself .

has any1 done it, is it easy ?
take you long ?
can you suggest what shock i need taking into account i carry weight in the back anywhere from 200kg minimum to im guessing 500kgs on odd occasions ( its my work ute ) so need a good heavy duty shock for rear and is it worth keeping the front ones softer ??


any helps appreciated cheers

[SLEEPERVX]

For the fronts, start here: http://www.ls1.com.au/forum/showthread.php?104279-DIY-Lowering-VT-VZ-Commodore-Front-Suspension

Rears are a pice of piss. As for shocks, what is your budget? You could start with something cheaper like Monroe GT sports, Boge, or Pedders Sports Ryders; or go with something a bit more expensive like Koni's or Bilsteins.

For my Calais, I have Boge shortened shocks with King Superlows up the front and Pedders Sports Riders with stock FE2 in the rear. I like the ride and it still handles ok when towing a trailer full of rubbish to the dump.

[BOSSVY]

For the fronts, start here: http://www.ls1.com.au/forum/showthread.php?104279-DIY-Lowering-VT-VZ-Commodore-Front-Suspension

Rears are a pice of piss. As for shocks, what is your budget? You could start with something cheaper like Monroe GT sports, Boge, or Pedders Sports Ryders; or go with something a bit more expensive like Koni's or Bilsteins.

For my Calais, I have Boge shortened shocks with King Superlows up the front and Pedders Sports Riders with stock FE2 in the rear. I like the ride and it still handles ok when towing a trailer full of rubbish to the dump.

think ill buy some shocks half decent ones , then have a crack at the rears seem there easy so you say ( havnt looked yet so we'll see lol ) any tips though ?? and my mate whos a mechanic can do fronts coincedently just got back , great timing !!

[VZ_V8]

The rear is easy as piss...

Remove the bottom bolt which attaches the shock to the control arm. and remove the 5 bolts around the plate at the top of it (1st pic). When you pull the assembly out, that plate is sandwiched between the two rubber bushes (2nd pic). Remove the top nut, disassemble and reverse that for re-fitting...

http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o64/tim6489/BoltLocations1000x750_zps52a30426.jpg

http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o64/tim6489/CameraZOOM-20121229125541410131x1000_zps6ed2043a.jpg

[BOSSVY]

For the fronts, start here: http://www.ls1.com.au/forum/showthread.php?104279-DIY-Lowering-VT-VZ-Commodore-Front-Suspension

Rears are a pice of piss. As for shocks, what is your budget? You could start with something cheaper like Monroe GT sports, Boge, or Pedders Sports Ryders; or go with something a bit more expensive like Koni's or Bilsteins.

For my Calais, I have Boge shortened shocks with King Superlows up the front and Pedders Sports Riders with stock FE2 in the rear. I like the ride and it still handles ok when towing a trailer full of rubbish to the dump.

yeah ill be getting someone to change fronts .... ill be doing rears though ( thx agaoin for pics vz_v8)

regarding budget i spent 10k on a hilux b4 this ute which i didnt get back (long story) so getting money past the minister for and finance (my wife-lol) is very difficult !!! id have to do all the gardening house work cleaning in australia then root her for longer than the usual 3.5 seconds ( that includes the cigarette after -lol) and i might get 100 clams hahaha

no really something thats going to last im planning on keeping ute at least another 3 yrs or so possibly longer , something can take a load (sounds dirty doesnt it -lol) 400kgs on occasions or so but rides good for every day driving .... i dont want to go top range flashy adjustables or anything nor want cheap shit , somewhere in the middle i guess

it currently has 1/1 and a half inch lowered peddars springs but am open to suggestions

any links to good cheap shockies that can take a load , wont break the bank and suit my ute which is appx 1/1 and a half inch lowered ???

[BOSSVY]

vz-v8

champion thx heaps mate !! ;)

if im doing this off the floor does any of this change ???? jack car up put stand(s) under and follow as you outlined above or ?

any links or suggestions as to what i should go for ??

ute takes a load every now and then say upto 400kgs maybe less give or take .... its 1-1 and ahalf inch lowered ,everyday driver with at least 150kgs in back constant ly ...... dont want flashy adjustables but nor cheap sh!t either ....

[VZ_V8]

Won't make any difference doing it on stands to a hoist, its just a bit easier on the hoist. If you get shortened shockies like the Monroe GT sports you may need some help to pull the control arm back up to the required level as when you detach the shock it might swing a bit lower and you will need to swing it back up a bit to put the bolt back in. Or easier still, once the car is on stands you can use the jack to lift the control arm back up for you. Other than that there is nothing more to it.

I just replaced the entire suspension in my ute and in the rear I went from Monroes to Bilstein's, hence the pics I used (front is a different set up all together). The Monroes did serve me well for a long time though, but getting into more track work these days meant I wanted something with a bit better control than the Monroes. As far as carrying loads are concerned I am not sure on which will suit you better, as whenever I have had to carry loads nearing what you are talking, it has been for very short distances. I would say you will need to get springs with a higher spring rate to cope with the load as this will take some of the stress off the shock. In saying that, without a load in the back it will certainly be a stiffer ride, but that's the trade off for wanting a lowered ute that can still carry weight. You can't have it both ways unfortunately.

Send an email to Greg Latham at GSL Rallysport. He has always been very helpful to me in the past and I'm sure could give you some good advice. FWIW I am using King Springs in the rear along with the Bilstein's. Some people don't like them but I have used them in this ute and my previous one and they haven't let me down yet.

Cheers,
Tim

[BOSSVY]

so shopped around for quotes for koni and kyb front end shocks/struts and labour costs came in from 1100-1300 , is this what i should be paying ???

getting a mechanic mate of mine to do it but thought id get some prices ..... seems quite high !!

probably gunna go monroe sports or peddars sports

[BOSSVY]

have been quoted between 1100 and 1350 to supply and fit front shocks/struts in koni and kyb . seems expensive 1350 ???and as my maffless tune and vcm otrcai is gunna cost that much , obviously that (otrcai) etc comes 1st hahahaha

im thinking monroe or peddars , again im doin rears and hopefully my mech mate can do fronts alot cheaper !!!!

[BOSSVY]

The rear is easy as piss...

Remove the bottom bolt which attaches the shock to the control arm. and remove the 5 bolts around the plate at the top of it (1st pic). When you pull the assembly out, that plate is sandwiched between the two rubber bushes (2nd pic). Remove the top nut, disassemble and reverse that for re-fitting...

http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o64/tim6489/BoltLocations1000x750_zps52a30426.jpg


http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o64/tim6489/CameraZOOM-20121229125541410131x1000_zps6ed2043a.jpg

hi again mate these dont need to be torqued up i can just do up tight yeh ??

[VYSS381]

They don't need to be torqued unless you want to. Just do them up until they are tight but not over tight. Some people have issues of the lower shock bolt falling out (I have no idea how tho) after they fit shocks so just make sure that those are tight mate.

[VZ_V8]

As above, I have never torqued them on mine, just do them up tight and I think the bottom bolt has some blue (medium strength) loctite on it as well just for added safety. No problems to date...

Also in regards to your labour quotes that seems like a lot. You can literally do it in your driveway with a jack, jack stands, 1/2" socket set and to make things really easy, a rattle gun. On a hoist with the right tools it is a 2 hour job for front and back. Even on a driveway having never done it before you would knock it out in a day and then you can just pay for someone to align it for you which would be like $80. Unless you don't care what you pay, which doesn't seem like its the case, give it a crack yourself with your mechanic mate. Its a seriously easy job.

[Toddler78]

Have a crack yourself I e done it that many times now I have it down to a fine art I can change front and rear springs and shocks in under an hour now in my driveway on jack stands from memory all you need for the job is a 13 mm 19mm,22mm and 24mm sockets 10mm 19mm and 22mm ring spanners and a flat blade screwdriver. And a tyre lever to pry out that std rear springs. If going from std to lowered you don't even need spring compressors. A rattle gun helps a lot though

[Evman]

Get back to work Tim :lol: