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 Changing rear shockabsorbers R19 hatch
Author Message
Henriko
Level 1 User

Joined: 04 Aug 2004
Posts: 32

Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2005 12:51 pm

Hi!

Now it's time to replace my rear old, worn out shocks, and found two alternatives. One for cars with 2 torsion bars, and one for cars with 4. How do i know how many ive got? Smile My car is a R19 95mod Hatchback (F3P 79KW).

Also, is it possible for me to change this myself (considering I have NO experience at all?)

Cheers from Norway!
schakal
Spammer

Joined: 27 Jul 2004
Posts: 5717

Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2005 1:32 pm

is that a F3P single point injection matey ??????
welcome to 1.8 SPI owners club i say Laughing
do not know how many torsion bars i do have though ,sorry
Xvisor
Level 7 User

Joined: 06 Sep 2004
Posts: 230

Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2005 1:37 pm

Just look underneath the car from the front of one of the rear wheels you'll see!! Not to hard of a job (just order a haynes manual Razz)
Henriko
Level 1 User

Joined: 04 Aug 2004
Posts: 32

Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2005 1:40 pm

Sorry to disappoint you, mine is the MPI version Confused
Ive already got the a Haynes manual, but ive read that things tend to be a tad bit more difficult than it seems in that book? anything i should be aware of?

Thanks for quick replies Smile
red19rt
Site Subscriber

Joined: 24 Apr 2004
Posts: 318

Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2005 1:42 pm

Yep piece of piss - I watched Chris change mine and was amazed how easy it was - don't even need to take the wheels off!

Just undo the top and bottom bolts (top inside the boot) and take the damper out and replace with new one.

Go for the 16v dampers though (exact same fitting), Chris kindly sold me his for my SPI and the difference is like night and day - they're stiffer but not so to make a hard ride, feels a lot more stable especially on motorways and stuff.
red19rt
Site Subscriber

Joined: 24 Apr 2004
Posts: 318

Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2005 1:44 pm

MPI - the holy grail!! us SPI owners bow down in your presence Very Happy
Henriko
Level 1 User

Joined: 04 Aug 2004
Posts: 32

Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2005 1:51 pm

Heh, and I'm sitting here dreaming about a valver :p Oh well Smile Thought about buying Bilstein before gas-dampers... Anyone know anything about those? Noone knows how many torsion bars ive got? Im not at home right now, so i cant check it myself right now Smile
huwwatkins
Site Subscriber

Joined: 10 Jun 2004
Posts: 2317

Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2005 1:54 pm

Should be 2 i'd have thought, one either side.
red19rt
Site Subscriber

Joined: 24 Apr 2004
Posts: 318

Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2005 2:01 pm

Quote:
Heh, and I'm sitting here dreaming about a valver


Everyone and his dog has a valver - 1.8 8v is the way to go if you want to be an individual Laughing
Neal
Forum Moderator

Joined: 18 Feb 2004
Posts: 7432

Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2005 2:03 pm

everyone and his dog will overtake you then wont they Cool
red19rt
Site Subscriber

Joined: 24 Apr 2004
Posts: 318

Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2005 2:06 pm

slow is the new fast though Cool
schakal
Spammer

Joined: 27 Jul 2004
Posts: 5717

Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2005 2:20 pm

i heard there is some 1.8 SPI slagging going in this place

i tell u what ,this SPI would leave too many valvers behind on a long run 182k miles on the clock Very Happy Very Happy Very Happy
and still going like a rocket (well sort of)

but heyy ,do that 182 k miles first and we can chat after
Mr. Green
ps: i know its the wrong smiley
Lindsey
Level 10 User

Joined: 22 Mar 2005
Posts: 621

Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2005 2:28 pm

red19rt wrote:
slow is the new fast though Cool


Very Happy That would make my 1.9 diesel equivalent to an F1 motor then!
Neal
Forum Moderator

Joined: 18 Feb 2004
Posts: 7432

Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2005 2:34 pm

come on guys...soon fast will be the new fast again..if you get me

so who wants to be a trend setter and buy a blue 16v, phase 2, 3 door hatch, nice condition, well looked after by an enthusiast? Wink
Xvisor
Level 7 User

Joined: 06 Sep 2004
Posts: 230

Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2005 3:40 pm

Henriko, I didn't even know they made them with 4?? Better ask chris h he's the man who knows all!! Very Happy
Chris H
Forum Moderator

Joined: 02 Mar 2004
Posts: 19978

Posted: Fri Apr 01, 2005 12:51 am

righty,

under 1.7 litres the cars have an enclosed 2 bar axle.

1.7 and up use the 4 bar open axle.

Shockers are interchangeable between them all.

The 16V dampers are the best ones, they are also the shortest by about an inch so the don;t bottom out if the cars lowered a touch. At standard height the shorter dampers are no problem.

Easy to change, if you have an air gun, I'd say 5 mins max. Hand power then 15 mins.
Henriko
Level 1 User

Joined: 04 Aug 2004
Posts: 32

Posted: Fri Apr 01, 2005 1:07 am

Thanks for the replies! Well, Bilstein offered dampers for both models with 2 torsion bars, and models with 4, cant see why then? Ill go for the 4-version then :

BNE-6586 Shock Absorber BILSTEIN - before Gas 1 on inquires
Fit. Side Rear Axle, Gas Pressure, Twin-Tube, Bottom eye, Top pin

Would appriciate a step by step (foolproof) walktrough also, as I have NO experience at all Razz

Anything I should grease or something? Do something with the new dampers before fitting etc Smile
Chris H
Forum Moderator

Joined: 02 Mar 2004
Posts: 19978

Posted: Fri Apr 01, 2005 1:14 am

before fitting the new dampers stand them upright and work them through their full travel a few times.

Bottom is held on by 18mm bolt (wallop the head with a hammer to give it a shock) the top is under the rubber cover 16mm nut and theres a flat on shockers piston to hold it still, normally you don't need to bother with holding it still, unless you remove the bottom bolt first.

Its really easy I just lie on the ground with the car on its wheels to do the job, the jack can be used to lift the car up an inch or 2 to line the holes up a bit easier.

Access on the passenger side (norway you drive on the right dont you?) is where the exhaust is so theres less room at the bottom bolt so watch you don't bang your hand off the box.
Henriko
Level 1 User

Joined: 04 Aug 2004
Posts: 32

Posted: Fri Apr 01, 2005 1:37 am

Thanks a million Smile

So there's no gaskets/washers to care about / replace? So the car wont smash my head when i remove the damper? Guess the torsionbars are keeping me safe Smile

Btw, I drive on the right, indeeedly, but I can almost swear that my exhaust is on the left side (driver side), as I said Im not home, so i cant be 100%, but very close to Smile
Chris H
Forum Moderator

Joined: 02 Mar 2004
Posts: 19978

Posted: Fri Apr 01, 2005 1:40 am

nope easy job.
Henriko
Level 1 User

Joined: 04 Aug 2004
Posts: 32

Posted: Fri Apr 01, 2005 1:44 am

Well, ok then Smile But will replacing the dampers stiffen up the rear a bit? As you can observe on this picture:
Image
my car is sagging quite a bit, and infact bottoming out easily when it's carrying some backseat drivers + luggage.


Oh, and that picture is taken during winter, it's not that cold all year, and NO we do not have ice bears walking around bothering old ladies Smile
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