Changing rear shockabsorbers R19 hatch

Level 1 User Joined: 04 Aug 2004 Posts: 32

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!

Spammer Joined: 27 Jul 2004 Posts: 5717

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

Level 7 User Joined: 06 Sep 2004 Posts: 230

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

)

Level 1 User Joined: 04 Aug 2004 Posts: 32

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

Site Subscriber Joined: 24 Apr 2004 Posts: 318

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.

Site Subscriber Joined: 24 Apr 2004 Posts: 318

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

Level 1 User Joined: 04 Aug 2004 Posts: 32

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

Site Subscriber Joined: 10 Jun 2004 Posts: 2317

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

Site Subscriber Joined: 24 Apr 2004 Posts: 318

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

Forum Moderator Joined: 18 Feb 2004 Posts: 7432

everyone and his dog will overtake you then wont they Cool

Site Subscriber Joined: 24 Apr 2004 Posts: 318

slow is the new fast though Cool

Spammer Joined: 27 Jul 2004 Posts: 5717

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

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

Level 10 User Joined: 22 Mar 2005 Posts: 621

red19rt wrote:

slow is the new fast though Cool

That would make my 1.9 diesel equivalent to an F1 motor then!

Forum Moderator Joined: 18 Feb 2004 Posts: 7432

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

Level 7 User Joined: 06 Sep 2004 Posts: 230

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

Forum Moderator Joined: 02 Mar 2004 Posts: 19978

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.

Level 1 User Joined: 04 Aug 2004 Posts: 32

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

Forum Moderator Joined: 02 Mar 2004 Posts: 19978

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.

Level 1 User Joined: 04 Aug 2004 Posts: 32

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

Forum Moderator Joined: 02 Mar 2004 Posts: 19978

nope easy job.

Level 1 User Joined: 04 Aug 2004 Posts: 32

Well, ok then Smile

But will replacing the dampers stiffen up the rear a bit? As you can observe on this picture:

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