The cost of changing springs & shock absorbers!

Thomas Wachsmuth September 25, 2023 Car repair & tuning guide

If the driving experience of the vehicle continues to deteriorate and you notice increasing instability when steering, you could worn shock absorbers Be to blame. You should not ignore the unstable driving behavior and think about replacing the dampers/springs. But before we go into the process and costs, a brief overview of the structure and function. Shock absorbers have the task of absorbing the shocks that occur when driving over obstacles and transmitting them to the vehicle frame in a dampened form. This increases driving comfort and increases safety as it... Vehicle stability improved and the risk of an outbreak minimized. Gas pressure shock absorbers are widely used today.

How to identify a damaged shock absorber

The modern gas pressure dampers enable perfect damping performance. Since shock absorbers are wearing parts, it is important to replace them in the event of a defect to exchange. If you are thinking about replacing the suspension springs according to an instruction, you should make sure that the defect actually lies with the shock absorbers. A non-functioning damper loses its damping capacity. In such a condition, the vehicle relies primarily on the coil springs. If it leans forward significantly when braking and noticeably oscillates, this is a sign that the shock absorber is no longer working correctly.

To test this, you can press on the fenders and observe the reaction as the vehicle rebounds. A strong one Reverberation is an indication of a defective damper. A slapping noise or oil escaping from the damper are additional signs of a defect. If it rattles while driving, especially when cornering, it could Top Mounts to be affected. Since the Renewal of the cathedral bearings If the shock absorbers need to be removed, it is wise to replace both immediately.

Easy replacement of shock absorbers and springs on the rear axle:

Usually that is Replacing the shock absorbers no problem on the rear axle. Spring and damper are often mounted independently of each other. To do this, the vehicle only needs to be raised enough to relieve the load on the rear axle and the wheels no longer touch the ground. After that, the wheels are dismantled to remove the shock absorbers by loosening the retaining screws.

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However, it is important to emphasize that this approach only applies when rear no complete struts are installed. If you decide to change the shock absorbers yourself, it is essential to work with the right tools. Replacing the shock absorbers is of utmost importance for safety, so you should only carry out the step with the necessary technical knowledge.

Replacing shock absorbers and springs on the front axle

On the front axle, the struts are designed so that the coil spring surrounds the shock absorber. To remove the damper, the coil spring must be removed be pressed together. This creates enormous forces. Uncontrolled relaxation of the spring can lead to serious, sometimes fatal, injuries. If you plan to renew springs and dampers yourself and thus save costs, the use of Spring clamp pliers essential.

When changing the front springs yourself, you should be aware of the challenge posed by the coil springs. First you should make sure the car stands sure and the Wheel nuts are loose, before you lift it. Now the wheels can be removed. Now the shock absorber on the wheel can be removed. It is usually fixed to the wheel mount with two screws. If the screws are not easy to loosen, the effect of rust remover help. Afterwards the brake hoseadding Wear indicator plug and the ABS sensor solved. The brake caliper should also be loosened and set aside, as this often makes removing the damper easier.

The uncoupling of the stabilizer bar and the steering knuckle from the top bracket is also required. After that has been done, you can Brake disc folded away and the damper is freely accessible. In the next step, with the hood open, you can protective covers removed and those underneath Attachments be solved. It is now possible to replace the strut. If you don't have the right tools, a pre-assembled coil spring and shock absorber assembly can make installation easier. In general, to save costs, you should, by the way always both sides replace the front axle together.

Cost aspect when changing the front shock absorbers:

The workshop costs for changing the springs amount to approx 400 to 1.000 EUR per axle. If you install the springs and shock absorbers yourself, the costs vary between 50 and 200 EUR. However, the prices of the shock absorbers differ significantly depending on the manufacturer. While some Complete chassis for just 200 EUR can be obtained, a single damper with spring can also quickly be attached to a vehicle 1.000 EUR cost. Comparing prices between different providers or workshops can help you find a good deal. Photo credit: Bilstein

The following note is essential: For safety reasons, tuningblog recommends all repair, inspection and maintenance work exclusively to be carried out in a specialist workshop! Although our information is summarized to the best of our knowledge and belief, we cannot assume any liability for the content. All information is therefore "without guarantee".

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