One of the rear shockers on my son's Ford Ka seems to be leaking, and it's MOT time this month.
I presume this is a failure? and, do these have to be replaced as a rear pair or just the leaking one?
thanks
J
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Replace as a pair.
Depends how bad the leak is. A light misting of oil will simply pick up an advisory as long as the damping qualities of the shock haven't been adversely affected. A serious leak (fluid running down the tube) will fail.
How bad is it?
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Enough to leave spots on the drive - although this has now stopped, maybe there's no fluid left now - but it seems to be functioning OK using the old "bounce test".
I was thinking of replacing before the test but perhaps I should just put put it through and see what they say - the place I use is (rightfully) strict but fair in that they won't say something needs doing when it doesn't.
J
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Replace them both while you're at it
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If its leaking it needs replacing (there's only going to be half a cup full of oil in a Ka damper), both handling and braking balance will be impaired.
Ideally suspension components should be replaced in pairs and I personally would replace both, however I doubt a dealer would replace both if there were to be a warranty claim.
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I would always replace both if they had been on the car any length of time. The damping characteristcs will change with use & time. Having two effectively different dampers on the same axle will do nothing to improve stability or safety.
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A well known high street brake & tyre fitter claimed I had a leaking shock on my Peugeot and suggested it was changed. 4 months later at MOT time, it passed with flying colours...so who's to say it actually needs replacing?
The same MOT tester changed only one coil spring on a previous car when that was broken.
Give it a wipe with a cloth and let them do a bounce test. If it passes it most probably won't be dangerous and isn't a component that is likely to fail 'suddenly' with bad consequences.
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Talking shock absorbers a friend of mine used to work for a fast fit place and one week they had another competition on set up by a shocker company gibby the area manager and all the branches so it was sell sell sell
anyway
A vicar came in in his mini and he was duly told he needed 4 new shgockers and he duly agreed
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They got it up on the ramp and it had hydrolastic suspension
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Long time ago now, maybe early '80s in fact. I had a leased car. Anyway, the leasing company had an arrangement with one of the fast fit chains for tyres. I had a problem with a tyre which had picked up a cut in its sidewall and was told to take it to one of the branches of that chain. ( Sounds odd that doesn't it "branch of a chain" but you know what I mean...)
While I waited for the tyre to be replaced I had a visit in the waiting room from a tooth sucking branch manager who informed me that both rear shocks needed to be replaced. I reminded him that it was a leased car and that if he wanted to do that he would need to get authorisation froim the leasing company and gave him their contact details again. I decided to forget to remind him that the car was two days old.....
It was quite an amusing telephone conversation to listen to. Needless to say he had to admit to having made "a mistake".
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Not forgetting the occasion when they said it needed two new rear shocks.
OK then, go ahead.
Right Sir, all done that will be £120.
Oh, no it won't they are still under warranty when you changed them three months ago (when they were truly shot).
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Not forgetting the occasion when they said it needed two new rear shocks. OK then go ahead. Right Sir all done that will be £120. Oh no it won't they are still under warranty when you changed them three months ago (when they were truly shot).
That exact same thing happened to my brother in law on his old mk3 Cavalier. He answered in much the same way. :-)
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