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Changing rear dampers


furtive

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I'm changing my rear dampers with AVO's but keeping the existing springs. Do I (or should I) need to replace any bushes? Any thing else to look out for? My current dampers look knackered:

Dampers

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There are knackered. The suspension bushes should be OK, but check anyway. Look over the chassis, wishbones and uprights while you are under there

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Paul,  you'll get new bushes with the dampers (pre-fitted) and you don't need to change any of the other suspension bushes at the same time.

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and you don't need to change any of the other suspension bushes at the same time.

Hmmm... I don't know about that. Looking at the amount of sh*t* covering it I would clean and check those rose joints for play if I was you.

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True enough, and on a car of that age the other suspension bushes are probably due for replacement, but you don't *need* to do that when simply changing the dampers.  

I think the aim is the keep the car running pending a major tidying up exercise.

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Oooh you fibber !!  I did too tell you that the back end would need a good clean up and painting to protect the chassis !!

As for the dampers, if you can get the car to me, then you're in with a fighting chance of getting me to help you with the dampers.  But I'm not sure I'd be able to escape otherwise.

Will speak to you tomorrow about it.

Nick

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Sugest you firstly buy a garage, then another Westy. But seriously the first point is cruisial. One my 5 yr old car the rear wish bones where unbelievably corroded inspite of having being powder coated and coated in back axle oil. Have a good look and replace if ness. Has anyone considered fabricating these in S/S     Brian

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Stainless is not suitable for stress bearing components. I'm surprised no-one buys bare wishbones then has them galvanised before powder coating................same thing goes for chassis..........

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Doesn't galvanising weaken them as well ??

(probably total codswallop but it featured in the "nagging doubt" category at the back of my mind....)

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Galvarnising would totaly F**K them as they drill holes all over the place so when dipped on the molton hot liguid stuff the closed end tubes don't explode, same for box section

Paul

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Shows you how much I know about galvanising...........I now know more. Ta ;)

Would there really be enough expansion (of air, presumably)inside a wishbone tube to cause it to fail? What if you only want to galvanise the outside? Do you have to drill holes in metal to galvanise? Are there alternatives (zinc coating)?

Questions, questions.............

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When welding closed end tubes the air expands and blows out the last little bit of weld as its molten steel to do the job it is done by waiting until it has cooled and then welding the last bit.

Galvanising is very hot and will distort the shape of the chassis so not an option.

I would suspect that a lot of the Factory produced wishbones etc [including the other well known manufacturer] that the powder coating falls off has not been shot blasted properly as when mild steel is formed in the steel works it is cooled with water and this in turn sticks to the steel this is called mill scale and only comes off with shot blasting or working the steel [if you can find a way to make the mill scale to stay on permanently you are a very rich person as rust does not form until this comes off] As the wishbone is worked up and down etc the mill scale falls off leaving an exposed piece of steel that then goes rusty, rust starts to form in under half an hour in the British environment. I had my chassis shot blasted my a company that does a lot of work for the petro chemical industry then primed in a primer that SHOULD withstand most things and is flexible and durable. I will let you know in a few years if it been a good move, the other plus for paint over powder coating it can be touched up easily.

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