Member Since: 03 May 2017
Location: Cotignac
Posts: 10
shock absorbers dont work after replacing rear struts
Hello,
A year ago I mounted new front struts on my Disco 3, 2005, TDV6, HSE, diesel. No problems at all.
A few weeks ago the car lowered on the rear side. Time for new rear struts, so I ordered and mounted a new set. However when I drive it is like the shock absorbers are stiff like metal. The only shock absorption is coming from my tires. Impossible to drive.
The car lowers and raises after choosing access, normal or off-road level, as it always has done.
I had a day between mounting the new struts, so after changing the rear right I had to drive with the car and already found that something was wrong. Boink Boink sounds at the back and jumping over obstacles (e.g. shock stiff, not working).
When you tightened everything up did you do it with the suspension just hanging or did you Jack the lower arm up to the correct height before tightening the boltRange Rover Westminster 4.4 TDV8 what a car
Discovery 3 HSE 2006 gone but never forgotten
Member of the 234,567 mile club😎
12th Jan 2021 6:47 pm
motorworks
Member Since: 14 Nov 2019
Location: Usk
Posts: 401
I am curious to know the cure for this problem. I have a RRS (unknown history) with similar symptomsChris
12th Jan 2021 7:50 pm
Franklin
Member Since: 03 May 2017
Location: Cotignac
Posts: 10
Thnx for your reply! The lower arm was hanging down. I had to jack the lower part of the strut about 4 cm to be able to mount the bold into the lower arm.
12th Jan 2021 8:02 pm
pagoda
Member Since: 13 Aug 2009
Location: Not London Anymore (or the US for that matter)
Posts: 1923
You need to jack the suspension to the correct height (can't remember what it is from memory) before you bolt and torque up. If you don't the suspension will in effect be set at a very extended level and might account for a rough ride. You need to measure the distance from the center of the wheel arch to the centre of the wheel hub at the normal/correct ride height and jack the corner you're working on to that height THEN torque it up.PAGODA
12th Jan 2021 8:20 pm
Franklin
Member Since: 03 May 2017
Location: Cotignac
Posts: 10
Thank you Pagoda. I will try that tomorrow. When you say: THEN torque it up...what do you mean? Torque up the lower arm bold thru the strut? Or do you mean the air connection?
Jack up suspension so centre of hub is 685mm from the underside of wheel arch undo the big bold holding the lower suspension arm then Re tighten to correct torque sortedRange Rover Westminster 4.4 TDV8 what a car
Discovery 3 HSE 2006 gone but never forgotten
Member of the 234,567 mile club😎
12th Jan 2021 9:12 pm
gstuart
Member Since: 21 Oct 2016
Location: kent
Posts: 13657
Hiya
Hope u don’t mind me mentioning it but it’s 485mm for the rears, ( takes cover, lol )
@franklin , hi and welcome , may i ask , what make of struts did u buy and is the rough ride in normal or off height height please
Ref ur suspension measurements in normal ride height , as indeed mentioned from the centre of ur wheels to the bottom lip on the wheel arch
Fronts 465 mm , rears 485mm , , suspension doesn’t need calibrating when just changing the struts , but does if the height measurements are out
Hope that also helps
Ps, what size tyres have u got please , thks
Last edited by gstuart on 13th Jan 2021 1:08 pm. Edited 1 time in total
Good spot mate must remember to double check my replies 😂😂😂 your absolutely spot on 485mmRange Rover Westminster 4.4 TDV8 what a car
Discovery 3 HSE 2006 gone but never forgotten
Member of the 234,567 mile club😎
No need to calibrate the suspension when you change an air strut.
Flack
13th Jan 2021 11:02 am
gstuart
Member Since: 21 Oct 2016
Location: kent
Posts: 13657
furnitureman wrote:
Good spot mate must remember to double check my replies 😂😂😂 your absolutely spot on 485mm
No worries mate
Last edited by gstuart on 13th Jan 2021 1:13 pm. Edited 1 time in total
13th Jan 2021 1:04 pm
gstuart
Member Since: 21 Oct 2016
Location: kent
Posts: 13657
Flack wrote:
No need to calibrate the suspension when you change an air strut.
Flack
Hiya
Many thks and have Just reworded it better for the OP
13th Jan 2021 1:09 pm
Franklin
Member Since: 03 May 2017
Location: Cotignac
Posts: 10
Hi, thank you both for your help.
I just loosened the lower bolt on both sides on the back struts. Before fastening them on the right height I drove over the parking with a lot of bumps, so a good test.
IT IS NOT GOOD. The car bumped as before.
I drove 3 rounds, each with a different height. Off-road is relatively comfortable, normal is bumpy (it also makes boink sounds), access height is even worse. Like there is no absorption at all, super stiff, and with serious boink sounds going thru the body of the car!
Consequently I had several messages....
- reset suspension height if clear of obstacle (there was no obstacle)
- suspension in extended mode
I could imagine that maybe one strut is not okay, but two?
Any suggestions? Main question..is the problem in the shock, or in the air part?
Thnx in advance
13th Jan 2021 1:28 pm
gstuart
Member Since: 21 Oct 2016
Location: kent
Posts: 13657
Hiya
Ur so welcome , Always a team effort and best to start with the basics first so have a good baseline to go from otherwise u can start chasing ur tail and not getting anywhere
So with the bolts all torqued up , drive backwards and forwards a few times , tyres dead straight , want it on as level ground as possible , put into park , hand brake off , then select normal ride height , engine off
Get a pen/ paper / tape measure , then measure each wheel in millimetres from centre of the wheel caps to the bottom of the wheel arch , easier if u have some masking tape to place and draw the wheels hub centres
Then please let us know what measurements u get for each wheel,
Plus, may i ask , What size tyres have u got and also are they all the same make / size and what tyre pressures u have in each please
Thks and hope that helps
Ps, ref the obstacle error message that can be a few things , ie , suspension req recalibrating / faulty height sensor etc, etc , but alas won’t know for sure until we know what the height measurements / tyre size/ etc are first
13th Jan 2021 1:59 pm
rrhool
Member Since: 28 Aug 2014
Location: Norfolk
Posts: 4400
No one has asked what brand of damper has been fitted?Richard
D3 SE 2007. Triumph 2.5Pi 1973. Ferguson TEA20 1948.
Discovery 2 4.0 ES 2001- Gone
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