MOT Fail, Rear Shocks and Exhaust Flexi

[Phil_B]

Hi,

Well, could have been worse, but the F has failed on the rear shock bush (excessive play) and a blow from the flexi section. Parts from Rimmers come in at £174 for all after market parts. Euro Car Parts comes in at under £66. Now I know which I would prefer, but does anyone have any experience of the ECP parts in terms of quality and life span.

Parts are
Anschler Shocks
and
React Downpipe

Thanks in advance

Phil

[daz]

I use euro car parts quite bit & never had an issue with the quality. Admittedly I've never used them for the F though, only because I've never needed to.

[Dell]

Again not used ECP for the F but had problems with an Anshler suspension spring for the Ford being so bad a fit that I had to return it also a clutch I bought from them for the Ford which turned out to be very poor in terms of durability.
On a plus note found them very good when you wish to return something.

Take a look at these http://premier-factors.com/ found them to be equal if not better on price & never had a problem with the quality of there parts they are also very good to deal with.

[austingarages]

ECP are good but for select items only, good returns policy too.

Rear dampers (front dampers too) lower bush can be sorted out by replacing the lower bush only, part number NAM9017 for the original £3.20 only! Better still are the uprated Poly bush part number NAM9017POLY for £10.20 each. Better to try and keep the original dampers if they are still serviceable otherwise, many aftermarket dampers damp on the bump as well as the rebound causing the bodywork upper mounting points to be over stressed and crack.
http://www.rimmerbros.co.uk/Item--i-NAM9017POLY


As for the downpipe, consider a stainless steel one from PTP, many aftermarket down pipes have poor design "Y" joint and welds, causing an annoying whistle sound on acceleration. They are reasonably priced considering they are stainless and made by Janspeed. (Don't know which model year your car is, but if it's a four hole order an MGF one and a six hole order a TF one)
http://www.ptp-ltd.co.uk/shop/294_111/m ... nspeed.htm

[talkingcars]

I've always been happy with euro car parts except the time I rang and was told a master brake cylinder for the ZR was on the shelf only to rush to the nearest branch to be told that they don't stock them, never have and can't get them, mind you Rimmers couldn't supply, a local FLAPS supplied the wrong one so Lakeland Mini get a vote as well as they supplied.

[Phil_B]

...Better still are the uprated Poly bush part number NAM9017POLY for £10.20 each....
http://www.rimmerbros.co.uk/Item--i-NAM9017POLY


As for the downpipe, consider a stainless steel one from PTP...

Checked the fail notice and it clearly states bush excessively worn, and the shock rebounds as I would expect so this does sound like the perfect time to get the poly bushing started >:)

Will have to make do with a cheapo pipe for now though, and start saving for that 4-2-1 I've always wanted B-)

Thanks for the replies and advice.

[Phil_B]

Are these bushes the same font and rear? Rimmers don't list any for the front. I'll ring them and check before I order but just wondered if you knew.

[Rob Bell]

Just read a good recommendation for the Bosal down pipe Phil - and it was pretty cheap too!

Defo worth saving up for the 4-2-1 manifold though!

[austingarages]

Are these bushes the same font and rear? Rimmers don't list any for the front. I'll ring them and check before I order but just wondered if you knew.

Yes, same part for the front dampers....

[Phil_B]

Thanks both. Have ordered the cheapo downpipe for now and just the bushes for the rear dampers. Trying to keep the cost to a minimum as due to some woeful planning the MOT, Insurance and VED all hit within 2 weeks of each other!.

Will certainly be doing the front shocks ASAP though and saving hard for that Manifold (very nearly just bought one on a credit card when I was on the Rimmer's site earlier, but resisted, responsible adult/parent and all that :yawn: )

[Phil_B]

Ok. So I'm really stuck here guys. The bolts on the Flexi section won't budge, no surprise there then, but that's not the issue...

The shock on the side that failed the mot is. When I try and undo it, it just spins on the nut, I've been pulling it using mole grips while turning the bolt at the same time in the hope that it will bite and start to undo, but nothing. Aaargh is driving me mad. The other side came off fine and I have a new nut for the dodgy side if I can ever get it off.

Any ideas? I wondered about heating the nut to soften the nylon?

[RobboMC]

If the bolt spins on the nut then try getting a smaller diameter bolt and using it as a drift
and punch the bolt backwards out of the nut. You will destroy both the nut and bolt but sounds like they are gonners already anyway.

After that is the hacksaw followed by the grinding wheel. Ouch!
If you do end up with the hacksaw perhaps try and cut the nut diagonally until it fails under force.

[Phil_B]

Thanks, bought a nut splitter in the end. The threads on the bolt and nut had stripped, probably been over tightened before. Torqued up Ok for now, so will get it through the mot then replace both nut and bolt on the next few weeks.

Managed to get the flexi section off in the end too so all jobs done, booking retest for tomorrow hopefully.

[Rob Bell]

That's unlucky to loose the thread. The spinning nut often is due to the body of the shock absorber also moving - best to immobilise this using a strap-type oil filter removing wrench.

Hopefully MoT time again soon Phil?

[Phil_B]

Hopefully MoT time again soon Phil?

Yep, booked for Wednesday Rob. Fingers crossed.

On the plus side, I managed to get the exhaust apart without any damage and also fitted a Pipercross Viper and Torque Tamer bushes. A productive weekend in the end.

[Rob Bell]

You were busy Phil!

[Phil_B]

Lorna wasn't so pleased thought as I was at it all weekend!

Noticed the huuuuge gaps on the compliance bushes while the car was up so that is the next. I did see that some had cut a slot in them and fitted them without undoing everything, any thoughts on this?

[Rob Bell]

Do you mean the spacers that insert into the void in the standard bush Phil? Seems a lazy approach - and it might fall out if that's the case...

[Phil_B]

Agreed, and at under £30 for a pair of polybush replacements for the whole bush from Rimmers I might go down that route instead.

[Rob Bell]

Sounds like a good idea Phil. Although Lorna may not be best pleased!