|
I have a new shape Vectra 1.8 petrol LS spec . The car is just coming upto 3 years old in November , but has done 106,000 miles now. I did have a problem with the rear suspension which turned out to be worn shocks , the originals where replaced with GAS ones , the originals where OIL. This has made the rear a little stiff for my liking , what im experience now is front steering very light and vague , and strange feeling of total vagueness from the front . Would you say I now need front shocks ? Should I have the rears replaced to the original oil ?
|
Shouldn't make any difference, gas ones just give better damping.
If they are stiffer, it's probably due to them being pattern parts that cover a variety of models, whereas Vauxhall probably list half a dozen variations. Were the prings replaces? These usually dictate the stiffness.
|
|
Springs where not replaced , I didnt think they would need replacing ? Do they actually wear out , sorry to sound daft but I dont know .
|
|
|
|
After this mileage, the front shocks almost certainly need replacing. If you've done the rears then you should also do the fronts.
When you say the rears were done with gas ones, do you mean that they were uprated non-originals? Or are they an alternative spec offered by Vx?
I'd replace the fronts with the same as the rears.
Due to the weight distribution in a FWD car, in general the fronts do more work than the rears.
Check the bushes too.
|
Due to the weight distribution in a FWD car, in general the fronts do more work than the rears.
While I agree with the general advice of your post, I'm not sure about the snippet above.
The dampers produce force that varies with the velocity difference across them. The faster the relative velocity, the more force the damper produces (this is usually a non-linear relationship). On any car, the sprung mass only moves slowly; the unsprung mass, owing to its lightness, and its more direct connecting loadpath with road imperfections moves much more quickly. Typical body bounce natural frequencies are of the order of 1Hz, while unsprung mass "wheel hop" can be around 10Hz.
Therefore, I would argue that a damper is sized or loaded *predominantly* by the unsprung mass that it controls.
Having said all that, the unsprung mass of a front wheel drive car is likely to be larger than that of a comparable rear wheel drive car because of the half mass of the driveshaft, mass of the outer CV joint, and mass increase of the larger front hub.
number_cruncher
|
|
|
After this mileage, the front shocks almost certainly need replacing. If you've done the rears then you should also do the fronts. When you say the rears were done with gas ones, do you mean that they were uprated non-originals? Or are they an alternative spec offered by Vx? I'd replace the fronts with the same as the rears. Due to the weight distribution in a FWD car, in general the fronts do more work than the rears. Check the bushes too.
The rears are original Vauxhall with "Sachs" written on them . The reason they are gas was because Vauxhall didnt have the oil ones in stock .The fronts are original , never been changed and they have "sachs" written on them and are gas.
|
|
There are 14 versions of this part on the EPC, Generally Standard, Sports, Lowered Sports, and then variations for engine size and bad road package.
|
|
|
|
After this mileage, the front shocks almost certainly need replacing.
I have to agree with what Cyd is saying. In all the years I've owned Vauxhalls, I've never had front shocks lasting longer than 60-70,000 miles without having to replace them.
|
I have to agree with what Cyd is saying. In all the years I've owned Vauxhalls, I've never had front shocks lasting longer than 60-70,000 miles without having to replace them.
That tallys well with my experience.
I think that, although front and rear dampers are sized similarly, the front dampers on Vauxhalls are part of a McPherson suspension linkage - the damper reacts suspension forces which tend to bend it, as well as taking vertical motion along its line of action. This gives the piston seals a very hard time - most are replaced because of fluid leakage rather than any reduction in damping action caused by internal wear and tear.
Rear dampers on Vauxhalls have an easier time of it because the damper doesn't get loaded in bending, it is exposed to purer compression or tension.
number_cruncher
|
|
|
|
|
|
Do you have the part no. on the invoice I will look up your version.
|
|
The part number that I was supplied is " 9 3 1 8 3 2 8 9 ". Wonder what these are actually for ?
|
Hmm, must be a very recent part as my list has...
93174131, 93175219, 93173258, 93171846
So while I said there was 14, several revisions look as though they are replaced by a single part number. Vauxhall use Ident codes such as HF HG HH on most items, and you look these up and it tells you the part no. well there are 14 ident codes, which parses to 4 part numbers.
|
|
Could the actual springs be at fault here . Like i mentioned the car has nearly done 106,000 miles now , how would i know if the springs have become weak . I have never replaced springs on any car in the past , but saying that none of those cars had done this sort of mileage .
|
>>how would i know if the springs have become weak
Check the ride height, and compare it with a) the spec, or b) a similar, newer, car.
number_cruncher
|
|
I've got the same bonking noise on the rear of my Vectra C, how much are the shocks, by the way it only knocks when i'm going slow over bumpy roads, i've renewed the anti-roll bushes but its still bonking.
|
|
|
|
|
i'd replace the fronts with gas struts at that mileage, the springs are usually ok,they look easy enough to change looks like you change the whole leg, my old cavalier was an insert a real pain when they have been in for years!
|
|
Looking at the standard specifications, I think you'll find the Vectra-C already has gas struts as standard.
|
|
|
|
