Front suspension overhaul

[Einarrson]

Just had a nice afternoon putting all the new stuff on prior to the MOT.

Got both struts off and got one of the new ones built up. New springs 30mm drop and some new dampers. Just need to put the new suspension arms on, only 3 bolts on each shouldn't be too difficult.

Only small bugbear is grtting the antiroll bar on with the new bushes, seems a bit hard getting the clamps to close round the bushes.  Any special tricks I should know about?

I'm looking forward to seeing how much improvement there is when it's done.

[carlton_mad]

try a small amount of lube to the clamp then press it over the bush you should then be able to pivot the clamp in and do it up fairly easily

[Einarrson]

Thanks CM. I'll give that a go.

[Einarrson]

Got the anti roll bar back on. New arms, struts and springs. Just need to nip it all up and put the calipers back on.

Looking at the front discs I can now see I probably don't have a bearing issue. It's probably just the crud guards on the back of the discs that are falling apart and catching on the discs.

HJB told me to never reuse the bolts from the suspension arms.  Shame they don't supply new bolts with the new arms so I had to ignore the HJB in this instance.

Looking forward to how all this will improve the front end and then it's MOT time next week.

[g4rth]

dunno why you should'nt reuse them....aint replaced any of mine, just add some threadlock...

[melinx]

The reason for not reusing any bolts that you are instructed to tighten to a particular torque and then tighten again by turning them by an angle or part of a turn is that the bolts have been previously tightened to the metals yield point.

Doing the same again produces an unacceptable risk that they will break at some point and many of these bolts are deemed to be "safety critical".

[Einarrson]

Thanks for that Melinx. I didn't manage to angle tighten them all the way, probably due to being already done previously.

Everything back together yesterday and all good apart from a slight knock occasionaly from what sounds like the drivers side top mount.

[Einarrson]

You would have thought 'Delphi' would supply new bolts with the arms like they did with the struts.

[g4rth]

The reason for not reusing any bolts that you are instructed to tighten to a particular torque and then tighten again by turning them by an angle or part of a turn is that the bolts have been previously tightened to the metals yield point.

Doing the same again produces an unacceptable risk that they will break at some point and many of these bolts are deemed to be "safety critical".

new to me that one....i can see the point with the head bolts, but never had prob's with any others...

[Dave the Builder]

If I re - use a bolt on suspension or other critical area I put blue thread  lock seal on.
as far as stretching bolts / torque settings etc ,apart from head bolts I use my built in torque wrench (decide for my self if it's tight enough  )
many of the bolts are not easyly available any more anyway .

[melinx]

If a re-used head bolt snaps (or even if all of them snap) it is unlikely to kill you.

If a 'safety critical' suspension bolt breaks under load, it may well kill you or someone else if the car becomes uncontrollable

[Dave the Builder]

I agree, In an ideal world.
but in real the world, I doubt even a Vauxhall main stealer dealer would bother to replace the bolts (though they might charge you for new ones  )

[melinx]

I'm not adopting a 'holier than thou' attitude; I've re-used suspension bolts, but I haven't used the final angle tensioning when doing so and I've ensured that they have lock-nuts on them.

In my earlier post I said that if you re-use AND angle tighten them, there is an unacceptable risk that they will break !

[g4rth]

my mate works in a vaux' garage and unless a customer specifies new bolts, old ones are re'used..

[melinx]

So they ignore what the Vauxhall TIS specifies then

[Dave the Builder]

I'm not adopting a 'holier than thou' attitude;

I did'nt think that and no offence intended by me to you.
I appreciate your words are based on an engineering background .(I have B-Tec OND Geneal engineering)
and safety is always inportant.
Please don't beat me with the steel rule again 

[melinx]

I did'nt think that and no offence intended by me to you.

No offence was taken Dave