Mounting dampers

[Azazello]

I bought on ebay the set of four delphi gas dampers for 115 euros (140 including expedition), now I have to fit them to my car.
Tomorrow a friend of mine, that already has some experience, comes to my home helping me.
I read the tip about mounting the rear dampers, and I thought that if there was no tutorial about mounting the front ones then it was a very simple work, no needing of particular information.
Well, my friends asked his father for some advices (he has been mechanic for Renault for several years) and he said not to try to change the front ones because they are very difficult, because of the torsion bar.

Do you agree? will be better to let this work for the mechanic? Or is there some tip to do even this job without particular effort?

Thank you.

Andrea scripsit.

 

[pepper]

Front ones are very easy. I thought they were easier than the rears in fact.

 

[beagle]

Yes the front are much, much simpler.

The only tricky bit I found, was moving the anti roll bar out the way. The mounting bolts had seized up. After that it was very straight forward. I'm not sure if all R4s have a front anti roll bar. You may not have one.

Changing the rears for gas ones was a tricky job. I didn't have a proper trolley jack. I seem to remember all sorts of scissor jacks, massive zip ties (to compress the shocks) and bits of wood. Not recommended!

 

[Azazello]

Mine is a 956 1991 r4... So your advice is to proceed with the front dampers and leave the rear one for the mechanic?
My friend should be here in, I think, 1-2 hours.
We will see and then decide...
I have not a professional trolley jack (if I understood the word), but a hobby one, as this:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/03/Cric-hydraulique.jpg
And I was going to follow Frederick tips... Once you discover the jack trick to extend the damper mounting it seems quite easy...

Andrea scripsit.

 

[beagle]

My advice is do whatever you feel safe doing.

I'm relatively new to car restoration and was able to do both the front and rear. Just follow the guide and take your time. With a trolley jack (like yours) it should be easier and safer than the small scissor type jack I used.

 

[Azazello]

It tooks from 15.30 TO 20.00, but we reach to change both front and rear dampers, a little more time for the first, trying to understand how to proceed, and for the last, for a nut who did not want to come out.
Two minor bad news: a scrap on a front wing (!) and a the breaking of a threaded bar of one wheel, half of which is still in the nut... A short trip to the mechanic and we will see...

Andrea scripsit.