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MG MGF Technical - Triple Bonus!

Having some time to spare this Sunday I got down to replacing the shock absorber bushes that I bought from our terrific Mr Mike Satur - what an easy job, it take, once the car is set up on axle stands, about 15 minutes per shock absorber to replace the old rubber bushes with the new poly bushes.

The bushes cost £35.00 for a set of four whilst Rover insist on changing the whole of the unit at £55.00 per unit = £ 220.00.

At the same time I decide to investigate an annoying rattle from just behind the drivers seat - found it as soon as I removed the sound deadening material on the hood shelf ONE very large 'SnapOn' screwdriver.

So triple bonus:-

New bushes fitted saving a lot of dosh.

Rattle cured.

Now have very useful screwdriver.

Ted
Ted Newman

Don't you just love days like that!
John Philpott

Ted,

How did you do the top bushes? When I tried (in the Silverstone campsite :-) ) the nut on the top turned the "bolt" from the top of the SA. As I wanted to get on and do other things, I didn't do the top ones at that point (one of the bottom ones (LR) was completely worn out!

Must send the pics I took to Rob sometime for the FAQ!

Neil.
Neil

What, you didnt go to the RHS show?
Gareth

Gareth

Told the Missus that Tatton Park is in the Outer Hebrides!

Neil

A plumbers 'Footprint' wrench applied to the bottom of the top case of the shock - just enough visible in the wheel bay to get at - and just enough pressure to stop it spinning and just a quick 'jerk' of the socket is all that is needed to 'break the lock'.

To be honest any of the expanding jaw type wrenches will do the job or even a 'strap' wrench similar to an oil filter jobby would do it and so probably would one of those 'jar lid' openers that you can buy in department stores and even sainsburys.

And replacing the top bushes is a lot easier than the lower bush which I found needed a vice to enable easy insertion of the new bush.

Ted

Ted
Ted Newman

Thanks Ted. That makes sense I'm sure I'll have something that hold it. Must do it - should be able to do it if we get a fine evening this week.. I tried holding the top of the bolt in Mole wrenches, but that didn't help - hence the question.

When you see the pics, you'll see how I put the bottom bushes in, but basically, I used a large washer, and pulled them in with the fixing bold and nut worked for me (didn't have the vice with me - not normal camping gear!)

Neil.
Neil

>I tried holding the top of the bolt in Mole wrenches<

Yep I tried that as well Neil but realised there was no way you could get enough pressure on a spanner to 'break the lock'

You mean to tell me you do not have a vice rigged up under the bonnet - plenty of room in the spare wheel bay:-)

Ted
Ted Newman

I'm giving this some serious thought but I'm a bit worried about tackling this type of job. I've done a K&N, windowstops, seatlowering and retro w/screen washers but that's about it.

Does Mike's kit come with good instructions?

Ralph
Ralph

These are JUST replacement parts - no instructions supplied or needed other than how to remove and refit the shock absorbers and full instructions on how to do this is given in the workshop manual.

Having said that it is such a simple job to do you don't need the workshop manual:-

Ted
Ted Newman

This thread was discussed between 23/07/2001 and 24/07/2001

MG MGF Technical index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG MGF Technical BBS is active now.