JoeyBoyden

I seem to have spent a lot of time asking questions on here recently but, I think the left hand side rear coil has gone on the left hand side of my MK5 fiesta right at the top. I can't tell for sure because I can't see it properly, but If i apply enough force and push down on the back end, there is a faint creaking sound so I think it MAY have gone. Mot is tomorrow (27/03/14) and car already needs some welding to get through but as I'm a bit short of money at the min, if the coils have gone I would like a go myself. Just wondered if this is a difficult procedure, many forums for other cars say the rear is quite simple on FWD cars as you don't have to fiddle around with spring compressors and you just have to disconnect the rear axle, undo the bolts that hold the struts in the boot and they just slide right out?? or something a long those lines....Forgive me if I am woefully wrong, thanks!

gjh

Ye its not too difficult at all, more or less a undo the nuts and bolts, swap it over type of thing, not too involved. Basically get the car in the air with the wheel off, support the trailing arm with a jack or something, then undo the nut at the bottom of the strut will need another spanner to hold the nut as you unscrew the bolt). Then just go in the car and undo the nut at the top of the strut, make sure you have something to support the strut with so it doesn't just fall out. To get the spring off its just a case of pulling off the top mounting and circlip, I would use a spring compressor for safety but I do believe it can be done without. Re fitting is just reversing the process, not a difficult job to do.

JoeyBoyden

Managed to get them off just fine the other day however, being a tit I unscrewed the nut in the car the wrong way and ruined it on the right hand side so the drill had to come out unfortunately to get it off. New shocks and springs came however yesterday when it came to fitting, to my delight I discovered the new shocks lacked the piece that holds the circlip in place even though the company I bought them from said they should fit. With my MOT retest due Wednesday, do you reckon I could get away with the normal shocks (shocks are fine but the drill has taken some of the thread with it on one of them) until my new one arrives?? Don't really fancy having to pay another Ł40 to get it through MOT. Ill attach some pictures to show damage to the shock and pictures of the new ones that don't fit. Here are some links to the images:

http://s938.photobucket.com/user/Joe...tml?sort=3&o=0
http://s938.photobucket.com/user/Joe...tml?sort=3&o=1
http://s938.photobucket.com/user/Joe...tml?sort=3&o=2

gjh

Pics wont open (my internet really does suck!), how much of the thread was damaged? I'd say provided there is enough left to hold the nut on (and I'm afraid to say it'll be the MOT tester that decides if there's enough I'm afraid) then I'd say you should be ok. If your tester is a sympathetic bloke he might let you off if you explain you had trouble with parts and that the new ones are in transit, gotta be worth a shot?

JoeyBoyden

Not much of the thread, today I filed some of the bits down and to my surprise the nut actually goes all the way and tightens so should be good to fit on Monday when I take them to a garage to have springs fitted to strut (flaming spring compressors still haven't arrived) Do they actually check the nuts on the shock that are in the boot? I thought they just check the springs for cracks, which they were?