diysv6
Active Member
- Joined
- Dec 17, 2005
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- VF S1 SV6 STORM A6: VZ S1 SV6 A5
I had bumping noises coming from the rear suspension of my SV6 sedan.
The shock absorber top bushes were not snug and could be moved sideways and rotated easily using a spanner on the nut. Had a driver take the car out, I open the ski-shute in the back seat, and felt for movement in the upper shocker bushes. The shocker could be heard bumping around in the mount, ( no metal contact noises), and the compression/rebound for the upper bush was quite significant. Decided to replace the rubber bushes, about $18 for all 4 at Holden.
The SV6 has gas shocks, and I wasn't certain if I could change the bushes without making up a shocker compression clamp if I had to remove the shocker from the car. Also I was not certain of the springs stability, as some members have said the rear spring can be taken out without compression in the SV6 FE2 suspension once the shocker is removed.
I don't know if the work method here applies to VZs with non standard spring/shocker combinations.
Measure the overall length of the shocker's stud top to the large flat washer -24mm. Unscrew the upper nut in the boot. Jack up the car using the chassis contact point to extend the shocker, but leave the road tyre in contact with the ground. I didn't loosen the shocker's lower mounting bolt on the lower control arm. (I had put safety stands under the car).
I was able to work easily in the space (eyebrow?) between the top of the tyre and the inner of the rear mudguard. I found that the static pressure in the shocker allowed me to slowly compress the upper shock down clear of the chassis hole. Removed the old bush, put some soapy water on the new lower bush and let the shocker extend and seat the lower rubber bush completely in the chassis mounting hole. Lubed and fitted the new upper half bush and screwed down the nut. Looking at the distortion of the lower bush feed through, I felt I was only months away from a metal to metal contact between the shocker stud and the car chassis.
The rear end of the car sounds much quieter. I have attached images of the worn lower and upper bushes and the amount of compression through deterioration/age.
The shock absorber top bushes were not snug and could be moved sideways and rotated easily using a spanner on the nut. Had a driver take the car out, I open the ski-shute in the back seat, and felt for movement in the upper shocker bushes. The shocker could be heard bumping around in the mount, ( no metal contact noises), and the compression/rebound for the upper bush was quite significant. Decided to replace the rubber bushes, about $18 for all 4 at Holden.
The SV6 has gas shocks, and I wasn't certain if I could change the bushes without making up a shocker compression clamp if I had to remove the shocker from the car. Also I was not certain of the springs stability, as some members have said the rear spring can be taken out without compression in the SV6 FE2 suspension once the shocker is removed.
I don't know if the work method here applies to VZs with non standard spring/shocker combinations.
Measure the overall length of the shocker's stud top to the large flat washer -24mm. Unscrew the upper nut in the boot. Jack up the car using the chassis contact point to extend the shocker, but leave the road tyre in contact with the ground. I didn't loosen the shocker's lower mounting bolt on the lower control arm. (I had put safety stands under the car).
I was able to work easily in the space (eyebrow?) between the top of the tyre and the inner of the rear mudguard. I found that the static pressure in the shocker allowed me to slowly compress the upper shock down clear of the chassis hole. Removed the old bush, put some soapy water on the new lower bush and let the shocker extend and seat the lower rubber bush completely in the chassis mounting hole. Lubed and fitted the new upper half bush and screwed down the nut. Looking at the distortion of the lower bush feed through, I felt I was only months away from a metal to metal contact between the shocker stud and the car chassis.
The rear end of the car sounds much quieter. I have attached images of the worn lower and upper bushes and the amount of compression through deterioration/age.
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