Top mount shock and drop link replacement

Selkie

New Member
On a trip from Cornwall to Christchurch. Pulled into a local garage as is felt and sounded like a suspension issue front ns. All garages busy so left with no choice but to try Kwik Fit. Up an a ramp and they showed me the shock had gone and need parts - top mount shock and drop link. Quoted £699 to be fitted this week. Seems expensive. 2008 T5 Sport 2.5. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
 
Yeah it does ....it's either the shock, top mount or drop link. Wouldn't trust Kwik Fit to put air in my tyres !!

How bad in the knocking ? I'd wait until i got home if it's not that bad
 
Yeah it does ....it's either the shock, top mount or drop link. Wouldn't trust Kwik Fit to put air in my tyres !!

How bad in the knocking ? I'd wait until i got home if it's not that bad
It’s bad. I am not mechanical, but I can see through three grill the the ns shock is considerably higher than than the other side. Clucks with a bang if I go over road drain cover or even the eyes on a centre lane.
 
Oh, sounds like the top mount has failed and the shock has gone through. Can't drive like that then but £699 still sounds expensive especially if it's just the top mount then you may not need a shock......all speculation without seeing it obviously.
 
You’re away from home, don’t be surprised if they try and charge a premium, what choice do you have?
Thanks. Not a lot of choice. Tynham garage (near by) will pop it on a ramp tomorrow. I will see what they say.
 
On a trip from Cornwall to Christchurch. Pulled into a local garage as is felt and sounded like a suspension issue front ns. All garages busy so left with no choice but to try Kwik Fit. Up an a ramp and they showed me the shock had gone and need parts - top mount shock and drop link. Quoted £699 to be fitted this week. Seems expensive. 2008 T5 Sport 2.5. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Notwithstanding what the actual problem is, I wouldn’t let Kwik Fit anywhere near my van, let alone pay them.
 
Drive it home is may not the best advise if you can see the damper/spring when you open the bonnet.
 
Yeah i missed that bit :rolleyes: .
Without seeing it or at least posting some pics it's impossible to tell what the score is at this stage .
I do know that previous dealings we've had with our local branch were shocking and I wouldn't trust them with a 2nd hand pushbike.
 
Update: Thanks for comments. In the end I had no choice but to let the local Kwik Fit do the work. No other garage offered to do the work in time for me to drive the 220 miles home. I can see that Kwit Fit doesn’t have a good rep on here. I have never used them before. Here was my experience.

1. They put the van on a ramp straight away and found the full extent of the problem.

2. They gave a quote range based on best the worse case scenario.

3. They carried out the work in the specified time scale. They found that the tracking rod also needed repairs. They repaired this within the original quote.

4. Full tracking and a laser report on how the shocks sit comparison to each other. Advised to call into my local KF for a final included check after everything settles to ensure everything is ok.

Drove 40 mile yesterday and all seems good

Maybe I have been lucky. The Christchurch East team seem to be on the ball.
 
Update: Thanks for comments. In the end I had no choice but to let the local Kwik Fit do the work. No other garage offered to do the work in time for me to drive the 220 miles home. I can see that Kwit Fit doesn’t have a good rep on here. I have never used them before. Here was my experience.

1. They put the van on a ramp straight away and found the full extent of the problem.

2. They gave a quote range based on best the worse case scenario.

3. They carried out the work in the specified time scale. They found that the tracking rod also needed repairs. They repaired this within the original quote.

4. Full tracking and a laser report on how the shocks sit comparison to each other. Advised to call into my local KF for a final included check after everything settles to ensure everything is ok.

Drove 40 mile yesterday and all seems good

Maybe I have been lucky. The Christchurch East team seem to be on the ball.
Good news. What actually failed, was it OEM parts, mileage?
Hopefully they checked the opposite side for signs of similar degradation?
 
Good news. What actually failed, was it OEM parts, mileage?
Hopefully they checked the opposite side for signs of similar degradation?
129k miles on a 2008. I put it mostly down to too many deep potholes. Especially on the single track lanes on The Lizard, Cornwall. We learn to avoid them during three daylight, but not so easy during pitch black nights. Most of the road damage is on the near side and hared to avoid whilst keeping over for on coming traffic. I did ask them to check the opposite side. The heights have settled similar, so hopefully ok. KF have offered a big discount if I need the other side done over the next 6 months.
 
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