Suspension

How to Replacing lever-arm dampers

Published by

Front lever-arm damper: A lever-arm damper on the front often acts as part of the suspension unit. Loosen the front wheel nuts, jack the front of the car, place axle stands under the chassis members and chock the rear wheels. Remove the front wheels. Put the jack under the bottom suspension arm on one side. Raise the jack to push the arm up and to require the load off the damper arm.

The steering arm could also be within the way. If so, free it using a ball-joint separator ; you’ll be ready to hire a scissor type. Alternatively, it may be possible to separate the joint by a pointy hammer blow. Unscrew the nut until it just covers about three or four threads at the top of the ball-joint pin. Hit it with a soft-faced drill in order to break the seat. When the joint is free, separate the 2 parts and move the steering arm out of the way. Undo and remove the bolt that fixes the lever-arm damper to the steering swivel (or stub axle). The damper body may be bolted to a chassis member, sub frame or the inner wing. Undo the fixing bolts, and lift it away.

Rear damper

The rear lever-arm damper may be a separate a part of the suspension. there’s generally no got to disturb the rest of the rear suspension. Loosen the rear wheel nuts, jack the rear of the car and place axle stands under the chassis members. Chock the front wheels. Remove the rear wheels. Undo and take away the nut and bolt which holds the damper arm to the connecting link. Undo the damper fixing bolts and lift away.

How to top up a damper

The filler plug is on the top. Wipe around the area to wash off road grime. Remove the filler plug with a spanner or large-bladed screwdriver. Top up with damper fluid specified by the manufacturer. A lot of topping up means a leak; replace the damper.

Renewing a front lever-arm damper

The lever arm could also be secured to the top swivel by a castellated nut and split pin. Remove the pin with pliers and undo the nut. Use a ball-joint separator to free the arm from the tapered mounting pin, and pull the entire assembly clear. Undo the bolts holding the damper to the chassis. Fit the new damper in reverse order of removal.

Damper fixed to chassis member

The damper fixing bolts may screw into captive nuts on the chassis or wing, or there may be bolts with nuts on the other side, in which case two spanners are needed

Published by