The Dispatch | Expert | Scudo Hub

steve4955

Member

Registered: 2020-06-12

Posts: 1

front right shock absorber removal

spring snapped on wifes Dispatch enterprise 2006 van
how on earth do you get to the nut at the top of the strut??,have moved the wiper mechanism out of way
any help advice please
TIA
Steve

steve the grease

Member

Registered: 2018-05-20

Posts: 82

Re: front right shock absorber removal

You generally undo 2 or  3 13mm  bolts and drop the strut off complete. I would NOT recommend undoing the nut which normally holds the spring onto the strut,even with a broken spring. How do you propose to compress the spring?

vaz2121

Member

From: Glasgow Living:~ SW. Scotland

Registered: 2015-08-31

Posts: 1,311

Re: front right shock absorber removal

I had a front spring break a good couple years ago now and as steve the grease says drop out and remove strut first then use spring compressor to change spring even broken it could still pack a fatal punch..........
So use caution at all times........
Again as steve the grease says 2 or 3 nuts/bolts hold the strut inplace on top of turret and as you've found out theres not a lot of space under scuttle panel with wiper linkage............

JohnDragonMan

Member

From: Derby, East Midlands, UK

Registered: 2020-06-02

Posts: 402

Website

Re: front right shock absorber removal

though i guess this is fixed now, ill just say that if you undergo taking the strut off, i suggest painting all inside where the strut goes. mine was pretty corroded:

the strut tops were also rather corroded:

to drop the strut youll need to unbolt it at the wheel hub while jacked up on axle stands. then right up in the wheel arch theres 2x rather rusted 13mm bolts. though rusty mine seemed to come out easy after hammering a socket on the bolt head. you'll need a real good pair of spring compressors to compress the spring enough to get it out. compress it enough so it can physically move when the dampener is fully extended. it uses a 22mm nyloc nut on top and inside the nut theres a rare 7mm Allen key slot to stop the dampener from just spinning while undoing the 22mm nyloc nut. the nyloc was not tight and came undone easy.

i recommend chipping all the loose rust off using a large screw driver and maybe a small hammer, then using a wire brush/wheel on a angle grinder to clean it up more, and finally painting it with a paint that has a built in rust converter. once its dry i then recommend painting over it with a thick underseal to protect it from stone chips.

this is what i am doing on mine. plan to keep it as long as i am able.

**** rust! 

Last edited by JohnDragonMan (2020-07-04 01:26:27)

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- JohnDragonMan
Notice: I have the tendency to void warranties, blow fuses, cause fires, and other fun stuff.
Words of wisdom: Internally rust proof the sills and subframe! both skins!!. There's always user serviceable parts inside. "Oh that shouldn't have happened".
My 2005 Dispatch Camper Project