Rear Shock Absorbers Mg ZT CDTi

buzz887 · 29th April 2019, 15:16

Hi is there a how to in regards to replacing the rear shocks on my mg zt?

Regards
Buzz887

ceedy · 29th April 2019, 17:11

its not a hard job, 2 bolts at the top inside the boot.

And One large and often tight one at the bottom..

thats it ..

C

buzz887 · 29th April 2019, 21:26

Hi Ceedy,

Sounds simple enough.

However, not wanting to sound too silly do i need to place a jack under any of the rear suspension to hold things up at all?

I have the car is jacked up at the correct point both sides at the jacking point but wondered if i need to use a jack to support anything else?

Regards
Buzz

trikey · 29th April 2019, 21:29

I always put a jack to support the bottom of the hub, when you remove the bottom shock bolt the threads can be damaged if the hub isn't supported.

Ensure you clean the threads out before refitting the bolt, you get a lot of rust & debris in there!

75driver · 29th April 2019, 21:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by trikey

I always put a jack to support the bottom of the hub, when you remove the bottom shock bolt the threads can be damaged if the hub isn't supported.

Ensure you clean the threads out before refitting the bolt, you get a lot of rust & debris in there!

+1 for the above.
Also, if you can, check that the secondary jack (to support the bottom of the hub) can raise the hub to a height similiar to the primary jack (or Ramps).
My wee 2 tonner does not, which means placing a 4” sq bit of timber between the jack and the hub.
Sometimes that is easier said than done.

.
To crack the bottom bolt, will need a fair bit of leaverage. I usually need about 2 ft of breaker bar.
So...the higher you have the car, the better, as it allows for a bit more angular movement of the Breaker bar, before the end of the bar hits the ground.
Hope that makes sense.

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RogerHeinz57 · 30th April 2019, 06:07

I would advise the use of decent 18mm socket (NOT Multi-Hex), possibly asking a garage to slacken them off with a nut gun for you first, the lower bolts are likely to be "FT" Also if the car has an anti-roll bar, do 1 side at a time will lessen the loads required to re-align the hub carrier to the new damper. The two upper fixings inside the boot are 13mm.
I further advise that the top mounts need to be in good order prior to removal and transfer to the new units, seen plenty that have failed. If you intend keeping the car for some time - maybe worth getting a new set of these prior to operations commence. Just a few ideas to digest !

marinabrian · 30th April 2019, 22:39

Top mount idea

LINK

I tend to do these on a set of drive up ramps with weight of the car on the wheels.

So reverse up the ramps, and undo the M14 bolts securing the bottom of the damper to the trailing arm, as John says these are FT (155Nm) I use a 2' breaker bar and a single hex 18mm socket, and hang off the bar with a "bit of bounce" to start them off.

Then into the boot, pull back the side liner to reveal the top mount, this is bolted to the body with two M8 Nyloc nuts (30Nm), undo the two nuts and remove, then from under the car, give the damper a sharp tug downwards, and it will come away from the body.

Remove the nut securing the damper rod to the top mount, and transfer this to the new damper, then recover the rubber cap from inside the boot.

Clip the rubber cap to the top mount, then apply a little lube (swarfega) to the ridge on the rubber cap, the damper can be pushed back up through the hole in the body, after you've washed away any accumulated dirt from around the hole.

The rubber cap once engaged in the body, will allow the damper to hang unassisted from the car, allowing you to refit the M8 nuts to the damper mount, put both nuts on loosely at this point.

Now from under the car orientate the damper so that when the bolt is passed through the eyelet, it is parallel with the tapped hole on the trailing arm, and with fingers only, turn the bolt anticlockwise until you hear a "click", then tighten carefully ensuring the bolt is not cross threaded.

The bolt is of the patchlok variety, so a dot of Loctite should be applied to the threads, before pulling it up to the correct torque.

Finally, tighten the top mount nuts to the correct torque, refit the boot liner panels and Bob's your father's sister's husband

This applies to the saloon models, the tourer models are more involved due to the amount of stripping out inside the boot area to access the top mounting bolts, but the rest of the job is identical.

Hope this helps

Brian

Randyjim · 1st May 2019, 09:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by marinabrian

Top mount idea

Now from under the car orientate the damper so that when the bolt is passed through the eyelet, it is parallel with the tapped hole on the trailing arm, and with fingers only, turn the bolt anticlockwise until you hear a "click", then tighten carefully ensuring the bolt is not cross threaded.

Brian

What's the "click" for Brian?, or will it become obvious once I'm under the car this weekend?

I'll also be changing the springs while I'm down there. Is there much more that needs disconnecting to do this on a MKII 190?

clf · 1st May 2019, 09:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by Randyjim

What's the "click" for Brian?, or will it become obvious once I'm under the car this weekend?

I'll also be changing the springs while I'm down there. Is there much more that needs disconnecting to do this on a MKII 190?

The click,you may feel rather than hear , is just confirmation that the threads have lined up. Use this technique for all bolts or screw threaded fasteners to avoid damaging the threads. Apparently it is easy to damage the threads on the strut mount at the hub, and you don't want that lol

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marinabrian · 1st May 2019, 18:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by Randyjim

What's the "click" for Brian?, or will it become obvious once I'm under the car this weekend?

I'll also be changing the springs while I'm down there. Is there much more that needs disconnecting to do this on a MKII 190?

Rear springs on a Mk2 ZT you say.........

Simply slacken slightly the subframe mounting bolts on the opposite side to the spring you're changing, and remove the ones on the side you're changing the spring on, along with the bottom damper mount.

After you done the first spring, refit the subframe bolts to that side and then remove the bolts from the opposite side.

Once the new springs are fitted, tighten up the subframe bolts to the specified torque and job done

Beats messing about with drop links and rusted fasteners any day of the week.....20 minutes to do both rear springs

Brian

29th April 2019, 15:16	#1
buzz887 Newbie MG ZT CDTI +85 AUTO Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Glasgow Posts: 28 Thanks: 1 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Rear Shock Absorbers Mg ZT CDTi Hi is there a how to in regards to replacing the rear shocks on my mg zt? Regards Buzz887

29th April 2019, 17:11	#2
ceedy This is my second home All Trophy Blue ,ZT260#50 , ZT CDTI Auto, ZR105+ and 1.8T Firefrost spoiling the Set . Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Nr Sherborne But in Somerset.. Posts: 6,077 Thanks: 916 Thanked 1,214 Times in 768 Posts	its not a hard job, 2 bolts at the top inside the boot. And One large and often tight one at the bottom.. thats it .. C __________________ The Three Bloo's Wifey's Zr105, MY CDTI & 260 #50 and Number One sons 1.8T in Firefrost When I were a lad Zero to 142 in 10.25 secs at the Pod on my Blown Norton. 210 Kart Champ in 70's

29th April 2019, 21:26	#3
buzz887 Newbie MG ZT CDTI +85 AUTO Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Glasgow Posts: 28 Thanks: 1 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Hi Ceedy, Sounds simple enough. However, not wanting to sound too silly do i need to place a jack under any of the rear suspension to hold things up at all? I have the car is jacked up at the correct point both sides at the jacking point but wondered if i need to use a jack to support anything else? Regards Buzz Last edited by buzz887; 29th April 2019 at 21:26.. Reason: grammer

29th April 2019, 21:29	#4
trikey Premium Trader Rover 75 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Devon Posts: 33,774 Thanks: 8,837 Thanked 14,831 Times in 8,030 Posts	I always put a jack to support the bottom of the hub, when you remove the bottom shock bolt the threads can be damaged if the hub isn't supported. Ensure you clean the threads out before refitting the bolt, you get a lot of rust & debris in there! __________________ Lest we forget..

30th April 2019, 06:07	#6
RogerHeinz57 I really should get out more....... A Reasonably Priced Car Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Burton Latimer Posts: 2,530 Thanks: 408 Thanked 1,064 Times in 712 Posts	I would advise the use of decent 18mm socket (NOT Multi-Hex), possibly asking a garage to slacken them off with a nut gun for you first, the lower bolts are likely to be "FT" Also if the car has an anti-roll bar, do 1 side at a time will lessen the loads required to re-align the hub carrier to the new damper. The two upper fixings inside the boot are 13mm. I further advise that the top mounts need to be in good order prior to removal and transfer to the new units, seen plenty that have failed. If you intend keeping the car for some time - maybe worth getting a new set of these prior to operations commence. Just a few ideas to digest !

30th April 2019, 22:39	#7
marinabrian MG ZT Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Newcastle Upon Tyne Posts: 20,151 Thanks: 3,565 Thanked 10,837 Times in 5,718 Posts	Top mount idea LINK I tend to do these on a set of drive up ramps with weight of the car on the wheels. So reverse up the ramps, and undo the M14 bolts securing the bottom of the damper to the trailing arm, as John says these are FT (155Nm) I use a 2' breaker bar and a single hex 18mm socket, and hang off the bar with a "bit of bounce" to start them off. Then into the boot, pull back the side liner to reveal the top mount, this is bolted to the body with two M8 Nyloc nuts (30Nm), undo the two nuts and remove, then from under the car, give the damper a sharp tug downwards, and it will come away from the body. Remove the nut securing the damper rod to the top mount, and transfer this to the new damper, then recover the rubber cap from inside the boot. Clip the rubber cap to the top mount, then apply a little lube (swarfega) to the ridge on the rubber cap, the damper can be pushed back up through the hole in the body, after you've washed away any accumulated dirt from around the hole. The rubber cap once engaged in the body, will allow the damper to hang unassisted from the car, allowing you to refit the M8 nuts to the damper mount, put both nuts on loosely at this point. Now from under the car orientate the damper so that when the bolt is passed through the eyelet, it is parallel with the tapped hole on the trailing arm, and with fingers only, turn the bolt anticlockwise until you hear a "click", then tighten *carefully* ensuring the bolt is not cross threaded. The bolt is of the patchlok variety, so a dot of Loctite should be applied to the threads, before pulling it up to the correct torque. Finally, tighten the top mount nuts to the correct torque, refit the boot liner panels and Bob's your father's sister's husband This applies to the saloon models, the tourer models are more involved due to the amount of stripping out inside the boot area to access the top mounting bolts, but the rest of the job is identical. Hope this helps Brian