OT: Cars and replacing suspension components
gingaman
Posts: 576
Afternoon all,
After an unfavourable trip to the MOT station my car has been off the road for a few months. I am now of the mindset that I might as well get it fixed and back on the road, it cant be sold as the cost of the repairs are pretty much the same as the value of the vehicle... :roll:
I am slightly handy with a spanner [and duct tape] so I am looking to source the parts and do the swap myself, then take it to be tracked and MOT'ed. I dont have an hydraulic press to swap out the bushings, so I am going to buy the complete control arms and replace the whole lot.
The problem is, for someone who is new to car mechanic-ing, there are too many parts for too many cars to sort through. Will the relevant part numbers be stamped on the currently installed components? Is there a handy 'one stop shop' that will know what I am talking about when I say I have a 2001 Honda Civic with 3 doors, and be able to tell me what parts I need?
Also, how hard is this job? From what I have read and watched on the net, it looks relatively un-complex, only needing to jack the car up and remove some bolts...
TL,DR: I dont want to pay a garage over £500 when I can [potentially] do the majority of the work for around £100 and a weekend of labour, and where can I find the correct parts?
Thanks,
gingaman
After an unfavourable trip to the MOT station my car has been off the road for a few months. I am now of the mindset that I might as well get it fixed and back on the road, it cant be sold as the cost of the repairs are pretty much the same as the value of the vehicle... :roll:
I am slightly handy with a spanner [and duct tape] so I am looking to source the parts and do the swap myself, then take it to be tracked and MOT'ed. I dont have an hydraulic press to swap out the bushings, so I am going to buy the complete control arms and replace the whole lot.
The problem is, for someone who is new to car mechanic-ing, there are too many parts for too many cars to sort through. Will the relevant part numbers be stamped on the currently installed components? Is there a handy 'one stop shop' that will know what I am talking about when I say I have a 2001 Honda Civic with 3 doors, and be able to tell me what parts I need?
Also, how hard is this job? From what I have read and watched on the net, it looks relatively un-complex, only needing to jack the car up and remove some bolts...
TL,DR: I dont want to pay a garage over £500 when I can [potentially] do the majority of the work for around £100 and a weekend of labour, and where can I find the correct parts?
Thanks,
gingaman
0
Posts
Best place to buy depends on the model of car. CES are a good motor factors, FAI make decent suspension arms.
Marin Nail Trail
Cotic Solaris
Marin Nail Trail
Cotic Solaris
Look on you tube for some help. Most suspension bush jobs don't need a press,just a big hammer,suitable sized sockets and some confidence.
Trouble is those nuts and bolts have been having a salty shower for the past 14 years and might not want to cooperate.
Good luck!
If the case of parts are similar to that of the value, you are simply throwing good money at bad.
Go out, get a car on a monthly deal with small deposit and drive safe in the knowledge that your monthly payment is your total cost.
Trust me, 95 times in 100 doing things like this turns to shiat, when a car is old its old and unless the value makes it the wise move, your just heading into a minefield.
Marin Nail Trail
Cotic Solaris
I do agree that once a car has reached 10yrs or more it can become uneconomical to repair unless you source discounted new/good used parts and do the work yourself.
OP if you can get the parts off the car you could go to a local garage and ask them to press out the old bushes and fit the new ones for an agreed fee. Or have ago yourself like this bloke
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhrY7clDIGE
However if the ball joint is also worn consider replacing the complete suspension arm. http://www.eurocarparts.com/ecp/c/Honda_Civic_1.6_2001/p/car-parts/suspension-and-steering/suspension/suspension-arm-and-suspension-joints/?615601035&1&4c161825a05cb6d878a85c40063c80ef2aff55b5&000320
The issue with worn suspension is that it very much assigns itself to other areas of wear and tear on the car, after all, these components don't wear in 20,000m!
Seriously, once you start you never stop unless your really lucky and the money pit is very deep.
There really is no need to drive old cars these days (unless credit is an issue) as they can be so cheap to lease. £50/month and £500 deposit will put you in a brand new 4 seater with warranty and zero issues, if thats too much money you shouldn't be driving (that isn't meant at anyone in particular but motorists in general)
It is my first car. I like it. I am currently in the middle of an apprenticeship (mechanical engineering) so money is tight, however I have learned/ am learning skills that will help, as well as having access to beefier tools etc. I would like to give it a go anyway as I feel too many people these days don't know enough about repairing things and would rather phone someone/ pay someone else to do it/ can't be bothered. 8000+ by bike last year compared to 2500 by car... 8)
Get started and if you get stuck there are more than enough 'experts' on here to help. :roll:
Bushes are rarely replaced now anyway - most suspension bits are replaced whole. The car registration number should be sufficient to source the parts.
Get a crow bar and use it to check play in all the suspension bits. It won't tell you exactly what you need but it will give you a rough idea.
You are not going to be able to check brake efficiency or emissions. Maybe you should put it in for a pre MOT and then you will know what you can and can't do yourself. Some offer 14 days to resit the MOT without extra charge. If you plan to do this more often, you can pick up an OBD2 device specific to your car pretty cheap - helps a bit.
I can call up the garage that is doing my MOT/MOT work and they insure the car to and from the test place - maybe you have this facility.
+1 for eurocarparts.com
Not that I've used them or that I know them to be good, but merely for the fact that you can put your reg in and it will identify the part you need. Which was the crux of your original query.
Often from this starting point, you can then search using a part number.
The older I get, the better I was.
Agree with others, much better to fix something than to throw it away and start again.
Marin Nail Trail
Cotic Solaris
Yes I agree, I only use them for well know brand parts, I tend to use CES more for Delphi brake and suspension parts, they are also a stockist for Brake Engineering reconditioned brake calipers.
OP what I have found when working on suspension is that the various nuts and bolts can be seized and that the pinch type bolts are usually coated with red grade locktite. Be careful not to just put a long breaker bar on the head of those bolts and apply lots of torque, as it is easy to shear the head of the bolt off, which will then require drilling out/extracting which can be a time consuming PITA. Much better to use and impact wrench to vibrate the bolt loose, I also apply a little heat the head of the bolt, then let it cool before trying to remove it. One of those mini blow lamps is useful.
You can hire a impact wrench and transformer for Speedy for a day rate, I have done that in the past. I bought one of those £20 Clarke 12v battery powered impact wrenches, the type that is recommended for undoing overtight wheel lug nuts/bolts. I wanted to see if it would undo a crankshaft pulley bolt, which it did, I also used it to undo a hub drive shaft nut, which it did to my surprise, you do need a fully charged 12V battery for this to be successful.
I think that if you do your research and take your time you will be fine, just make sure you have the vehicle properly and safely supported, keep three wheels on the ground and work on one side at a time.
Soak all the fasteners with PlusGas for 24hrs before you start
When I was a single and skint young pup. I had the same mindset. I did pretty much everything on my car including change all the suspension components springs, dampers, wishbone, bearing hub assy.
However! There was many late nights where my car was half dismantled only to find I did not have the right tool in my cheap Halfrauds 10 piece socket set or more commonly the nuts and bolts were badly corroded and totally siezed on. I had to literally jump on the ratchet handle only to remove skin in my knuckles or round off the bolts. I did not have another car to pop to Halfrauds / main dealer if something went wrong .
I used to watch a programme on the Discovery Channels where they restored old cars (Wheeler Dealers?). Everything looked rosy but they never told you the cost of the entire garage equipment including jacks or the man hours away from a day job. They never showed siezed on bolts ether.
Now I'm +1 for buying a new car. After accidentally going in a garage and finding the finance deal for a new car was less per month than what I was actually paying for a second hand car ( the new car was the end of a production run before a new model came out). With a new car, zero worries , everything works every morning and no MOT for 3 years. There's some pretty good finance deals out that makes a new car affordable, I do notice these days there's not many old cars from the 80's and 90's about.
Thats called common sense my friend
Seriously, for years I tinkered with cars and the cost when I look back was astronomical, tools, spares, travel to get parts, time used to get parts, it all adds up.
In the case of someone restoring a car for pleasure its a valid trade-off, you get something in return for your hassles but for a daily driver, when suspension parts are worn you would be stupid (no offence meant) if you honestly thought that replacing the part ends your problem and you can continue to drive safe in the knowledge that you have thousands of trouble free miles ahead.
The fact is, its simply the start of a lifetime of replacements and hassles because if one part is worn, you can bet the rest of the car shares the same issues and for an old car with low value, all you are doing is throwing good money at bad.
I am all for getting your hands dirty and fixing things but you have to understand the value in doing that, also the dangers involved if something later happened !
Its very funny how when you grow up you realise that the finer things in life are much cheaper in the long run and whilst others look at you with your new cars wondering how you can afford them, you look back at those same people wondering how they can afford their old cars and the repair bills.
True story, I used to mess with Cosworths as a kid, I loved them but spent a fortune, easily losing £20k in a year.
Now I have Ferrari's and Lamborghini's and keep them for 6-12 months and the most I've lost is a couple of £k.
I used to use old cars as daily drivers, I could easily spend £300/month keeping them on the road.
I now have brand new cars and drive a Ford Transit Custom as my daily driver that costs me £129/month without a worry or care in the world, never costs me a penny outside of fuel.
Once you realise that newer is cheaper you will never look back.
With regards to restoring a car, in my own opinion it's only worth if it's a very classic car, such as a concourse condition E-type or a classic shaped Porsche 911. Interestingly you can now get new replicas that look like the old thing ! Doing a lot of work and pouring money into a Ford Fiesta isn't worth it.
Im with you, it has to be worth it, either a car that financially rewards you or maybe restoring the first car you ever drove ?
I would love to do another build on an E30 BMW, I love them. the problem is that I know the time and effort it takes and I don't think I would have the time to complete it right now so won't start.
May I suggest public transport/taxis for short journeys and hiring cars for long journeys.
It may sound ridiculous, but do the sums on the entirety of owning and running a car. You may be surprised.
Been there, done that, in my earlier (skint) years.
I could have used taxis for 100% of my car journeys and broke even. I saved money by not doing so.
I am not sure. You have no chance.
For any make of car, the after market parts kick in at roughly 5 years so parts are not that expensive for an 'executive' car. That market is flat as a pancake. Have a look on Auto trader for sub 120k Merc's, BM's and VW Audi's - amazing what you can pick up for less than 2k. VW Audi's are about the only one that hold their price.
I looked at a C Class 320 AMG Merc with FSH, full leather interior and FSH with 110k miles on it. It was pristine and went for £1200. Fuel consumption was the thing that put me off.
If Gingaman is training to be a mechanic, this will be valuable experience for him and I am sure he has friends who can perhaps lend him tools. If he is serious about it for a career, then the investment in decent tools will be worth it.
But you do understand the concepts of value and constantly fighting a lost cause ?
I understand that 'value' can be a concept broader than purely money and that most things are possible even if not economically viable.
Aren't lost causes the only things worth fighting for?
I am not sure. You have no chance.
I find it odd that you would post something like this considering your normally on the moral horse of the opposite side.
If the guy came here and said I have a car, its not my daily driver and it doesnt matter if it is on the road or not, if I have the wrong tools and it holds me up a week or three it won't matter to me etc etc then I would say go for it, learn from it, gain experience and enjoy yourself but he didn't.
I presume its his daily drive and on that note and as a father/someone who has made the same mistakes, I preferred to go along the route of trying to guide him along the sensible route.
As a kid, I didn't get the opportunity for cheap finance on cars, those deals didn't exist but they do now, a brand new car for less than £100/month is an option to most 17-25 year olds and it is the cheapest option for them.
Trouble free driving, you can't beat it.
I am not sure. You have no chance.
That's true. But a lack of money can also enrich life with experiences that go beyond monetary value.
(Skip this bit vtech)