Suspension upgrade / shocks

[Ceffymike]

Amazing thanks guys.

[gt_james]

I've just installed new KYB inserts. Haynes manual says 13.7 cubic inches (225 ml) of shock oil. This is outrageously incorrect. Perhaps closer to 20ml.

In any case, I ended up placing the insert in the strut and very slowly pouring the shock oil around the edge. As Pete says, it takes very little.

I think you're a bit mixed up here, the original factory shock absorber is not a standalone insert, the twin tube damper uses the strut tube as the outer tube, so you undo the gland nut at the top and the shock oil, inner tube and valve are all visible and you can pull it all out and lots of oil in there.

If you replace this with an aftermarket cartridge/damper you will only fit in a tiny amount of oil, as the damper has an outside tube diameter close to the diameter of the strut tube. A small amount of oil can help here for noise suppression and heat conductivity, and I guess corossion, but with a cartridge type damper you needn't add any extra oil IMO.

The haynes manual states the oil needed for the original damper not an insert.

[KiwiDave]

Thanks for the explanation James. That makes a lot more sense of the situation.

[spirit r]

Make sence! I put some gearbox oil as updated to the tokico.I think it will protect the inside from condens water. Put a lot of graphite grease on the screw hope open will be more easy next time.

[sam]

S3 KYB LH-334130-1 RH-334129-1 Rears KYB 343064