Can I fit 1.8 front struts to a diesel?

[YHT]

I have just replaced the gaiter on my R75 diesel front shock absorber. Jacked up the spring to be able to knock (with a cushioning bit of wood) the bit that clamps around the bottom of the shock absob=rber and carries the brake discs etc. Putting the brake disc carrier etc back is being a "wotsit"!!! Looking at the Haynes youtube video the brake/hub carrier slides under the end of the damper and then the Haynes chap just jacks it up and engaged the clamp bolt. There seems to be some 50m of the damper dangling below the level of the hub carrier and it seems that the spring needs to be comporessed somehow to get damper into carrier.I have looked round to see if I have left a brakehose or cable connected but all seems detached or de-restrained. Thoughts please.???

[SD1too]

Originally Posted by YHT

I have just replaced the gaiter on my R75 diesel front shock absorber. Jacked up the spring to be able to knock (with a cushioning bit of wood) the bit that clamps around the bottom of the shock absorber and carries the brake discs etc.

I don't quite follow Norman. How did you fit a new gaiter without compressing the spring and removing the top mounting plate?

Originally Posted by YHT

There seems to be some 50m of the damper dangling below the level of the hub carrier and it seems that the spring needs to be compressed somehow to get damper into carrier. Thoughts please?

Locate the damper/spring assembly top mounting plate into the wing and fit the 3 x 13mm nuts loosely to allow movement. Manoeuvre the hub beneath the strut (difficult) and lift upwards to engage its slot with the blade on the damper. Align bolt hole and insert bolt (coated in Waxoyl for next time) tightening to 100 Nm. Tighten top mounting plate nuts to 22 Nm.

Any help?

Simon

[YHT]

Thanks. But there is too much strut dangling down to get the hub underneath! i.e. something like 50mm; too much to compress the spring by hand and its not stable enough to use the jack and a bit of wood on the spring flange.
Its a different from what the Haynes youtube video shows. They are showing what to do with the MG version of the R75; is the damper so much shorter?
Looks like I am going to have to take the drive shaft out to manouver the hub on which isnt quite the short cut I was hoping for!

[Costa Fortuna]

Make sure both front wheels are in the air in the beginning or make sure the side you're not working on is raised clear of the ground - get a long bar about a metre long and prise the lower control arm downwards enough to slip the hub under the strut. As said above grease the strut first and line it up. Highly advised to have an assistant to avoid possible unintentional skin/blood loss - it can be a bit tricky but can be done.

[The Rovering Member]

Replacing the springs & shocks on my 1.8 with new listed components has given me quite a firm ride. I'm willing to bet that they'd be up to the job of supporting a diesel engine just fine. You may even get a more compliant ride at the front.

[YHT]

Managed to do it. Took the bottom joint off the aluminium "boomerang" suspension bit and there was plenty of room.Levered the hub up rrather than the boomerang down. Its back together now ready for tightening tomorrow. The learning curve gets steeper by the hour! Thanks to all for suggestions/support!

[SD1too]

Originally Posted by YHT

Thanks. But there is too much strut dangling down to get the hub underneath!

Further to Costa Fortuna's post, when I did mine the steering arm and lower suspension arm were disconnected from the hub which helped manoeuvrability. Are yours? Even so, it's a struggle when you're working on the garage floor.

Simon

This post crossed with yours announcing success!

[YHT]

Didnt disconnect the steering arm. The joint with the aluminium boomerange made all the difference. When looking at the Haynes youtube video it doesnt show that having to be released. Just checked again and the boomerange joint definately stays connected. Is the damper on an MG version shorter????