CDTI SE sports suspension front shocks

pletevl · 7th August 2014, 12:41

Hi all,

Bought my car in march, diesel auto 2005 contemporay with sports suspension.

It has always had a knock on the front left, we've changed the lower arm and bush, drop links, top strut bearing and regreased the tripod CV joint on the driveshaft. It still knocks

If someone pulls and pushes down the car I can hear the knock when sat in the car so I went feeling around while someone pushed and pulled.

If I put mu hand on the top of the strut under the bonnet I can feel it knocking. I feel nothing elsewhere on the suspension.

So my question is, can shock absorbers knock ?

If i need to replace it, what are my chaces of getting the right shock ? sports suspension fitted at the factory, rimmers have 1 shock reference that covers 3 different models of shocks.

Thanks

Pete

pletevl · 7th August 2014, 12:52

Here's the sticker from under the rear seat, front left, so I need "JM"

Rimmers proposes this

Damper assembly front - LH, JK (Green/White), JL (Green/Blue), JM (Green/Gray) - Genuine MG Rover

2000 cc - Diesel1RND105370Damper assembly front - LH, JK (Green/White), JL (Green/Blue), JM (Green/Gray) - Genuine MG Rover

2000 cc - Diesel1RND105370 http://www.rimmerbros.co.uk/Item--i-RND105370

does anyone know the difference between these 3 shocks ? JK, JL, JM.

pletevl · 8th August 2014, 18:50

Bump for the weekend

SD1too · 9th August 2014, 08:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by pletevl

... does anyone know the difference between these 3 shocks ? JK, JL, JM.

Those letters represent a combination of spring and shock absorber Pete. RND 105370 is the part number for the shock absorber which can be paired with different springs, depending upon the model. The springs are identified by colour code, yours being green/grey.

Remember that you should renew shock absorbers in pairs, so you should do the RH side as well. It's not a quick or easy job. Have you carried out the same test on the other side as a comparison?

By the way, you say that your Rover 75 has sports suspension. Why do you say that? Have you noticed that the label states "std suspens"?

Simon

pletevl · 9th August 2014, 11:31

Thanks for those details, I now understand it all.

As for the sports suspension, it is not the normal rover 75 smooth ride. It is nearly as stiff as a ZT, my brother who's a mechanic and has 2 customers with MK1 75s remarked on it too.
Maybe the MKII facelift was harder ?!
It said in the ad that it had factory fitted sports suspension. This was confirmed as an option on the certificate of conformity that I had to get to register it in France.
When I showed it to my local ex MGRover dealer here in France he said it was the sports version because it had a black interior and the chrome strips down the side of the car are not chrome they are colour coded.
But the sticker does say standard suspension so I don't know, what I do know is that it is not soft and supple, but hard and quite crashy.

Thanks simon

Pete.

SD1too · 9th August 2014, 12:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by pletevl

It said in the ad that it had factory fitted sports suspension. This was confirmed as an option on the certificate of conformity that I had to get to register it in France.

Hi Pete,

In this club there are members with encyclopedic knowledge of the various specifications over the years, and I'm not one of them!

But I had a look in my 'facelift' brochure and the body colour waist strips were standard on Contemporary and Contemporary SE, as was the "black" interior, so they do not denote sports suspension. That is listed as an option only on the SE. Does your car have other SE features such as electric heated front seats and Harman Kardon speaker system?

Quote:

... it is not the normal rover 75 smooth ride. It is nearly as stiff as a ZT ..

Do you have low profile tyres on large diameter wheels? That can make a tremendous difference to ride quality.

Simon

pletevl · 9th August 2014, 16:34

Ok so yes I have heated seats and electric seats with memory. I don't have the HK audio. I have 17" wheels with low profile tyres.
It is a contemporary SE, what does SE mean ?

Pete

SD1too · 9th August 2014, 19:09

Well Pete, as sports suspension was an option on the SE, and your label says the car has standard suspension, then I'd say that's what you've got.

The harder ride is most likely due to your large wheels and low profile tyres.

SE stands for Special Equipment. It means that the car has features which are normally optional extras on other trim levels.

Simon

drewesq · 9th August 2014, 20:10

You say you have changed the top mount bearing but did you change the mount at the same time?

pletevl · 9th August 2014, 22:10

No not changed the mount, why ? Do they knock ?

7th August 2014, 12:41	#1
pletevl Posted a thing or two rover 75 cdti(rhd), MG ZR(lhd), MG TF(lhd), MG TF(rhd), mini mpi (lhd), Renault megane III (awful) Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: East of France Posts: 1,282 Thanks: 124 Thanked 114 Times in 93 Posts	CDTI SE sports suspension front shocks Hi all, Bought my car in march, diesel auto 2005 contemporay with sports suspension. It has always had a knock on the front left, we've changed the lower arm and bush, drop links, top strut bearing and regreased the tripod CV joint on the driveshaft. It still knocks If someone pulls and pushes down the car I can hear the knock when sat in the car so I went feeling around while someone pushed and pulled. If I put mu hand on the top of the strut under the bonnet I can feel it knocking. I feel nothing elsewhere on the suspension. So my question is, can shock absorbers knock ? If i need to replace it, what are my chaces of getting the right shock ? sports suspension fitted at the factory, rimmers have 1 shock reference that covers 3 different models of shocks. Thanks Pete

9th August 2014, 19:09	#8
SD1too Doesn't do things by halves Rover 75 2.5 Connoisseur Auto (1999) Dealer launch model. Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Former Middlesex Posts: 20,386 Thanks: 1,587 Thanked 3,749 Times in 3,181 Posts	Well Pete, as sports suspension was an option on the SE, and your label says the car has standard suspension, then I'd say that's what you've got. The harder ride is most likely due to your large wheels and low profile tyres. SE stands for Special Equipment. It means that the car has features which are normally optional extras on other trim levels. Simon __________________ "Whatever is rightly done, however humble, is noble." Sir Henry Royce.

9th August 2014, 20:10	#9
drewesq Posted a thing or two 75 Tourer Auto Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Exeter Posts: 1,085 Thanks: 148 Thanked 43 Times in 41 Posts	You say you have changed the top mount bearing but did you change the mount at the same time? __________________ [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC] http://badges.fuelly.com/images/sig-uk/212752.png

8th August 2014, 18:50	#3
pletevl Posted a thing or two rover 75 cdti(rhd), MG ZR(lhd), MG TF(lhd), MG TF(rhd), mini mpi (lhd), Renault megane III (awful) Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: East of France Posts: 1,282 Thanks: 124 Thanked 114 Times in 93 Posts	Bump for the weekend

9th August 2014, 11:31	#5
pletevl Posted a thing or two rover 75 cdti(rhd), MG ZR(lhd), MG TF(lhd), MG TF(rhd), mini mpi (lhd), Renault megane III (awful) Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: East of France Posts: 1,282 Thanks: 124 Thanked 114 Times in 93 Posts	Thanks for those details, I now understand it all. As for the sports suspension, it is not the normal rover 75 smooth ride. It is nearly as stiff as a ZT, my brother who's a mechanic and has 2 customers with MK1 75s remarked on it too. Maybe the MKII facelift was harder ?! It said in the ad that it had factory fitted sports suspension. This was confirmed as an option on the certificate of conformity that I had to get to register it in France. When I showed it to my local ex MGRover dealer here in France he said it was the sports version because it had a black interior and the chrome strips down the side of the car are not chrome they are colour coded. But the sticker does say standard suspension so I don't know, what I do know is that it is not soft and supple, but hard and quite crashy. Thanks simon Pete.

9th August 2014, 16:34	#7
pletevl Posted a thing or two rover 75 cdti(rhd), MG ZR(lhd), MG TF(lhd), MG TF(rhd), mini mpi (lhd), Renault megane III (awful) Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: East of France Posts: 1,282 Thanks: 124 Thanked 114 Times in 93 Posts	Ok so yes I have heated seats and electric seats with memory. I don't have the HK audio. I have 17" wheels with low profile tyres. It is a contemporary SE, what does SE mean ? Pete

9th August 2014, 22:10	#10
pletevl Posted a thing or two rover 75 cdti(rhd), MG ZR(lhd), MG TF(lhd), MG TF(rhd), mini mpi (lhd), Renault megane III (awful) Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: East of France Posts: 1,282 Thanks: 124 Thanked 114 Times in 93 Posts	No not changed the mount, why ? Do they knock ?