NCT suspension failure - do i need to replace?

magnethead

Hi Guys,
My car jsut failed the NCT with a leaky shock. Please see pics..Do you think I need to replace the shock or can I just clean up up(see the next pic) and just see how it goes for a week and bring it back?
Do these things have magical seals that leak a bit, realise their mistake and re-seal

What I'm really asking I guess, does the NCT guy want to see a new shock in there jsut because it was 'leaking'....there was only a 10% on the test!

Am I fooling myself? Should I just repalce it anyway...It seems fine to drive on.

Thanks for your input

P.S why is the oil creeping UP the spring? Surely it should be coming down??

Before::


After::

roadsmart

The next tester will see it listed on the sheet, so yes he will notice if you don't replace it.

Cee-Jay-Cee

If it's leaking then it's done and needs to be replaced.

biko

Also, it's advisable to change in pairs.

magnethead

Thanks for the reply lads, I was afraid of the 'replace in pairs' but it makes sense even though it's much more work :mad:

I heard of a product in the states called 'fork seal' for motorbikes, which are it's shock....mayeb that's different, but I guess the work involved in getting the shock off to apply it, might as well replace them

Balls!!!!

mickdw

Your car will be much improved with new shocks.
It's shouldn't be a massive cost provided the car is not something special.

magnethead

Should have cleaned it before going to the NCT!! Schoolboy error!

It's a 03 Toyota Corolla, as common as muck ;p

Di acetyl Morphine !

NCT is a scam. I'd just blame the suspension damage on a clamping company and make them pay for the damage.

mickdw

magnethead wrote: »

Should have cleaned it before going to the NCT!! Schoolboy error!

It's a 03 Toyota Corolla, as common as muck ;p

Get 2 new ones so as they cannot be expensive. you would only be fooling yourself by keeping them shocks in there as sooner or later, the leaky one will completely fail in doing its job.
Did it fail on imbalance also.

guil

Surely it will fail the retest so cleaning it won't matter.

Toyotafanboi

i had a weeping shock fail before, but with an imbalance that was still passable.

i washed the shock with degreaser and wrote on it with tip-ex pen the model and year of the car so it looked like it came from a scrap yard and it passed.

your imbalance is still passable, i'd be surprised if you done the above and it wouldn't pass.

in fairness i know it's not ideal and the shock is still failing, but if you are like me at the time (penniless) then it's a viable short term solution.

magnethead

Thanks Toyotafanboi I needed to hear someone trying that and getting away with it, nice trick with the tip-ex

It was a bit annoying because the test results on the top picture here show it passing with a 10% difference..

NCT is a pain in the &^%%

bucketybuck

People are strange. You do realise those parts are there for a very good reason?

You have been told that an important part of your car suspension is faulty, and your response is to want to just leave it there?

Toyotafanboi

bucketybuck wrote: »

People are strange. You do realise those parts are there for a very good reason?

You have been told that an important part of your car suspension is faulty, and your response is to want to just leave it there?

ah come on now. i've seen worse imbalance readings on shocks that have passed. a mildly weeping shock is hardly a death trap.

if the op is cash strapped, as many of us are these days, then it's a viable solution for a period. something he can keep an eye on and maybe replace a little down the line.

from personal experience his plan will most likely work. i admit it's not a by the book solution, but i'd imagine a set of chinese tyres would be more dangerous than a mildly weeping shock but they will fly through the NCT, for example. (i know that's not overly relevant but just from a safety/ NCT fail comparison point of view).

bucketybuck

Toyotafanboi wrote: »

ah come on now. i've seen worse imbalance readings on shocks that have passed. a mildly weeping shock is hardly a death trap.

I just never will understand why some people are happy to cut corners on something that is propelling you down the road at 60mph.

I couldn't care less about scratches or dents, but I always look after my brakes, steering and suspension. Nothing to do with any NCT, just good practice.

slimjimmc

magnethead wrote: »

P.S why is the oil creeping UP the spring? Surely it should be coming down??

Getting soaked up by the dust and dirt on the spring I guess.

jca

bucketybuck wrote: »

I just never will understand why some people are happy to cut corners on something that is propelling you down the road at 60mph.

I couldn't care less about scratches or dents, but I always look after my brakes, steering and suspension. Nothing to do with any NCT, just good practice.

I'm so glad the nct was brought in when you see some of the "solutions" being offered here. Leaky shocks are lethal. If the op stops being a cheapskate and replaces the pair his car will be transformed. He'll be back here saying he's sorry he didn't do it ages ago.

magnethead123

Hiya, THanks for all the replies, I tried cleaning the shock, but it just leaked out all over itself again within the week.

I'm going to replace the rear 2.. Can any knowledgable Mechanic recommend a decent shock for a corolla? THe toyota dealer is up the road but I don't want to pay top dollar for a standard shock with the price jacked up by them when a good aftermarket one would probably be better.

NCT coming up this Friday :mad: so I need to buy the shocks tomorrow

THanks for your help

joujoujou

Get the cheapest ones from local motor factor.

cletus

As joujou said, go to your local motor factors if replacing them yourself, otherwise go to your trusted indie mechanic and let him buy them at trade price and put them on.

Its not a performance vehicle, so pretty much any spurious shock made for your car will be fine

JohnBoy26

magnethead123 wrote: »

Hiya, THanks for all the replies, I tried cleaning the shock, but it just leaked out all over itself again within the week.

I'm going to replace the rear 2.. Can any knowledgable Mechanic recommend a decent shock for a corolla? THe toyota dealer is up the road but I don't want to pay top dollar for a standard shock with the price jacked up by them when a good aftermarket one would probably be better.

NCT coming up this Friday :mad: so I need to buy the shocks tomorrow

THanks for your help

you will have to replace both shocks at the same time to avoid an imbalance. Kyb or Monroe are both decent brands of shocks that can be got for reasonable money.

magnethead123

Fairplay I picked up KYB Gas shocks (Two of them), so from the sounds of it, they won't leak oil but when a Gas seal goes they'll probably leak all in one go LOL

What would be a fair price(Time) for installing 2 of these rear shocks, given the mechanic will have to take the spring off before putting the shocks in etc...

THanks

magnethead

Just to close off this thread, the KYB shocks were 80 euro each and the job was done by a mechanic near work for 60 euro.....

and most importantly it passed the NCT/racket (Until next year)

aidan conroy

Nct test and my car failed on shocks. They read 55mm (left) 35mm (right). which shock is to be replaced? Thank you.

JohnBoy26

aidan conroy wrote: »

Nct test and my car faild on shocks.they read 55mm(left)35mm(right).which shock is to b replaced.thank u

Both. They need to be replaced in pairs.

aidan conroy

JohnBoy26 wrote: »

Both. They need to be replaced in pairs.

I have a pair with lower springs on them which are loose on them. If i took them off and put two different springs on them would that work?