Ford focus 08 rear shocks replacement

jon1981

Hi,


Failed an NCT due to one of the rear shocks leaking badly. Some how this was missed when i had it serviced and pre-nct'd a week earlier, anyhow!

Any ideas how much I'm looking roughly to have this work done?

mullingar

jon1981 wrote: »

Hi,


Failed an NCT due to one of the rear shocks leaking badly. Some how this was missed when i had it serviced and pre-nct'd a week earlier, anyhow!

Any ideas how much I'm looking roughly to have this work done?

A service never checks the performance of a shock. Also I'd bbe very surprised if any pre-NCT place has the test equipment. Pre-NCT are a money spinner, always avoid them

Anyway €400-500 max should do it for both sides and always replace shocks in pairs.

jon1981

The pre-nct was free with the service but yeah i guess they didnt have the gear!

400-500? that much? I was looking on micks garage and two shocks can be anywhere between 100-200 a pair, would the labour really be over 200 euro on top?

enumbers

1 hours labour would cover the fitting of both rears so anywhere from 40 to 100 depending on who you use.

jon1981

cheers,

Managed to get hold of a place in Blanchardstown, 82e including fitting each.

JohnBoy26

mullingar wrote: »

A service never checks the performance of a shock. Also I'd bbe very surprised if any pre-NCT place has the test equipment. Pre-NCT are a money spinner, always avoid them

Anyway €400-500 max should do it for both sides and always replace shocks in pairs.

Wouldn't A leaking shock be as clear as day to spot, I don't think there is any need for any test equipment to know that the shock needs replacing in these circumstances

€500 euro sounds like a massive amount for two shocks on a focus.

Frankie Lee

JohnBoy26 wrote: »

Wouldn't A leaking shock be as clear as day to spot, I don't think there is any need for any test equipment to know that the shock needs replacing in these circumstances

€500 euro sounds like a massive amount for two shocks on a focus.

The only possible excuse would be if it was a very wet day but even then they should know the difference.
I had a rear shock start leaking on a Starlet on the way to the test centre once, checked the car the evening before and it was bone dry but it was ringing straight away after the test. It got a hard drive on the Clongorey road on the way though.

corkgsxr

enumbers wrote: »

1 hours labour would cover the fitting of both rears so anywhere from 40 to 100 depending on who you use.

JohnBoy26 wrote: »

Wouldn't A leaking shock be as clear as day to spot, I don't think there is any need for any test equipment to know that the shock needs replacing in these circumstances

€500 euro sounds like a massive amount for two shocks on a focus.

could have leaked the majority out and washed off. I'd say it's a hard thing to spot unless it's just started.

And a hour for fitting 2 shocks not a hope. Fair enough if it was a van and just 2 bolts each but coilovers? No hour a side I'd say.

And at a guess 100 a shock for a decent one but can be up to 200 each.

JohnBoy26

corkgsxr wrote: »

could have leaked the majority out and washed off. I'd say it's a hard thing to spot unless it's just started.

And a hour for fitting 2 shocks not a hope. Fair enough if it was a van and just 2 bolts each but coilovers? No hour a side I'd say.

And at a guess 100 a shock for a decent one but can be up to 200 each.

A wet shock is usually easy to spot. I'd go with what frakie says, it probably started leaking after the "pre nct" but before the nct. A wet shock would stay wet for a good while, it wouldn't wash off that quickly. By the time the shock dries up all the fluid will have been lost for a good while and the car would have erratic and dangerous road manners.

I don't think coilovers were mentioned by the op? I think €500 is a good bit off the mark Tbh.

corkgsxr

JohnBoy26 wrote: »

A wet shock is usually easy to spot. I'd go with what frakie says, it probably started leaking after the "pre nct" but before the nct. A wet shock would stay wet for a good while, it wouldn't wash off that quickly. By the time the shock dries up all the fluid will have been lost for a good while and the car would have erratic and dangerous road manners.

I don't think coilovers were mentioned by the op? I think €500 is a good bit off the mark Tbh.

The coil spring is over the shock. That is a coilover.

turbostan

Coil spring is not over the shock, it sits on its own further in.
Rear shock replacement on a 08 Focus should take around an hour, but probably a bit less really.
Its that simple - 2 bolts at the top, and 1 at the bottom.
€400-€500 is just ridiculous!!!

jon1981

The NCT guy said it would be hard to spot because the oil was all dried up on the shock?! I dunno, i guess there's no point in giving the garage an earful over it.

Anyhow in terms of cost, I've seen some youtube videos and the replacement of a shock seems pretty straight forward and something a novice could attempt with the right tools and certainly something an experience mechanic should do in less than an hour. Any way 82e per corner seems like a good price, not sure what brand of shock will be used.

JohnBoy26

corkgsxr wrote: »

The coil spring is over the shock. That is a coilover.

No it's not! as another poster says, on the focus the springs and shocks are separate to one and other at the rear.

Like this.

corkgsxr

JohnBoy26 wrote: »

No it's not! as another poster says, on the focus the springs and shocks are separate to one and other at the rear.

Like this.

Fair point. Not familiar with them myself. Just a picking point with me when people refer to coilovers and presume it's aftermarket setup when a this stage most cars would be coilovers

turbostan

corkgsxr wrote: »

Fair point. Not familiar with them myself. Just a picking point with me when people refer to coilovers and presume it's aftermarket setup when a this stage most cars would be coilovers

You were the only one who mentioned coilovers!!
And just for the record, coilovers are a unit comprised of a shock absorber & coil spring assembled as a unit and replaced as a unit. Most cars definitely do not have coilovers fitted due to cost I suppose more than anything else.
You are confusing coilovers with MacPherson struts, which is whats fitted to most modern cars now. This is independent suspension which allows either the spring or the shock to be replaced independently of each other.

corkgsxr

turbostan wrote: »

You were the only one who mentioned coilovers!!
And just for the record, coilovers are a unit comprised of a shock absorber & coil spring assembled as a unit and replaced as a unit. Most cars definitely do not have coilovers fitted due to cost I suppose more than anything else.
You are confusing coilovers with MacPherson struts, which is whats fitted to most modern cars now. This is independent suspension which allows either the spring or the shock to be replaced independently of each other.

As sed I'm not familiar with the car. And sed if it was separate shocks then yes it would take a hour or so. If it was coilovers then it would take significantly longer.

That is why I mentioned coilovers. The time difference in work.

Macpherson struts are a form of coilover. Coilover is mearly short for coil spring over shock.

Most cars use a coil spring over a shock.

turbostan

corkgsxr wrote: »

As sed I'm not familiar with the car. And sed if it was separate shocks then yes it would take a hour or so. If it was coilovers then it would take significantly longer.

That is why I mentioned coilovers. The time difference in work.

Macpherson struts are a form of coilover. Coilover is mearly short for coil spring over shock.

Most cars use a coil spring over a shock.

They're not coilovers, that is all.

corkgsxr

turbostan wrote: »

They're not coilovers, that is all.

It makes no sense to call one a coil over and one not.

turbostan

corkgsxr wrote: »

It makes no sense to call one a coil over and one not.

Well it kinda does, as I tried to explain earlier.
Coilovers are a bit more specialist thats all, and ARE generally aftermarket. They shouldn't be confused with MacPherson struts coz they're not the same.

Paddypowered

Did it fail on imbalance..?? Give them a wipe and send it through for retest...??

turbostan

Paddypowered wrote: »

Did it fail on imbalance..?? Give them a wipe and send it through for retest...??

Ah no. OP is doin the right thing by changing the pair. There's no point tryin to fool NCT over something like this, as you're only comprising safety at the end of the day. Bad shocks will affect handling, braking, lights, tyre wear etc..

jon1981

Yep failed on imbalance, tolerance is 30%, mine were 68% and 8%

corkgsxr

jon1981 wrote: »

Yep failed on imbalance, tolerance is 30%, mine were 68% and 8%

One is barely working at all so

jon1981

Is this something a mechanic should be forgiven for not spotting? Is the nct equipment they only way of spotting this problem?

Despite me saying to the garage that I thought there might be an issue with the rear suspension, they assured me it was fine and should pass.

visual

Nct only test for imbalance if both you shocks where faulty the car would pass the test unless the tester spotted one leaking. Then the fail would be leaking shock.

Type your reg into micksgarage.com and you'll get price for shocks or drop into your local motorfactors they too will give price.

It is a very DIY job if you wanted to take it on yourself. If DIY is not for you seek prices in your local garages.

porsche boy

400-500 for a set of shocks??? its not boom times ya know, I will however work on your car when ever you want!!!!
OP, I'd say if it cost max 200 euro. Go to First Stop or Advance or somewhere similar for it