Au Rear Top Shock Mounts Worn (IRS)

[aufairmontghia]

Hi all

Just wondering how many of you out there have copped worn out rear upper shock mounts on their AU's with IRS???

What symptoms have you all experienced when it has happened????

Apparentally it's a common problem & replacement parts are only available from Ford!!!!

The replacement part is crap & will wear out again I'm told.... It's a Bad design on Fords side....

[TS50]

all of that is true
you hear a clunk, feel the back move
and yeah the replacement part does it again
I had mine done under warranty, and i think its getting close again
at least its not a big fix, most handy people can do it

[InfernoSR]

Here is the tutorial for it...

http://www.fordforums.com.au/showthread.php?t=11244643

[JC]

BlueDriver was looking at getting Nolathane ones a while ago, but no idea how that went.

[TS50]

Originally Posted by JC

BlueDriver was looking at getting Nolathane ones a while ago, but no idea how that went.

last i heard, was still under development / test

[aufairmontghia]

Yeah

I've heard the same thing.... Kelpro are also under development!!!!

I don't know why Ford didn't run a solid version like the previous models!!!

I've been told that if your car is lowered, run short shocks, stiffer springs etc... it will stuff them even quicker!!!!

[FTE217]

Originally Posted by aufairmontghia

Yeah

I've heard the same thing.... Kelpro are also under development!!!!

I don't know why Ford didn't run a solid version like the previous models!!!

I've been told that if your car is lowered, run short shocks, stiffer springs etc... it will stuff them even quicker!!!!

Mmm thats news re Kelpro, I'll ask know them well.

Yes ofcourse running a lower higher rate coil and firmer shocks will accelerate the wear.

As for nolathane,ain't going to happen, not enough volume to justify tooling costs...and the stupid thing is with the limited numbers of AU IRS's on the road you go to the trouble improving the product, then after product release and the peak in sales for the short term after that the sales graph will only go downhill in the big picture, its a catch22 unfortunately.

Glad mine isn't a daily

[aufairmontghia]

Maybe a good idea to get a plate machined for the top of the mount & stiffen it up. This would be similar to previouds models?????

[ebxr82nv]

Could be sway bar also. Check pedders for the strut mounts.

[FTE217]

Fraud are taking you for your $$, most of us have been paying $70odd each. Better tell the dealer to pull his head in or just call another for a price check.

[aufairmontghia]

Where could I get them for $70 as I would do them myself for that price!!!
Can anyone help me out.....

[FTe342]

Originally Posted by aufairmontghia

Where could I get them for $70 as I would do them myself for that price!!!
Can anyone help me out.....

You need a fair bit of equipment to do this yourself. A rattle gun and some spring compressors to get the shocks out of the coils. Thats after you have removed the assembly from the car.

Your problem sounds more like failed wheel bearings?

[Peuty]

Originally Posted by FTe342

Your problem sounds more like failed wheel bearings?

I wouldn't have thought so. Besides, the mounts probably need replacing anyway so it's a moot point.

[aufairmontghia]

How much play would you get with failed bearings????
Do you normally get some play in all directions eg. 12,6,9 & 3 o'clock????

I still think its suspension related!!!!

[RG]

Originally Posted by aufairmontghia

Where could I get them for $70 as I would do them myself for that price!!!
Can anyone help me out.....

Last pair I got for that was from City Ford, Bayford is also another that usually has good prices.

As for the wheel bearing it is a possibility but you will normally get some sound (like an unbalanced tyre sound) from that.

[5L]

when you say you need a rattle gun to seperate, i am currently looking at doing mine aswell while im doing a shocks and springs change in my car.

i read somewhere on here, someone said that they can be seperated without using a rattle gun but you need to use vice grips so it doesnt move when you crack the nut off the top. but if you plan on using the same shocks its not a good idea. since i am planning on changing shocks over at the same time do you think the above methoed will be ok? or best to leave it to the pro's with a rattle gun. i am doing mine with a friends who has changed suspensions on alot of cars, never an au with irs though.

[FTe342]

Originally Posted by AUXR8220

when you say you need a rattle gun to seperate, i am currently looking at doing mine aswell while im doing a shocks and springs change in my car.

i read somewhere on here, someone said that they can be seperated without using a rattle gun but you need to use vice grips so it doesnt move when you crack the nut off the top. but if you plan on using the same shocks its not a good idea. since i am planning on changing shocks over at the same time do you think the above methoed will be ok? or best to leave it to the pro's with a rattle gun. i am doing mine with a friends who has changed suspensions on alot of cars, never an au with irs though.

With the assembly out you need to compress the spring and crack the nut on top of the shock shaft. Of course the shaft will turn as soon as you put a spanner to it. OK you could hold the shaft with vice grips and risk damage to the shaft which wouldn't matter if throwing the shock away. But how are you going to do up the nut on the new shock?.

To save your self a $ you could remove the assembly from the car and take it to a workshop and get them to swap it over. My elcheapo rattle run/compressor just didn't have the torque to crack one of the units I did but does the job most of the time. Then re-install the assembly yourself but is much easier aligned with a helper. Take notice of the relationship of the angle of the shock at the bottom to the top mount and get it re-assembled the same position or it leads to problems when trying to get the unit back into the car

Be aware that the new top are different to the originals and you will need a thick spacer washer or two std washers to take up the extra space or the nut runs out of thread on the shaft before the mount gets tight. If you don't do this you will still have a rattle from the shock moving up & down thru the mount. Plenty of workshops haven't noticed this difference and had to do the job again after the noise is still there

[aufairmontghia]

Had a safety check done at Pedders & $1500 quote for repairs!!!! Didn't even mention the top shock mounts at all..... but mentioned everything else of course!!!!

Thats definitally PEDDERS NO BULL......

How much movement in the rubber upwards on the top shock mount is considered normal, before the shock kicks in when you push down on the car???

[V8 EF Fairmont]

Originally Posted by FTe342

Be aware that the new top are different to the originals and you will need a thick spacer washer or two std washers to take up the extra space or the nut runs out of thread on the shaft before the mount gets tight. If you don't do this you will still have a rattle from the shock moving up & down thru the mount. Plenty of workshops haven't noticed this difference and had to do the job again after the noise is still there

Can the top nut be removed and washers installed whilst still in the car? I have just had the tophats replaced and there were no washers used as spacers. This all but eliminated the noise, however I've noticed there were no spacer washers used and was wondering whether I could put these in myself whilst the assembly is still in the car, and hopefully completely eliminate the noise.

[5L]

the quote that i got from pedders, was for new shocks, superlow springs, and new rear IRS shock mounts. $2600 this was an over the phone quote.

i take my car to them for a 28 point saftey check and that is it.

[aufairmontghia]

Yeah my quote from Pedders was for shocks front & back, d bushes, lower ball joints, front & rear lower bushes, adjuster rod on rear & other crap!!!!

I'll be doing most of the things myself were I can!!!!

I'm taking my car to Computer Line Dynamic Alignments in Preston tommorrow.

I want another opinion (mind you this will be the 4th time someones looked at it) & I'll get them to do a 4 wheel alignment if nothing comes up....

Everyone that's looked at the car gives a different opinion from the previous???? :

[SVR73]

Thanks so much to the author of this thread
My VCT has been clunking at the back end on and off, especially in reverse
not a big clunk but enough to get my attention
some days it does it, other times only once or twice

Originally I thought it was the diff. but that was found to be okay

it sure does suck if it can never be permanently fixed.

[aufairmontghia]

Took car to Computer Line & they couldn't do the 4 wheel alignment!!!! The left rear wheel was wobbling over the place......

They told me the lower control arm bush is worn & I needed to change it!!!!

The night before I jacked up the car & pulled the hand brake shoe out as I was getting a lot of noise from the left side!!! I was trying to eliminate the problem i was having.... I ran the car & it was still making noise!!!!!!

Thursday night I came home after Computer Line & wasn't convinced as I was still getting alot noise from the rear still!!!!

I jacked the car up & put it up on stands. I took the wheel off to see where the noise/grind wobble was coming from!!!!

I ran the car & noticed the caliper moving from side to side along the slide making a horrible noise.....

It looked like to me the disc was either warped or stub axle/hub was bent!!!!!

I was starting to get some answers now....

I took the car to Northern Care Care near my work during my lunch break on Friday. He drove the car & then put it on the hoist.... He ran it & saw the caliper moving quite a bit in & out together with the wheel!!!! He said the hub was bent!!!!!!!!!!!!!

He priced the hub from Ford $390 & bearing $230!!! All up $720 to do the job....

HOLY CRAP..... finally some answers I was looking for!!!!

He did say I could source a good secondhand one from the wrecker & also to get an aftermarket bearing to keep the costs down......

I still will also look at the other stuff found but only after this mess is sorted...

[RspecAU]

Originally Posted by aufairmontghia

Took car to Computer Line & they couldn't do the 4 wheel alignment!!!! The left rear wheel was wobbling over the place......

They told me the lower control arm bush is worn & I needed to change it!!!!

The night before I jacked up the car & pulled the hand brake shoe out as I was getting a lot of noise from the left side!!! I was trying to eliminate the problem i was having.... I ran the car & it was still making noise!!!!!!

Thursday night I came home after Computer Line & wasn't convinced as I was still getting alot noise from the rear still!!!!

I jacked the car up & put it up on stands. I took the wheel off to see where the noise/grind wobble was coming from!!!!

I ran the car & noticed the caliper moving from side to side along the slide making a horrible noise.....

It looked like to me the disc was either warped or stub axle/hub was bent!!!!!

I was starting to get some answers now....

I took the car to Northern Care Care near my work during my lunch break on Friday. He drove the car & then put it on the hoist.... He ran it & saw the caliper moving quite a bit in & out together with the wheel!!!! He said the hub was bent!!!!!!!!!!!!!

He priced the hub from Ford $390 & bearing $230!!! All up $720 to do the job....

HOLY CRAP..... finally some answers I was looking for!!!!

He did say I could source a good secondhand one from the wrecker & also to get an aftermarket bearing to keep the costs down......

I still will also look at the other stuff found but only after this mess is sorted...

There should be a part number on the face of the bearing take that to a bearing place (of hand i can't remember the name of these shops) but you should be able to get it a lot cheaper there.

[BLACKAUXR8]

i paid 350 for the whole bearing and hub assembly for mine in queensland from a local bearing shop.

The easiest way to check your rear IRS mounts is fold the seats down so you can see the top and bounce the car. Mine had always been torn at the top. Very obvious tears in the rubber. I've had my Series 3 xr8 3 years and have done 100,000km in it since buying it and have wrecked 3 sets of IRS mounts. There easy to change once you've done a few

[RspecAU]

Originally Posted by BLACKAUXR8

i paid 350 for the whole bearing and hub assembly for mine in queensland from a local bearing shop.

The easiest way to check your rear IRS mounts is fold the seats down so you can see the top and bounce the car. Mine had always been torn at the top. Very obvious tears in the rubber. I've had my Series 3 xr8 3 years and have done 100,000km in it since buying it and have wrecked 3 sets of IRS mounts. There easy to change once you've done a few

Thats better than the 400+ from ford that i was quoted.

[RspecAU]

A couple of pics of a stuffed top shocker mount i had laying around in the shed.

[FTe342]

Ummmm? what did I tell you! That's one for me :

[5L]

just got my IRS mounts changed today, the people who had done the mounts in the past had put the washer on upside down so as the suspension bloke was telling me it was using the rubber mount correctly.

put washers in aswell as shown in the how to guide on here.

with new mounts, new shocks and lowered springs it has completely tranformed my car.

[RG]

A little OT here but it is related.

I've been having a chat to Pedders about this and unfortunately they have no plans to make an aftermarket version of them.

They did say however that there is one on the market, god knows where though.