Help wanted to repair a Ford Ka. Macpherson strut upper attachment

[monkey]

The girlfriends car failed it's MOT the other day on the Macpherson strut upper attachment, excessive movement on both sides.

What is the upper attachment? Is it the bit in the engine bay?

If it's a job requiring spring compression can I whip out and fit new complete struts?

Advisory says front suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated on both sides too.

The garage that done the MOT quoted £90 to repair so I'm guessing they would just replace whichever mounting is at fault but I'd like to do it myself. I've been quoted less than £40 for each new strut (If that's what I need).

EDIT: I can't find a single useful thing on the net.

Any help will be gratefully accepted. Oh yeah it's a Ford Ka, '02 I think.
:)

[Scoobs]

It's probably the rubber top mounts that the struts seat into. You will need to jack the wheels off the ground and compress the springs with a spring compressor. Undo the strut from the top underneath the bonnet and drop the assembly out. Change the rubber top mounts. I did the ones on my Golf. They were about 12 quid each. Assembly is the reverse.

Tip: loosen and tighten the retaining nut with a bit of load on it to stop the suspension rod spinning. You may still have to get a garage to shoot the nut off with an air gun though.

[Viney]

What scoobs said and i can confirm about taking the struts to the garage to get the nut done up/undone. £90 to do it isnt a bad price in all honesty

[plowsie]

Bloody Ka's missus has one and since we've had it, we've had nothing but problems.

When we bought it the bushes had just been done, but have been told they are a common problem also. What out for the involuntary revving (it's an ar$e!!!).

[Davido]

I presume you mean the top shock mounts? They go on KA's all the time.

Imo, its a right pain in the **** to do if you don't have a ramp, but by all means give it a go. Just make sure your spring compressor isn't a finger-eating deathtrap like ours.

[Warthog]

Thats exactly what happened to my gf's Ka, the Macpherson something, everything was squeaky. Had the garage fix it, everything is now rattly again though, I hate Ka's, they feel like a go cart glued together with none of the bolts tightened.

[shonadoll]

Bloody Ka's missus has one and since we've had it, we've had nothing but problems.

When we bought it the bushes had just been done, but have been told they are a common problem also. What out for the involuntary revving (it's an ar$e!!!).

I was thinking of selling mine earlier this year, it's an 02 I've had from new. But I have had absolutely nothing go wrong with it, and it's never let me down, so I'm keeping it.

Must have got a lucky one:D

[monkey]

Bloody Ka's missus has one and since we've had it, we've had nothing but problems.

When we bought it the bushes had just been done, but have been told they are a common problem also. What out for the involuntary revving (it's an ar$e!!!).

Got that too.

Thanks fellas (and girls?). I may tell her to get the garage to do it following my dead end phone calls trying to hire a spring compressor. So it is the metal disc and rubber in the engine bay that's knackered? If so why do I need the spring compressed? Doesn't it butt up against the underside of the tunnelly thing in the engine bay?

[plowsie]

Got that too.

Thanks fellas (and girls?). I may tell her to get the garage to do it following my dead end phone calls trying to hire a spring compressor. So it is the metal disc and rubber in the engine bay that's knackered? If so why do I need the spring compressed? Doesn't it butt up against the underside of the tunnelly thing in the engine bay?
Wanna know how to fix it???????

Its a barstard rewiring jobbie :(

[rowdy]

Got that too.

Thanks fellas (and girls?). I may tell her to get the garage to do it following my dead end phone calls trying to hire a spring compressor. So it is the metal disc and rubber in the engine bay that's knackered? If so why do I need the spring compressed? Doesn't it butt up against the underside of the tunnelly thing in the engine bay?
No you need to compress the spring to get between it and where it seats up under the wheel arch, 40 pound per strut you say, if you mean just the shock absorber thats quite expensive, can get a pair for that for my golf, and is it 90 pound for the garage to do the whole lot or just the link bushes if its for the top strut mounts I'd be inclined to let them do it because if your not familiar with the task you might start wishing you had got them to do it in the first place.

[muffles]

The spring compressor is to used to release the tension so you can get the strut out. On some cars you don't need to do this as whilst the strut is in one piece there's not enough range for it to be a problem, if you disconnect at the bottom near the wheel - not sure if this is one, my Focus I *don't think* was, but an old E30 BMW did allow it. The Focus I think wanted to stretch too far so I couldn't get the wishbone to drop far enough.

Anyway spring compressors are only about £10 to buy - they are just pairs of clamps - go check Halfords or Ebay or similar :)

[muffles]

Btw I did look at prices for new springs, struts, etc, Ford is pretty cheap, I suspect £40 is for the whole strut inc spring. Check out this for an example of prices http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/New-LH-Front-Suspension-Strut-for-Ford-Focus-98-99_W0QQitemZ190255853453QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item19 0255853453&_trkparms=39:1|66:2|65:2|240:1318&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

[monkey]

Right peeps I have the parts. I have a bag with what looks like a big rubber donut in and a small metal cased rubber ring. I think I can get them singularly from Ford. Does this sound right and if so which is the part that normally goes. They cost nearly £40 for the lot from Eurocarparts but I don't want to replace the bits I don't need too, hence maybe getting the parts on their own from Ford.

[Speedy]

Blimey!

They'd have to be absolutely Fecked to fail an MOT.

Be careful folks, there is a distinct lack of work at the moment in the Motor-trade, so "some" people may be a tad "over-enthusiastic" about whats a pass and whats a fail.

Ford Ka's do suffer with this like VW Polos.

When they are under load, the play goes away.

To change them you do need to compress the springs, only to take the pressure off of the Top-Mount.

[yorkie_chris]

I advise people to take their cars to somewhere which only does MOT's, that way they're providing one service and not fishing for work.

[monkey]

Well here's what happened:

On Thursday I went to get a spring compressor. Only place I could find one and it was £30 so I didn't bother as we'd only save £20 plus I thought the garage would waive the partial re-test fee.

On the Saturday Sarah's Mum and Dad dropped the car off to have the work done. When it came time to pick it up the garage caled and I told her Dad to ask how much "£150" the fella said. I went with her to pick it up and we told them she had been quoted £90 so they made some excuse, apologised and brought it down to £90 + vat. The bloody cheek. I was shaking in my boots but ready to argue the toss.

So there we go. In future I'll get any quotes in writing.