Car suspension advice

Strider590

colino wrote: »

Even new, parts for a mass production car on the assembly line could have been from different suppliers (and quality), varying ages and even assembled differently.

Not with Ford, not with most mainstream brands. Mixing parts batches and suppliers would f**k up their traceability. Imagine what would happen if a part failed, caused a major accident and they were forced to recall all cars fitted with a certain batch number for that part, without traceability they'd have to recall every car of that model ever built. Even for someone like Ford, that'd cost enough to send them out of business.

Where I worked, it cost us £500'000 to send people to <car manufacturer>, to strip down a field full of <model> and we KNEW (traceability) that only 50'000 parts were affected, out of over a million parts produced.

Mistakes in the automotive manufacturing business can get very very expensive, very very quickly.

If they got to the end of a production batch and found 3 spare suspension springs, they'd scrap them off and open up the next batch.

Weird_Nev

colino wrote: »

Some cringeworthy nonsense on here, especially for a money saving site. On a 10 year old car, do you know when any of the springs were replaced previously? Even new, parts for a mass production car on the assembly line could have been from different suppliers (and quality), varying ages and even assembled differently.
Get a good tech to check over the car and replace the spring and anything else it needs, not what some mystic meg predicts will fall off in five minutes.

Springs and dampers you change in axle pairs.
Brake discs and pads too.
Tyres, it's highly advissable to do so.

This isn't scaremongering or balderdash, it's fundamental to the handling consistency and thus safety of the car. The whole reason you do pairs, especially on a 10+ year old car, is that when you've done them you KNOW the age and condition of essential components on the car. Try driving a car with shot dampers some time. It's no fun. You might not notice too much if both dampers are shot across the axle, but replace one with a new one, and you're in for a rough ride.

Anything else is your own look out - personally where suspension and road wheels are concerned, I like to keep it symmetrical.

I just do the whole lot, like I have on my last 3 cars.

red_eye

Weird_Nev wrote: »

Springs and dampers you change in axle pairs.
Brake discs and pads too.
Tyres, it's highly advissable to do so.

This isn't scaremongering or balderdash, it's fundamental to the handling consistency and thus safety of the car. The whole reason you do pairs, especially on a 10+ year old car, is that when you've done them you KNOW the age and condition of essential components on the car. Try driving a car with shot dampers some time. It's no fun. You might not notice too much if both dampers are shot across the axle, but replace one with a new one, and you're in for a rough ride.

Anything else is your own look out - personally where suspension and road wheels are concerned, I like to keep it symmetrical.

I just do the whole lot, like I have on my last 3 cars.

you dont have to but it is advisable to change in pairs. this is why springs come in separate boxes unlike brake discs and pads

molerat

red_eye wrote: »

you dont have to but it is advisable to change in pairs. this is why springs come in separate boxes unlike brake discs and pads

I think you will find that more brake discs come in singles than pairs

arcon5

Pads should definately be done per axle - discs do not need to be done like this! Frankly, neither does suspension parts - it's advisory perhaps if you want to do some preventative maintenance and can afford it - if not then it's not really a biggie.

red_eye

molerat wrote: »

I think you will find that more brake discs come in singles than pairs

only singles I have fitted were blue print, but then I have been working in the ghetto:(

forgotmyname

arcon5 wrote: »

Pads should definately be done per axle - discs do not need to be done like this! Frankly, neither does suspension parts - it's advisory perhaps if you want to do some preventative maintenance and can afford it - if not then it's not really a biggie.

Just SO WRONG...

One worn disc and one good disc would not be a good idea.

Same with suspension springs and shocks. One weaker side will affect the handling so that cornering left and right will behave differently.
It will dip and roll more on the soft side.

Whats more worrying the OP actually thanked you and may have a car that below par.