Loose Damper unit on my Surf!

[Morr]

Damn, just after posting pics of my new tyres I remember that I had heard a very slight knock over the last 2/3 days from the rear, had a look under last night and oh dear! I must not have tightened the nearside lower damper mount sufficiently, cos the damper was swinging free, bolt, washer and rubber bushing all gone bye-bye!
I'm just glad I had done very few miles over the last few days, and slow easy (heavy traffic) ones at that, presumably thats why it did not show up as evil handling due to the lack of damping.

I'm disgusted that I must not have tightened it properly, and even worse, that I'm now driving a borrowed Mitsubishi Carisma until I get it sorted - yuk.

Have emailed explorer procomp, so hopefully they will sell the bushing separately, next stop, Toyota garage for a bolt and washer. Next ones going in with studlock, just to be sure.

[laser_jock@work]

I done that recently too- luckily only the nut dropped off before I noticed it. I pays to re-check things a day or two after working on them just to see if everythings still on!

Nevillef

[Guest]

I did that with my steering damper when I removed it to get the sump off, didn't torque the nut up or use a new nylocker, bolt dropped ou, steering damper swung free, buried itself in the ground and bent in half - I got home by tieing it up with a quicktie. Removed it and drove around for 3 months with no steering damper - made not one ounce of difference. Just lucky that the Surf is so heavy that when the damper buried itself in the ground didn't notice a thing apart from a noise - plus I was lucky it didn't do any more damage.

These things happen Maurice, don't beat yourself up over it. At least it wasn't the rear suspension arm. Lets hope you get the bushes soon, quick job to fix then you can get shot of the Carisma

Cheers

[exmee46]

Exactly the same thing happened to me at Salisbury Plain last year causing a head in the wheelarch incident (see my picture left!!)

I also used cable ties to save the day provided generously by a fellow forum member and now never leave home without them. The inside wall of the tyre still bears the scars!!

I think we used Landy bushes - seemed to work OK - they are still on there.

Kev

[Morr]

Sorted this 2 weeks back, but forgot to post it! Here goes....

I eventually gave up trying to get a replacement bush from explorer procomp, quick enough to answer emails when you are buying the dampers, but never responded to any inquiring about replacement bushings.

I took the alternate sized bushing as originally supplied and carefully enlarged the center bore with a modeling knife, not perfect but seems fine.

I also found what may well have been the cause of my loosing the bolt and bushing in the first place. As I had to put a new bolt in I thought I'd replace the one on the far side too (replacing with non Toyota bolt, so wanted to keep head sizes the same), on the remaining bolt I noticed that what I had thought was a captive plain washer, was in fact meant to be a spring washer. It had compressed completely into a flat washer, therefore not providing much in the way of locking.
If this had also happened on the other side, it would go a long way to explaining its disappearance (and help release me as a suspect for not tightening sufficiently )

New bolts and spring washers, and she's like new again

[Vagrant No2]

I have tried to buy replacement shock bushes for cars before , some are not available without buying a new shock . I would have thought Procomp would have sold them . Bit rude not to reply to email , I get alot of that when enquiring for parts . I just don't use those suppliers anymore . They loose in the end as word goes round .

[Morr]

I have tried to buy replacement shock bushes for cars before , some are not available without buying a new shock . I would have thought Procomp would have sold them . Bit rude not to reply to email , I get alot of that when enquiring for parts . I just don't use those suppliers anymore . They loose in the end as word goes round .

If that had at least replied, I'd have bought the whole damper if necessary, they're not exactly that expensive anyway.

Yep, the final nail in the procomp coffin for me.
1) Advertised one price on their website, but when I ordered, informed me that the front units where dearer.
I naturally objected, that this was not as advertised, but they could see no problem with their site showing one price for all and then charging variable prices. The sent me a snotty email saying the front units were "not technically shocks, but struts" and therefore dearer, as were certain other applications, I really should have responded that they were never technically shocks, but dampers (please Procomp, don't try to get all technical and then use the incorrect technical terms), instead I said OK, not happy but will purchase anway coz I was in a hurry.
2) Not impressed with fit of the rear dampers (see I'm making sure I call them by the correct term ). Upper threaded portion is too short to allow fitment using correct assembly of supplied spacers. This threaded section is also substantially narrower in section than the originals, hmm, are they as strong?
3) Ride quality. Its OK, but very little improvement over my original 200,000Km units. This was with the ES3000 units, I did want the 9000's but they don't do them for the front of the 3rd Gen.
4) After sales as detailed above.

On the upside, they are very cheap compared to other units on the market, so I guess you get what you pay for.
I know plenty of others have had good experiences with their products, but I will certainly not use them again.
Next time round, I'll save up for some OME's.