Vauxhall Astra Front Shock Absorber Replacement

I finally get time to fit the new front drivers side shock absorber to Jimmy's Vauxhall Astra Mk5 van. We also fit a new drop link as well. this is not a HOW TO video, its just you watching me do this job.
Stuff I use
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Music
Intro Martin Butler www.totallyroya...
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[@zyspan]

What occurs to me is how you have the "enthusiasm" to give your knowledge and know-how. It reminds me of my father - that's not me being just sentimental. Good on ya!

[@nikkigrant7497]

Brilliant. I'm going to go and change the shocker and spring on mine now. They've been sitting on the bench for over a week now waiting for inspiration. Thanks mate.

[@marksutherland774]

Great video as always, my strut popped through the mount and hit the bonnet lol. This video has given me the confidence to take the job on myself.

[@ethompson5061]

When I replaced mine, I bunged it with multipurpose grease like you say and stuck the cap on. 5 years later, when replacing a broken spring it was like new underneath all that grease. Made for an easy job.

[@ionracer24]

Ive been a mechanic over 30 yrs and never seen plastic clips holdin a strut bearing in!! Kinda scary! Stellar job as always martin, keep up the good work, thnx for takin us along brother

[@retrorestore]

Cheers bud

[@t-rexautovlog3404]

I actually enjoy watching you working while talking, this is how “how to videos” should be. Keep it up, job well done...👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼

[@tentotwo8290]

Thanks 👍 It was a very good "how to" video. With plenty of detail and a couple of tips and tricks 😎😎😎

[@hibbs79]

Top video. I really enjoy the car repair work on your channel. Cheers. 👍

[@billywhizz98]

Well done Martin you make it look easy

[@iamasmurf1122]

I just used a rattle gun on those drop link nuts , so my method with that is I just pushed the plastic arm which forces pressure and which keeps pressure on the nut ; comes off with pneumatic action fairly easily

[@paulmckinder3082]

I slapped some hammerite paint on the top the top mounts when I did them worked a treat had hardly no rust on the bolt and surround after 3 years when I had to replace a broken spring

[@markoverton5858]

Cooper anti seize spray is a great rust preventer 👍 very handy tips nice one mate,

[@retrorestore]

Thanks 👍

[@vijayantgovender2045]

Thank you Martin always love your videos from South Africa

[@jerrymcg3199]

Great video, thanks! Springs wear out too - it's much easier to replace the entire strut, which you can get pre-assembled.

[@mohammadashrafkhokhar5678]

I enjoyed watching your video. Excellent job.excellent tutorial and patience

[@diegoffmusicvevo6201]

Thanks alot, one of the best video out. Nice and Easy

[@retrorestore]

Glad you liked it!

[@barryroach1980]

Cheers for the tutorial Mart, not as though I will ever do that job but its interesting to see it all working when you have the know how!

[@MrGrtx]

Great video martin ive got to do mine when the weather clears up can you use a allen key at the top strut as it is a hex bit to hold it why you undo the bolt Thanks

[@stevebarker1974]

Better weather then mallorca it's been thundering lightening heavy stormy rain last day tomrw back home Thursday afternoon great vid buddy 👍👍👍👍

[@shankill178]

Great job Martin. A good few quid saved too I would imagine.

[@forcedinduction2918]

Ive done this job myself infact a copy of your video one thing i did notice is your top mount nut had a washer which im not sure the original has or not as i also had to cut it off . my new struts had no washer and im thinking it should as i get clonking which im sure is coming from the top mounts

[@TheHousty123]

Hi Martin, I have just not long did my shocks/springs and drop links on my astra 1.7 and I filled the top mount with grease then put the dust cover on.

[@Parknest]

Martin, white grease is your friend. I use the spray stuff in an aerosol can which is just over 4 quid from Toolstation. It will stop your fastenings from rusting and it is great for battery terminals and other electrical connections too. While WD40 is better than nothing, there are better alternatives out there.

[@retrorestore]

Yes I have whitegrease

[@AliMackMechanical]

Good video mate. I always put impact and mole grips on the anti roll bar links as you said in your video there a pain in the ass. If am chucking them I will use a 2" inch grinder and cut the nut of. Greese the tops and the car or Van will be mint. Stops all the damp getting in it. 😃😎👍

[@mattstubbington8805]

Proper job Martin!! Had to laugh, as on my astra I've found the top nut area on the front struts are full of grease and couldn't understand as to why..... Now you explained what a subscriber said i know why its there!!!!! Dam good idea too!!!

[@retrorestore]

Yes Matt, simple but effective.

[@MK-dr2eq]

Martin, Jimmy is lucky to have u to do the job. Get that bird crap off the bonnet. Great show, keep up the Banter. !!!!

[@rj57and]

Great vid Martin as always. And this is one I will have to use myself as the spring has just gone on my Astra van 😂🙈

[@erdemir5641]

Have you got a video on how to correctly jack up and put a car on axle stands? I use the basic breakdown jack... the amount of times i get it slipping out and falling onto my wooden blocks. Doesn't help that I'm on gravel

[@Andyjones07]

Shall i watch the england game or martin fix jimmys van ! Hmmm its a no brainer martin it is 😂

[@retrorestore]

Haha, I didn't know there was an England game today.

[@Andyjones07]

@@retrorestore 8pm kickoff apparently on itv. Great video as always bud 😉

[@paulelliott2861]

Banging job Martin 👍👍👍👍

[@johnclancy3686]

Love that you don't have all the correct tools inpervise great stuff

[@johnblackburn7673]

Good video Martin, not a how to but still loads of helpfull tips. Always worth watching and look forward to the next one

[@shaun1pepper]

I have been trying to get the retention clips back on and they just wont fit. Ive tried the same sort of grips as yours and ive just ended up chewing them up. With a new set of clips, would it be safe to undo the top mount bolt slighly then redo up once the clips are on?

[@matt8906]

invest in a electric impact gun martin, saves faffing around when stuff is rusted on. ive got the milwaukee m12 impact gun, although its only 12v it still has plenty of torque to release rusted on nuts. plus they do loads of other tools that use the same battery, ryobi is good also uses the same battery for loads of tools, great video as always!

[@andrewwoodward6560]

Very nicely done, Martin . Inspiring and encouraging as well ! Thanks.

[@retrorestore]

Thanks Andrew

[@davidvickers9029]

Good job, well done Martin.

[@retrorestore]

Thanks David

[@vector198]

You were right calling thr spring the shock absorber. The spring absorbs the shocks and the strut dampens the oscillations. And for tigtening the top nut use a swan neck spanner would make life a lot easier... but as long as its done theres many ways to skin a cat good job 👍

[@retrorestore]

You can't get a swan neck spanner in there bud.

[@Litesnip2022]

Good vid Martin. That’s how I changed my springs using a spark plug socket and Allen key, works great, I did wonder thought when you was taking the drop link off why you bothered taking the top one off if you wasn’t using the shock again 😆 Good vid, 👍

[@retrorestore]

Just to show people this way of removing them Chris

[@paulyh4531]

No blanket required (Phil Collins ) 😂 cheers another good video Martin 👌

[@retrorestore]

Haha I remember(On Jacket Required) Pauly

[@jasonjuggler3457]

brilliant informative video martin

[@cabdriveruk]

Great video Martin. A job well done, be careful with those spring compressors the safety police are watching lol. You didn't need to take that old bolt out of the top link after you knocked the plastic arm off because it would have stayed in the old shocker anyway, but its always handy to know how to remove them Martin.Look forward to more great video's. Cheers, Jeff.

[@retrorestore]

Yes, I removed it to show this technique Jeff

[@mohammedpervez]

Top man Martin another brilliant video saving someone a few Bob👍

[@Charlie_Crown]

Great job, thanks for taking the time 👍

[@robertbills4290]

What you building with the timber you have in the video martin? Best to get the cars in order before winter sets in no fun on a cold day wishing you'd had fixed it earlier Rob

[@retrorestore]

Been there and got the t shirt Rob lol

[@ulmanito5237]

Great how it works. Greetings from the Black Forest

[@1wesleymcgee1]

Great video mate 👍

[@andrewreynolds2647]

Martin get yourself an impact gun to remove the wheel nuts etc it will make your life so much easier, i have a metabo 18v gun which is amazing this will remove nuts up to 400 nm. only thinking of you and your joints mate. cheers keep up your great channel and please say hi to shal. Cheers. Andy.

[@taz8436]

great video excellent detail weldone mate

[@retrorestore]

Many thanks!

[@davidyoung6608]

Great video Martin.

[@paulmc9314]

great video mate. i grinded down a spanner just for these droplinks cause i didnt wanna replace them (they were only a year old lol) regular spanner is tight. but grind one down and it fits nicely. how good are these coil spring compressors from clarke. have you run into any issues with them? would really like to try make a homemade style one the type you bolt to the wall and use your bodyweight to compress. but cant find any angle iron for the life of me lol so might buy these as a stop gap, i have the regular type but they are no good on certain springs, those clarke ones look pretty good being 3 peices as opposed to 2

[@retrorestore]

They do the job. I've seen the ones you talk about using your body weight. They look good.

[@stephenr6427]

Martin you make such a great video thank you so much

[@carlsiddorn3340]

Nice one mart dont forget grease the shocker top mate

[@doktoruzo]

Very interesting as always Martin. Just out of interest, do you know how much a job like that costs at a Main Dealer (stealer)?

[@retrorestore]

Nah, I wouldn't know but its normally priced on Hourly rate plus parts. Most garages charge £80 + per hour.

[@petefroud5308]

Good job Martin.

[@vdubs6068]

Great vid Martin 👍

[@marketmalc]

Enjoyed that!! Oooo.....a drive carpet, that's a bit posh.

[@specialallsorts935]

Don't forget to wrap it in a blanket and sing it a lullaby, lol.

[@andycousins5016]

Brill keep them coming Burt

[@timwilkinson2797]

Cheers big M !! Love your vids !! Thanks

[@themowerman]

Ta for the knowledge mate hope your all ok

[@retrorestore]

All fine and dandy Mick.

[@valborchardt3596]

Thanks Martin, interesting video. Did you teach yourself how to fix cars or are you a qualified mechanic? Either way, you sure know your stuff. Thank you again

[@multimillionairet602]

Is it the same process for a Vauxhall Astra J rear?

[@littledtraining5387]

If you're replacing the droplink, why not only remove it from the ARB?

[@retrorestore]

To show people how to remove it bud

[@dannycopse8447]

Great video as always bud

[@classicgamer4451]

Another good one Martian 👍

[@acrhie131]

That's another few quid saved doing it yourself 👍🏻

[@LukeAONeill]

Where'd you jack it up from please.. thanks

[@retrorestore]

The jacking points on the sill and then put axle stands under the subframe.

[@jeffersonelias81]

Can you please share the link for the coil compressor? thanks!

[@retrorestore]

Here you go www.machinemart.co.uk/p/cht224-3piece-coil-spring-compressor/

[@jeffersonelias81]

@@retrorestore Fantastic! Thank you for such a prompt response. Cheers!

[@leonardball381]

Did you put the bump stop on the right way around.

[@retrorestore]

Yes bud

[@leonardball381]

@@retrorestore Thanks for your quick reply. Now it's my turn to do this job on my fronts, hope all goes well.

[@haydenuk02]

Keep up the great work thanks for the awesome content

[@jamesthorley4442]

I hope you wrapped a blanket around that suspension spring Martin!!!! 😂 Only joshing you bud, great vid 👍

[@retrorestore]

Haha, no I didn't

[@TAS9977]

No blanket!? How ever did you accomplish this job without a blanket...lol. all in good humor. Another great vid Martin. Keep up the good work with wrenching and videoing.

[@andynorris3537]

No need to replace the spring if it's in good condition like you said

[@retrorestore]

Exactly bud

[@HarveyAnderson-w8g]

I love to meet you in person my astra needs both shocks and coil springs doing

[@timstinson1]

I was rather concerned that there wasn’t a blanket wrapped around the spring.... 🤪🤪🤪

[@robertedward9456]

Sorry for late comment did you find your brakerbar.

[@retrorestore]

Haha, yes, it had slid under the decking behind me lol

[@SCOTTISHPREPPERVARIETYCHANNEL]

Jobs a good n what wrong with reusing the spring if serviceable stop the repair bill running wild

[@rasmo243]

Hope you are doing well Chris

[@retrorestore]

Yes, I agree Chris

[@brer007]

Martin dont forget to use the blanket lol

[@nitemover1]

Great video maybe a dollop of grease put inside that cup would help stop future rust and moisture from getting inside.

[@retrorestore]

That's what I said Stuart lol

[@loyalty786]

Thxs for the content my friend, Appreciate you sharing this knowledge, I have subscribed to your channel and hoping to see more of this content on the mk5 astra, plz upload more in feature il be interested in a watching a engine swap on the Astra mk5 otherwise on how to solve the Abs lights by changing the module Wheel Sensor etc?

[@retrorestore]

Thanks for the sub!

[@germancarfan]

Top job

[@springbuiltitall]

Cool cheers

[@roystheboy]

well done mate im afraid i watched the football

[@BARION123]

Why bother removing the ball when you are changing the strut ? Keep up the good work!!

[@retrorestore]

To show people how you can do it.

[@stephenbray4420]

Brill vid mate again can you tell me what that music you were playing please

[@retrorestore]

I can't remember the name but I licence it from Epidemic Sounds.

[@greggkuzila7513]

You should fill up that area with grease so that it won't set up with rust

[@retrorestore]

Yes, I will.

[@moodyjeep]

Nice Mart. Baz.

[@retrorestore]

Cheers Baz

[@burtjohnson7298]

I wondered where my blue molegrips were !

[@jaggass]

Better to be safe than sorry bud.

[@TheCitroenman1]

why don't you buy the coil spring stand from machine mart to compress the shocker there safer than using them clamps

[@retrorestore]

I only do this as a hobby on my own cars bud.

[@TheCitroenman1]

i do the same repair my own the coil spring stand is safer and less time than the clamps

[@chrissingleton2640]

Them top clips are supposed to be 1 time use only otherwise you'll have problems later on

[@jusbox9654]

BLANKET!!!!!!!🤣🤣🤣

[@MeaHeaR]

Martin Is FÉÁR-LÉSS 😲😲😲 😂😂😁😀😁😊👍👍

[@astanfartin1647]

nice music

[@malcolmdyer6090]

The only comment I can make on this is, place a flat piece of wood under your axle stand and front wheels of your jack.I'd feel uncomfortable supporting a car on gravel.

[@petefroud5308]

Wheres the blanket Martin.

[@retrorestore]

oh dear Pete, I forgot.

[@petefroud5308]

Will have get Mick to bring one when he comes dinner lol.

[@joeking1823]

Pete Froud as if a blanket will soften the blow as the spring rockets through the skull

[@neilaaitchison4473]

Another great video again Martin always a pleasure to watch them.

[@petefroud5308]

Very true .

[@peteramberley9952]

Lol dont you just hate using a trolley jack on a gravel drive.allways end up with cut fingers

[@SuperJ8son]

I would of replaced the spring at £20 all that work involved lol

[@hughes1011]

A plastic clip to hold a strut to the body of a car, GM's quality really is going down hill, but hey, makes for a great video

[@mrb1864]

Suspension design always been poor and actual component quality lacking too . french stuff and ford much same unfortunately , all do awful in our MOT's with constant suspension failures, Jap mercedes and volvo fair far better (lot of the older models being far better design and quality)

[@hughes1011]

That's exactly it, everything nowadays is built with planned obsolescence, I have a 22 year old Honda Civic, still has the original struts

[@mickramo498]

rusty bolts wire brush then spray

[@dodgydruid]

You had any probs with spiders in your neck of the woods m8? I had to go to hospital because a male false widow got me on the arm whilst I was akip and the tiny little holes turned into a full on horror story with these great globs of yellowy green gunge coming out the wound site and deep holes in the skin cos of it. That stuff turned two tiny little pin pricks in deep blistering ulcers and the ulcers spread up and down me forearm, docs getting worried cos 10 days on it still ain't healing and is leaking yuk urrgh, another one got me week or so before that, a bloody great big female that was uber aggressive, give me bloody nightmares /sad face. Been all round the planet, where they have really horrible stuff lurking with not a nip or bite and I gets done over by a bloody spider here in rural England :( I got on with spiders but not now, I bought the biggest can of insta-spider death and done the whole flat so a big eff off to spiderkind.

[@retrorestore]

Yes we have been getting many big spiders in the house and i'm the only one who will catch them lol