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Suzuki Alto Works – Rear Shock Replacement

I mentioned in my last post that I had new shocks on the way, well, they arrived, so let’s get them fitted.

I began by jacking the rear of the car up, putting it on stands and removing the rear wheels. This gave me access to the shocks and springs.

Both the yellow stripe and the part number on the shock indicate that it was a poverty spec shock from a low spec (not Works) Alto. Note the missing lower rear spring pads, the spring shouldn’t be sitting on the metal like that.

The spring also had the incorrect colour code, yellow and white, not blue and white like the Works spring has. Other than the paint mark they look visually the same, I don’t know if the Works has a higher spring rate or anything.

Removal is really easy. On my car the side boot trims have been cut, I believe for the damper adjusters for the adjustable rear shocks the car used to have. This gives me perfect access to the nut that holds the top of the shock in place. Because I didn’t care about the old shocks, I used a rattle gun to zip the nuts off.

Before completely removing the nut I supported the rear beam with a jack under the spring, so the force of the spring wouldn’t ping the arm downwards

With the top nut removed, I removed the lower bolt on the shock and removed it. This one was very dead. Because they have gas in them, once compressed by hand they should extend to their full length again. This one had no resistance to compressing it and made no efforts to extend. The other side was only marginally better, where if you left it for about 5 minutes it would have extended in full (it should extend to full in a matter of seconds).

The new shock has the correct KYB sticker and P/N on it, but it appears the new replacements don’t get paint codes like factory-fitted ones do; the factory paint code for a Works is purple and green. I ordered these from the parts book to Works part numbers, so I know they’re correct.

With the shock removed, I could push down on the hub by hand and pull the spring out. I then fitted the new lower spring pad, in the correct orientation based on the service manual

I then replaced the old upper spring pad and fit the spring

The new shock slips into place next

The top mount on the shocks is interesting to me. The top of the shock has a captive rubber mount and steel sleeve. There is then a top bush and metal washer that sandwiches the shock tower into place.

On the underside of the shock tower there is a metal cup that locates the captive bush

Even the top bush is weird, the shoulder goes face-up

The washer sits on top of it

and the nut is placed on top

As the nut is tightened, the bush squishes and flattens out under the washer

I guess compressing the bush like that creates a fair bit of tension, so the shock won’t be rattling around in a hurry.

Other than jacking the hub up to ride height and torquing the lower shock bolt, that was one side done. I copy pasta’d the other side.

and then onto the ground it went.

With the combo of fresh new zero km un-saggy springs and the lower spring pads being fitted, the rear ride height has increased a touch. It’s only a couple of mm higher and should settle a little as the springs bed in.

I know why they put the KYB sticker where they did now

The Suzuki lineup at work the other day

Looking clean sans tow hook now too

So, how does it drive now? Well, the blown shocks explain a lot! I thought it was just lame povo spec shocks, but even that wouldn’t have been as bad. On the road at low speeds the rear feels firmer, but there is a huge difference in how the car feels on the open road, the rear is much more planted and doesn’t pitch and dive so much.

In the corners, it’s a lot more controllable and the rear doesn’t feel like wobbly jelly. I still think it needs the extra stiffening of the rear swaybar to balance it, but cornering speeds can be higher than they were beforehand and the rear follows the front wheels like it should. I reckon it’ll be good for a second or two off my laps at Manfield next time, particularly if I can get it to rotate as the Jazz did (no hope for trying to do that when I was lacking any confidence in the rear end).

Some more (boring) bits should be with me soon to tidy the interior up further, and other than that I’ll just keep driving the pants off it. Should hit a milestone soon too…

Parts Used
(Please note these parts are specific to my car and may vary. Please check before ordering.)

41312-74P00 – Lower Spring Pad x2
41341-74P00 – Top Spring Pad x2
41812-74P00 – Rear Shock Top Bush x2
41810-74P32 – Rear Shock Absorber (Works Spec) x2
41311-74P20 – Rear Spring (Works Spec) x2

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