Date:         Wed, 28 Mar 2007 23:30:55 -0700
Reply-To:     Alistair Bell <albell@UVIC.CA>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Alistair Bell <albell@UVIC.CA>
Subject:      alko shock failure
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; delsp=yes; format=flowed

Hi,

last July I replaced my (probably) original Sachs front shocks with a
pair of Alkos.

At the end of the season, September, I noticed a bit of a clunking
noise over bumps after a logging road trip. I didn't get around to
finding out what it was and I put the van to bed for the winter.

Now been driving it for a month or so and the clunk has been getting
worse. Had the van on the hoist, pushed, pulled almost everything
there, adjusted front bearings, replaced one tie rod that seemed a
tad worn (rack end), and I tightened both the lower shock bolt and
the upper stud.

Still had the clunk (over short sharp bumps).

Ok, call me slow, but I finally discovered that it was the rubber
bushing at the bottom (through bolt) on one of the shocks that had
half disintegrated. Swapped in my old Sach and all is well.

Its a bugger for I bought the alko from Bow-Wow, which are now no
longer with us, arrgh!

I  have not found an Alko headquarters to complain to. So mark me
down now as having a bias against Alko :)


Alistair


'82 westy, diesel converted to gas in '94
http://www.members.shaw.ca/albell/