How many have had shocks replaced

[ARSEY4]

The Dynamic Ride Control (DRC) suspension concept consists of a special shock absorber system that counteracts pitch and body roll movements without using any electronic devices.

When DRC is installed, the diagonally opposed shock absorbers on the car are linked together hydraulically. A central valve varies the shock absorber operating characteristic, for instance when the steering wheel is turned and the car is cornered, so that movement around the longitudinal axis (roll) is significantly reduced. DRC uses the same principle to counteract body movement around the transverse axis (pitch) when the car is accelerated or braked.

Shocks are paired diagonally not across axles. Each diagonal link has a central valve that provides the fluid pressue. FWIW & HTH

Grant

So replacing two fronts is a pointless excersise as a safety precaution should only one be leaking?
From what you say a loss in pressure in say front right will lead to loss in pressure of rear left, Or is there some kind of non return valve that prevents this from happening?

[Love_iTT]

My car went in today for it's yearly inspection and as promised I can report back that it passed with flying colours with no problems and that obviously includes the shocks. I specifically said for them to check the shocks so I can only assume that they did, however I need to take the wheels off over the weekend at sometime and I will have a look for myself just in case.

Graham

[Robbo66]

2 front shock due to be replaced next week....14,000 miles, 11 months old.
Not good

[AntoRS4]

How can i vote again ?
shocks replaced 2000km ago....today they are leaking again
Not good, BMW M3 is really in my mind now...

[GardinerG]

The shocks themselves aren't pressurised, pressure originates from the central valve so only the shock that is leaking requires replacing. When a new shock is first installed it has no pressure, you then establish a vacuum in it and the connected pipe via draining and the new fluid is effectively sucked up into the new shock and pipe. Once this has been done it can be connected to the old or new central valve as required. The new tool should allow refilling of the central valve as well - so it doesn't have to be replaced if it has lost too much pressure.

Replacing shocks as diagonal or axial pairs is not required (as far as my limited understanding goes!).

HTH

Grant

[Love_iTT]

My car went in today for it's yearly inspection and as promised I can report back that it passed with flying colours with no problems and that obviously includes the shocks. I specifically said for them to check the shocks so I can only assume that they did, however I need to take the wheels off over the weekend at sometime and I will have a look for myself just in case.

Graham

A bit sad quoting myself I know but in this case I think you will understand why.

I started to take the wheels off today and low and behold look what I saw.


Front nearside shock with an oily residue over it. I couldn't believe it, after all the good things I have said over the years about my dealer I use and they let me down like this. Even more disturbing when I asked them to check out the shocks when it was in for it's 'Health Check' last week.

I phoned them up tonight and I have to take it in tomorrow morning for them to confirm that I do indeed have a leaking shock, I asked them if they had the equipment to do this and was told that if they haven't then they have access to it. Anyway, I shall let you know tomorrow what the outcome is, I just hope and prey that they don't try and say that it could have happened since the health check to get them off the hook - Knob Jockey is not tatooed on my forehead.

A very, very pissed off Graham

[mac4RS]

A very, very pissed off Graham

I sympathise with you Graham. I've had similiar experiences.

It just makes you wonder if (''I call them'') the 'Donkeys' know what they are doing...I'm sure there are some...but from my experience this is a small amount. It's just not good enough!

Had my NSF Shock replaced the other week...maybe I should check the others myself now...

[mac4RS]

Love_iTT wrote:
My car went in today for it's yearly inspection and as promised I can report back that it passed with flying colours with no problems and that obviously includes the shocks. I specifically said for them to check the shocks so I can only assume that they did, however I need to take the wheels off over the weekend at sometime and I will have a look for myself just in case.

Graham

Hey just thought Graham, maybe they have just 'palmed you off' because they didn't want anymore people adding to the growing list of this problem....

[Love_iTT]

Maybe, but I just think they weren't thorough enough.

Graham

[rjkflyer]

This whole process of bleeding the system is THE MOST farsical i have ever seen. The analogy is thus: if i asked you to go fill your 100 metre garden hose, would you:
(a) disconnect it from the tap. Close the end at the tap, and then go suck like buggery on the other end to create a 'vacuum' Then shut off the suck end and go to the other end and stick it in a bucket of water, and let the water suck its way up the hose. OR
(b) Connect it to the tap, turn the tap on and wait until the water expelled from the other end stopped spluttering and was airless.

The (b) process is like one used to bleed the brakes: pressure fluid through the system until it's bubble free. Would you seriously try to suck the air out of the caliper, then let fluid thru from the master cylinder!!!??? Why the highly-pressured, and obviously sensitive to air ingress, suspension system gets the Heath Robinson process i cannot fathom. THe VAG instructions in any case request the system operator to draw down to a 'vacuum' of 0.1 bar whicha s any of you tecchies will know is actually still 10% full of something. YES, the subsequent pressuring to 15 bar will reduce this volume of air/contaminant to a very small amount, but point is it is not gone and it's a duff process.

Aside the fact that if you DO cock it up, and let the final pressure drop below 15 bar, then up until when they got the new machine to recharge the valves, it was hello another 800 quid for a new pre-pressured valve from Audi.

And, whilst I'm on the subject, i DO NOT UNDERSTAND how a single shock can be replaced and have a GUARANTEE of airlessness afterwards - i agree that the likelihood of air migrating from the leaking shock to the other diagonal via the central valve is low, but why should YOU THE CUSTOMER have to accept that chance. There isn't anything to PREVENT the air traveling through the system - think about it - if there were non-return valve then the system couldn't actually work as it wouldn't permit the pressure to travel between shocks!!!

Sorry to be a complete bore on this but i've had FOUR months to reflect on this whilst my car has been off the road being 'fixed'...

[Love_iTT]

Well, I went to my dealer today and to be honest, they couldn't have been more appologetic over missing the leaking shock on the inspection.

After about 40 minutes I was told that not only was the front nearside going but also the front offside was showing a slight leak too. To cut a long story short, they are going to replace both front shocks AND the central valve to be on the safe side. Both rear shocks are fine.

They have got the central valve in stock, the two shocks will be coming in tomorrow along with the fluid. I will be contacted this afternoon for booking the car in which should be sometime next week for two days.

At least my faith has been restored by my dealer by the way I was treated, they didn't try to pull the wool over my eyes and were very up front about everything. So as always, it's not so much about the problem but about the way the problem is fixed. Never-the-less, I will now have to add my name to the list of replacement shocks thread.

Graham

[GardinerG]

Graham just a quick note: there are 2 central valves, one for each of the front shocks/diagonal circuit.
Oh, and whilst they don't replace the rear shocks they should drain and recharge the rears too (to make sure no air is trapped) - as rikflyer commented. When I say should I mean with reference to the Audi DRC II for B7 RS4 fault diagnosis chart...

"Extract fluid, evacuate and charge shock absorbers (front and rear), including connecting pipes"

[Love_iTT]

Graham just a quick note: there are 2 central valves, one for each of the front shocks/diagonal circuit.
Oh, and whilst they don't replace the rear shocks they should drain and recharge the rears too (to make sure no air is trapped) - as rikflyer commented. When I say should I mean with reference to the Audi DRC II for B7 RS4 fault diagnosis chart...

"Extract fluid, evacuate and charge shock absorbers (front and rear), including connecting pipes"

Yes, they are replacing both valves (they have them in stock) and they are draining the complete system and recharging with fresh fluid.

But thanks for pointing this out.

Graham

[Marcus-RS4]

This is major... is there anyone who has had their car seen recently who hasnt had, or are going to have, their shocks replaced?

[booski]

I had my car serviced for the 1st time 1 month ago and i specifically asked them to check the shocks due to the number of responses on here. They did the service for the ludicrous sum of £420 (Huddersfield) and informed me nothing was wrong. I had my tyres replaced recently and while the wheels were off noticed oily residue on both front shocks (dealer techs obviously didn't check as requested!). Now i've joined the ranks -Both front shocks due to be replaced on the 2nd June - apparently they want to keep my car for 3 days?