Suspension Replacement - How big of a Job?

Morning all, slightly lazy question but thought best to get a feel from those with more experience for the complexity and cost before blindly setting out.

Car running nice, no 'real' suspension issues and indeed a lot of the front arms, bushes etc replaced over time for MOT's etc. But it's getting a little wallowy .... and front seems be sitting a bit higher than rear. But hey this is a 94/95 pre-facelift and I don't recall any main suspension items every being replaced, just bushes and arms and normal items that feed the MOT tester and ECP! :)

Not looking to upgrade or go performance but just to get a feel for the work, cost, risks of swapping out rear, front shocks etc ... and also to be honest, is it worth it? Would replacing shocks make a noticeable difference you think or just fill a weekend full of pain?

Know a lot of you do a lot of handling mods. I'm not looking get too far into that zone ... more to keep standard but efficient and comfortable standard and wandering main areas that might benefit from some replacement ... or indeed some minor upgrading?

Just to note, car is very tidy inside and out, rust free and rust treated, done about 75k and it's been around forever so we know the good and the bad. Also no plan to loose it anytime in the next decade!!!

Appreciate any advice as always.
 
I replace all my dampers and fitted 35mm coils, Tbh it made a lot of difference
No bounce like it use to, less roll it alittle, ride isn't much harder really, and no clearance issues
Mine also sits down at the rear regardless of suspension (and maybe the sub lol) but the new dampers and coils, the car is stiff in comparison to how it was does not roll or out like that,
I also swapped my front top mounts for a 2001 which have a more solid top mount over the older multi piece that wears
 
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I replace all my dampers and fitted 35mm coils, Tbh it made a lot of difference
No bounce like it use to, less roll it alittle, ride isn't much harder really, and no clearance issues
Mine also sits down at the rear regardless of suspension (and maybe the sub lol) but the new dampers and coils, the car is stiff in comparison to how it was does not roll or out like that,
I also swapped my front top mounts for a 2001 which have a more solid top mount over the older multi piece that wears

Thanks for the feedback Nissanboy and how complex, how long a job to do? Most stuff on the K11 is lego work but I'm keen not to start something that turns into a major PITA.

That said if the benefits are like you describe then it's worth to consider for sure. What make/model units did you use? Have any links to the start of thing I should be looking at?

And if you don't mind me asking roughly how much did each cost to do? I'm conscious of the budget but car is a family keeper so a little investment is ok

Cheers
 
It's not hard, just undo the rear shocks on the axle and pull the rear coils (minding not to pull the down too much for the brake lines)
Front take the strut off spring compressor ,

Coils are apex (but I bought a whole car for £100 that had brand new one fitted)
Dampers front were £50 from Poland rear were £20 from shop closing down lol
Top mounts were used
But realistic looking at
£73to 120ish new for the coils eBay ,europarts (micra k11 lowering coils)
Front struts https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2-x-Shoc...trksid=p2045573.c100033.m2042&redirect=mobile
So £61
Rear https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CD-PAIR-...trksid=p2045573.c100033.m2042&redirect=mobile
£25
Tho best off searching as there's is a few full set of dampers for £100
It took a little.while to get the parts cause I searched alot, also look on the for sale or fb pages the is new, or slightly used parts cheap come up at times
But might as well say £200 to replace a 20+ year old set up ,
Also since I bought the bits some don't seem.to be for sale now , that was in july/August
 
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It's not hard, just undo the rear shocks on the axle and pull the rear coils (minding not to pull the down too much for the brake lines)
Front take the strut off spring compressor ,

Coils are apex (but I bought a whole car for £100 that had brand new one fitted)
Dampers front were £50 from Poland rear were £20 from shop closing down lol
Top mounts were used
But realistic looking at
£73to 120ish new for the coils eBay ,europarts (micra k11 lowering coils)
Front struts https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2-x-Shoc...trksid=p2045573.c100033.m2042&redirect=mobile
So £61
Rear https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CD-PAIR-...trksid=p2045573.c100033.m2042&redirect=mobile
£25
Tho best off searching as there's is a few full set of dampers for £100
It took a little.while to get the parts cause I searched alot, also look on the for sale or fb pages the is new, or slightly used parts cheap come up at times
But might as well say £200 to replace a 20+ year old set up ,
Also since I bought the bits some don't seem.to be for sale now , that was in july/August
Brilliant, thanks for taking the time to find that for me ... have a good feel for the job now. Think will do exactly as you say and what the sale pages (sounds like you got quite a deal) and that sourcing that will hopefully take us up to warmer times for grovelling around under cars! :)

Fantastic data as always. Let you know how I get on. But like you, the focus is on budget as well as upgrade ... sounds like I got some good options here. Thanks Nissanboy
 
Yeah, just looking at the price cause some places ask higher end money for cheap parts
,also in running 185/60/14 conti eco contact 5 tyres on wider wheels , that makes one hell of a difference
Tyres unless your not bothered get decent ones , and say the least a matching pair on the front
Another thing that helps a lot is a bottom brace ,but that's for more harder driving
All So have a look on my blog, bumblebee , you can see what I did to mind
 
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You might want to check all the suspention rubbers to. And see if you have a arb fitted because that was optional.

Given the amount of time I've spent under this thing the last few years you would think I'd know if there is an ARB but you know I cannot for the life me remember. :)

Will take a look. And yes for sure a set of rubber and bushes I guess would be a must if I'm going to do the larger metal. And I guess these are cheap enough? Time to start looking at the prices and options.

Front I know I've fully done the arms, bushes and anything replaceable but rear? .... nothing that I remember. Time to enter unchartered waters! :)

Cheers Maarten
 
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Yeah, just looking at the price cause some places ask higher end money for cheap parts
,also in running 185/60/14 conti eco contact 5 tyres on wider wheels , that makes one hell of a difference
Tyres unless your not bothered get decent ones , and say the least a matching pair on the front
Another thing that helps a lot is a bottom brace ,but that's for more harder driving
All So have a look on my blog, bumblebee , you can see what I did to mind

Do you have a link to that nissanboy? Is it on the site here? Would definitely like to take a read of that .... it still suprises me how how much can be learnt from such articles.

Current tyres are standard and new maybe early part of last year so still very solid. They were budget tyre shop ones, nothing special. Car isn't driven hard, it's a commute and family work horse. I'd not considered widening the wheels but hmmm....maybe.
 
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