Has anyone used KYB dampers? I bought some Gas-a-just ones for the rear and tried to fit them yesterday. Total disaster. The top nut on the n/s damper would just spin and not undo, so had to hacksaw that off. Then went to put the new damper in, and at full compession it's still too long to fit into the holes. Not impressed! Off to ECP to get some standard Boge ones next week, as the car is now unusable

Have you checked the part number on the box to the damper. I have found KYB to be ok shocks.

Yep, they match up to the KYB catalogue.

my local motor factor can supply gas shocks front and rear for about £150 inc thats what ill be going for

The KYB ones are about the same. I paid about £50 for the 2 rears to try them out before I got the fronts. Now I'm not so sure whether I'll bother with them!

The open length should be about 22inch (x 25.4 to give you mm) open length.

Its too cold to go down to the garage now, but I'll measure them up tomorrow. Thanks for that!

In the meantime I got my other half to pick me up some standard ones today as I need the car back on the road for the Christmas period!

Scrap everything I said about KYB. The dampers do fit, just me being a complete retard!!

So they're on now, and I'm going go for a blast throught the New Forest tonight to see how they feel. Initial reaction is that the rear end feels a lot stiffer, which is good. Assuming it drives OK I'll be very pleased as they were about the same price as standard ones but are gas filled monotubes!

However that now means I have a pair of brand new standard Boge rear dampers that I dont need if anyone is interested!

How did you go wrong? Did you not allow for the fact the axle drops with out the damper to hold it in place.

Maybe

I had it up on axle stands on the rear axle and for some reason my mind was thinking they were on the chassis so the axle had dropped, of course it hadnt. So went back down today, looked at it again and I realised. So the scissor jack went on the sill and I slotted the dampers straight in. What a numpty!! Still, I wont make the same mistake again, which is what working on the cars is all about!!

As for the handling, it feels slightly odd now with a wallowy front and stiffer back, which I expected, but the dampers seem to do their job well! Just gotta get the front sorted out now! This car's gonna bankrupt me