[Processing61]

Wondering if anyone has drilled an access hole in both sides of the boot trim which allows you to get at the top mount of the shocks without having to take all the boot trim apart?

For me I’m planning to keep this car forever (we’ll see if that’s true) and do a fair bit of miles and I’ve changed them once already, would make the job a bit easier. If you have adjustable suspension and adjusted it a lot it would be really handy so I thought maybe someone has done this already.

I was thinking of drilling a 70-100mm (not sure yet) or so hole both sides big enough to easily get one hand in (possibly two), get a blanking plug and maybe carpet the top too so it doesn’t look too terrible.

Anyone done something similar? Can anyone see any major flaws?

[Andy198712]

It is a pain changing them but good ones should last a good few years?
Like the idea though just wondering how to make more discrete

[Processing61]

Originally Posted by Andy198712

It is a pain changing them but good ones should last a good few years?
Like the idea though just wondering how to make more discrete

I say “changed them before” but it was just one side as when I bought the car it was leaking and I replaced it, but with a very cheap unbranded shock and now the other side has started to go and I want to replace both at the same time with a decent brand.

Yes it’s just the tear down of the interior which is the hardest/fiddliest bit of that job really. Will be interesting to see if anyone has done anything similar

[CLEAN13BOOSTED]

If your planning on keeping the care "forever" would advise to replace with good quality parts that last long as opposed to cutting/drilling holes into the unibody. My opinion.

[Tambohamilton]

Yeah, nah mate. Seems crazy to go drilling access holes in stuff you'll only need to access every few years at the most! Think about it: in the time it takes you to drill holes neatly and cover them properly etc, you could have done 5 years worth of normal maintenance.

[Processing61]

Originally Posted by CLEAN13BOOSTED

If your planning on keeping the care "forever" would advise to replace with good quality parts that last long as opposed to cutting/drilling holes into the unibody. My opinion.

That is a fair point. I only replaced it with a generic non brand as it was unforeseen when I bought the car (had to do a lot of work on other things to get it up to scratch and running nicely) and I didn’t have the money at the time. my understanding the good brands last around 50-100k miles dependant on driving. I’m looking at TRW (part of ZF), sachs or bilstein.

So my only other reason would be for ease of not having to take interior boot trim apart and risk braking clips, which maybe isn’t quite enough of a reason

[Processing61]

I didn’t drill a big hole in the end😅. Fitted both shocks today. The boot trim wasn’t as bad as I remembered. Still interested to see if anyone has done this and made it look good though.

I came across this thread https://www.1addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=401028

I think it is an E90

[Will_460cs]

that won't work for a e91. but its actually not that bad to get the plastic parts out of the way.