Removal of front shock

Hi

I need to remove the right front shock on my 1981 A310 due to a clonking sound. The top bush on my SPAX sahock moves and "clonks".

The bolts are different from the new ones I got som simon.de and very hard to access. Socket is too large. Fixed spanners move too little and no room for the more moders racthet spanners (sorry if proper english term is different).

Is this a cas eof the 3rd french elbow ? Any help or advise would be appreciated. (except for removing entire body)

Best regards

Jan

I changed the front shock absorbers a few years ago and agree that access is limited. My car is a Phase 1, your 1981 car might be Phase 2 (4 stud wheels). If so, they could be different.

I can't remember exactly the tools I used but I've just had a look at the car and taken this photo of the driver's side. I think I used a socket wrench on the bolt head, as shown in the photo, with a ring spanner on the nut. Most of the tightening, if not all, would have been with the wrench as there is more space for the socket and wrench at this side. I couldn't get a socket and wrench on the nut due to insufficient space.

When tightening with the wrench, the wrench handle hits the circular spring pan, restricting rotation of the wrench. To overcome this you may have to remove the wrench with the socket in place and rotate the socket one click to take out some of the play in the ratchet. Then reattach the socket to the bolt head.
If you persevere you should be able to do it.

Thanks John..Great image I now clearly see that my bolts are reversed and quite different. Your socket is smaller than mine.

As I suspect the bolt mybe too small since the damper bush is able to move up and down. New bolts and bushes ordered at Simon as well as all the other bushes, rubber mould and ball joint. If I need to strip the entire suspendion I might as well do it properly first time.

Space is exactly same so I will just go for it and be more patient....very patient

Thanks for the help. Appreciate it