Any Way To Install Shock Dust Covers Without Taking Shocks Off?

SquirrelMadness · 26 Oct 2020 at 22:20

Hi, I have a missing shock cover on my MK6 Golf and have an MOT coming up. Just wondering would it be possible to install these without removing the shock:

I know it's not an MOT failure but just wanna avoid advisories and might be a good idea anyway to help stop corrosion.

I was thinking of running a blade down then wrapping around the shocks and using some type of glue to stitch them back together... or maybe cable ties. Not sure what glue would work on this material?

Eventually I will replace them properly but I'm lazy ATM and not paying someone else to do it lol

Thanks.

andy_mk3 · 26 Oct 2020 at 22:26

No you can't without stripping the strut down.

Even your method of cutting it and glueing it would be an absolute pain to do and probably wouldn't work.

It shouldn't be an mot advisory.

Nasher · 26 Oct 2020 at 22:42

It will just trap moisture and make it worse

neilw · 27 Oct 2020 at 12:14

There are only 3 bolts to undo on mk6 golf rear shocks. 10 min job with the correct tools. 21mm socket on the bolt to the control arm and 18mm socket on the 2 bolts at the top if my memory servers me correctly

sigma · 27 Oct 2020 at 12:29

Please do this and report back with photographs!

Lopéz · 27 Oct 2020 at 14:26

Why do you want to avoid advisories?

As already stated, this will be incredibly tricky to do nicely without removing the strut and taking off the top mount. How would you get it in between the spring coils for starters?

Just leave it, or take it apart and replace them.

bainbridge · 27 Oct 2020 at 14:43

I tried repairing a split dust cover with a bit of inner tube and puncture repair glue.

It didn't work.

Gaygle · 30 Oct 2020 at 10:27

neilw said:
There are only 3 bolts to undo on mk6 golf rear shocks. 10 min job with the correct tools. 21mm socket on the bolt to the control arm and 18mm socket on the 2 bolts at the top if my memory servers me correctly

This, the same as the MK5 and Mk4. Very easy job. It makes no sense to start cutting your new shock covers up and trying to glue them back together for the sake of not removing 3 easily accessible bolts.

Lopéz said:
As already stated, this will be incredibly tricky to do nicely without removing the strut and taking off the top mount. How would you get it in between the spring coils for starters?

Think he's talking about the rear shocks rather than the front struts.

Django x2 · 30 Oct 2020 at 14:49

Gaygle said:
Think he's talking about the rear shocks rather than the front struts.

Lets hope so because front shocks don't have dust covers (not like the ones pictured anyway).

OP, this is probably a 20-30 minute job tops with some axle stands.

Akagi · 30 Oct 2020 at 14:50

Lopéz said:
Why do you want to avoid advisories?

Lopéz · 30 Oct 2020 at 15:43

Acme said:

What's confusing about that. He said he wants to avoid having an advisory - why would you actively want to do that?

Akagi · 30 Oct 2020 at 15:48

Lopéz said:
What's confusing about that. He said he wants to avoid having an advisory - why would you actively want to do that?

Re-sale is one reason, the cleaner the MOT history the better.

Also its just nicer to have an MOT with no advisories.

In any case I don't see why it is an unusual thing to want to do.

Deleted member 66701 · 1 Nov 2020 at 02:42

Acme said:
Re-sale is one reason, the cleaner the MOT history the better.

Also its just nicer to have an MOT with no advisories.

In any case I don't see why it is an unusual thing to want to do.

Advisories have no impact on resale value as long as they have been resolved.

Akagi · 1 Nov 2020 at 02:45

amigafan2003 said:
Advisories have no impact on resale value as long as they have been resolved.

Depends on the buyer, and whether or not you actually have proof the advisories have been looked at.

xs2man · 1 Nov 2020 at 02:59

amigafan2003 said:
Advisories have no impact on resale value as long as they have been resolved.

Maybe. Maybe not. I like a "clean" MOT history. When I put my Clio in for it's last MOT, I asked my mechanic to make sure it had a "clean" MOT. So pre-MOT, fix any potential advisories, BEFORE the actual MOT, so the actual MOT is clean.

When you check the MOT history of a car, one that has zero advisories, or very few, over it's lifetime screams of a car well cared for. One that has advisories at every MOT, especially if the advisories are repeated over several MOT's, suggest a car that has been neglected, at least to some degree.

It may not increase the value, per se. But it may well make it a much easier sale to the right buyer, thus increasing the chance of a quick / more profitable sale.

Haze · 1 Nov 2020 at 04:33

Acme said:
Depends on the buyer, and whether or not you actually have proof the advisories have been looked at.

It's just a Golf ffs...

Akagi · 1 Nov 2020 at 05:08

Haze said:
It's just a Golf ffs...

Oh thats all right then, anyone looking to buy a Golf is an idiot and won't give a damn if it has a clean MOT history or one littered with advisories and failiures. Why bother looking after it in the first place!

p1RATE · 1 Nov 2020 at 05:18

no idea what said:
Even your method of cutting it and glueing it would be an absolute pain to do and probably wouldn't work.

While helping my brother in law with a car purchase recently which had a leaky CV boot, i found out you could buy split boots with glue as thats what he did to fix it. It seemed a bit unusual to me, but he said the glue seemed strong enough to last.

So yeah, thats a thing :/

Haze · 1 Nov 2020 at 05:33

Acme said:
Oh thats all right then, anyone looking to buy a Golf is an idiot and won't give a damn if it has a clean MOT history or one littered with advisories and failiures. Why bother looking after it in the first place!

Never heard of "friendly mot" stations..... MOT history dont mean ****

Any Way To Install Shock Dust Covers Without Taking Shocks Off?

Deleted member 66701

Deleted member 66701