Kev, here are a couple of photos that might help. Important "new" parts are the top bearing which you get when you buy the top bush as complete item from Rimmers, or you can buy them individually. The complete item includes the spacers I think you are referring to. One of my spacers was rusted to the shock absorber shaft, so by the time I had freed that, the bush was u/s. More importantly, the Bilstein bits: if your shock absorber (the silver tube) has lateral movement in the yellow casing, you will need a replacement slider bush and its dust/oil seal. These, plus the blue boot, should be readily available from any shock absorber refurbishment place that deals with Bilstein units. The bush and seal are pretty standard across the Bilstein Macpherson Strut range and don't cost much at all. The bush part number is E4-LB1-Z008A10 and the seal is 4144022.
By the way, the shock absorber comes out of the casing quite easily. Just undo the lock nut and use an Allen key to screw the shaft in until it comes free. Slide the complete unit out of the casing. Nothing explodes, no springs or hydraulic fluid under pressure escape, it is a completely free-standing sealed unit - too easy. This unit is not something you can deal with at home though so if it is dodgy for some reason, it will need to go away for professional attention or perhaps replacement. I assume the chromed surface can wear as well as pit and flake, but if your unit is more or less OK, then it can probably just go back into service. Both mine are very shiny where they slide in the slider bush, but not worn badly enough to worry about just yet.
Malcolm
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