F'ing and Blinding Rear Springs :(

[averagejo]

Help!

Firstly, just wanted to say that I have fitted numerous sets of lowering springs and coilovers and this is the first damn time i've had to give up, so im looking for some advice before attempting the damn thing again

basically i cant get enough clearance on the rear spring to compress the bugger as once i manage to get it on (which is a pain in the arse to get all 4 hooks on each) i cant get enough clearance to get the socket on it - or even using a spanner i just cant get them to compress enough because the thread bar is hitting the body work.

it could all be down to my own stupid fault as after using sucessfully using (and loosing) a set i got from halfrauds i thought id get some better ones.....



is it just that they are just too damn big and i need some smaller ones like these



or is there a trick im missing? i even had the jack under the lower arm at one point to give me a head start....... of course i removed it before tring to get the spring out

at this point im wondering whether to wait a month or so till I can spare a 1'er for my mechanic to do it but I hate being beat and I hate waiting

thanks

[HimBigChief]

Can you not remove the bottom hub bolt and have the lower wishbone hanging free. This should give enough clearance (you may need to lever it with a crowbar, etc) as this was how i got my old rear spring off and back on.

Can't see pics here (at work) atm, and I never had to compress the old standard springs to get them back on, so you should be able to do the same with the lowering springs.

[averagejo]

hmmmmm interesting................... lowering the lower wishbone, is that a pretty simple job to do? im not that great at the mechanincs but once ive learnt it once im pretty compatent - hence even attempting the springs

surely it would need to be compressed in some fashion otherwise it will come out with quite a bit of force?

if someone could explain what to undo and where to pull etc and how to get it back together would be much apprciated

[HimBigChief]

No need to compress the spring until you have to put the wishbone back in, and you just compress it then using a trolley jack on the wishbone, which pivots and compresses the spring.

If you have a look at the end of the rear wishbone/trailing arm and you will see the bits I mean. I had to strip a rear hub off my 406 a couple of months back and this was when i figured out how to remove the rear spring. one of the first things you have to do actually! It's definately down in the Haynes manual.

[totaleclipse]

No need to compress the spring until you have to put the wishbone back in, and you just compress it then using a trolley jack on the wishbone, which pivots and compresses the spring.

x2

thats how i do it on astras, cosras, mk4 escorts rover 200's and various other vehicles as well.

even been known to do a "coilover" type one this way as well, with mixed results, lol.

[averagejo]

i've got the haynes at home, but just trying to get my head round it from memory while i waste away another 8hrs of my life at work - might aswell do something productive while im here

so from what im thinking right now, get the axle stand under the sil, undo the shock (presumably?), anything else? - what stops the original spring just - well springing out??? i would have thought id have to get the jack under the lower arm to relieve some pressure off the shock mount to get the bolts out and then just lower the jack out gently while the spring expands?

thanks for the help on this btw, getting my self all clue'd up for another go. as i say ive got the haynes but i am a novice and not quite clued up on the terminology..... i only just about know what the lower arm is but still managed to do the suspension on other cars and all the timings on my 16v v4 motorbike i just rely on the haynes and plain speaking from forums like this

dan

[HimBigChief]

That's how I did it. Jack under the wishbone, undo the shock and hub bolts (can't remember any others), and slowly lower the wishbone, allowing the spring to uncompress. Remove spring, fit new one and jack the wishbone back up.

In the Haynes manual, it is under 'removing rear hub' or something similar.

[averagejo]

fantastic ill take a read tonight and have another bash at the weekend, should be able to get those wagon spring compressors on the front with no problem

i did a spring change on a fiat convertable that had a similar setup, but that was a peice of piss just clamped the compressors on tightened and the spring pretty much fell out

[HimBigChief]

Just checked in my Haynes (96-97 one) and it's down as 'Rear Suspension Coil Spring - Removal and Refitting' and is section 10.10.

As I said above: get the trolley jack on the end of the wishbone (under the hub), undo the two bolts (one for the hub and one for the shock) and lower the wishbone. Remove spring, reinsert new spring, jack wishbone back up and tighten the two bolts. Go round other side and repeat.

[oobumblebeeoo]

Jesus, this is a awesome piece of info... All the bodywork is done now.

Done the fronts over two nights, been a ferkin nightmare!... Front offside drive shaft popped out and pissed transmission oil everywhere!!!

Had to refill this and call it quits last night again.


Both the fronts are done, now to do the rear springs............ Will post some pics once everything is done. Going 40mm all round.

[Smelliot]

Just a note to say the Haynes manual does say to unbolt the lower arm and let it drop free and the spring just lifts out, put new one in the seating cups and do back up. Piece of pi...... cake

I had Niz's lowered springs, so we installed them 'together' and I just took his front dampers with the front springs to save us having to get the spring compressors. Also, because of Niz's experience, didn't loose any transmission oil

30mil dropped all round.

[coopster]

This has been the answer to my thread i started few days ago im happy now lol