No springs clamps need help

[iceey]

hey guys
is there a safe way to get your standard springs of stock suspension without the use of spring clamps? i was thinking of undoing the top hat bolts before i remove it from its place .. is that a bad idea ?


cheers

[charliebrown]

Compressors are $30... don't risk a broken face.

And yes, undoing the top hat bolts = fling straight into your face and will break it (your face)

[YeahByuddy]

coathanger wire will hold them while you undo the tophats,then cut off with sidecutters once removed

[dougie_504]

I have done this before. One person holding the shock while the other uses a compressor gun to remove the nuts.

Worked fine, but it wasn't safe to say the least lol.


Bought some compressors from SCA. Takes ages and scratched the springs a bit, but much safer.

[senna]

If you are undoing the top mount while the entire strut is still in the car then thats fine, but you will still need spring compressors to get the new ones back on unless the new springs are shorter in free length compared to the shock open length.

That or hop in your mates car with all your struts, head down to a local suspension place and get them to swap them over for you. might charge 20 bucks

[blahZ]

alot of cable ties

[dougie_504]

If you are undoing the top mount while the entire strut is still in the car then thats fine, but you will still need spring compressors to get the new ones back on unless the new springs are shorter in free length compared to the shock open length.

That or hop in your mates car with all your struts, head down to a local suspension place and get them to swap them over for you. might charge 20 bucks


Yeah for this I just put the shock on the ground standing upright and knelt with all my weight on the spring while my friend put the top back on. Managed to compress a rather long 10kg spring like this, pain in the ass though.

[iceey]

Compressors are $30... don't risk a broken face.

And yes, undoing the top hat bolts = fling straight into your face and will break it (your face)



is this with the strut out or still connected to the car?

[iceey]

coathanger wire will hold them while you undo the tophats,then cut off with sidecutters once removed

then wont the spring expand once you cut them ?

[iceey]

If you are undoing the top mount while the entire strut is still in the car then thats fine, but you will still need spring compressors to get the new ones back on unless the new springs are shorter in free length compared to the shock open length.

That or hop in your mates car with all your struts, head down to a local suspension place and get them to swap them over for you. might charge 20 bucks

yeah the springs i have now are 2 front lowered springs off a eg6 ... so it should fit alright .. just worried about removing the old springs ..

[iceey]

i can remove the struts and take em to a local suspension place .. but they wont do it for $20 .. unless you know a place that can ?

[djt]

Loosen the tops first then get a guy to lay the sussy on the ground aiming the strut tops as close as you can to the wall and let him step on the bottom of it, grab the allen key and slowly undo it until it pops off. Be careful though, only do this if desperate. Done this numerous times without a compressor.

[iceey]

Loosen the tops first then get a guy to lay the sussy on the ground aiming the strut tops as close as you can to the wall and let him step on the bottom of it, grab the allen key and slowly undo it until it pops off. Be careful though, only do this if desperate. Done this numerous times without a compressor.

that sounds even more riskier ... wouldnt it be safer if i just undo the tophat it from the top before even removing the sussy ..?

[hondapop]

Look mate, I've done this excercise both ways >i.e. undoing the centre bolt (shocky shaft) with the weight of the car on the wheels as you're talking about. And by using a compressor after you've taken them out assembled. Believe me, it's a whole lot easier (never mind the safer) with them out of the car intact, than having an expanded spring, a shocky shaft that is also expanded (because of the gas in the shock), and trying to undo all the other sussy bits you'll have to get out of the way in order to get the assembly out, especially the back ones.

You may be able to hire them, but the hire rate will probably cost almost as much as buying a set of compressors. If you do get some (and I'm assuming this is for the EH Civic), get the ones with the single hooks at each end, the coils on them are too small a diameter for the twin hook type to fit.

There is another factor in this, you need to note (mark) the position of the top hat (upper spring mount) in relation to the shocky if you're re-using the stock ones, because they are left and right at the front and the top hat is at an offset angle in relation to the yoke at the bottom. You also must, when installing the new springs, make sure that the bottom coil is sitting correctly against it's stop in the seat. If they aren't you'll finish up with springs that are curved inwards against the shock body which will put a bending stress on it's shaft.

[trism]

You can buy a set of spring compressors from repco for 85 bucks or so.

[hondapop]

These will do the job for you. The hooks are not too long ( some other brands stick out too far and will dig into the side of the shocks) and a good price.
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Coil-Spring-Compressor-300mm-Heavy-Duty-Type-/300640360271?pt=AU_Car_Parts_Accessories&hash=item45ff8fd74f

[bennjamin]

hey guys
is there a safe way to get your standard springs of stock suspension without the use of spring clamps? i was thinking of undoing the top hat bolts before i remove it from its place .. is that a bad idea ?


cheers


Mate if you have to ask - you don't have the right
Tools or knowledge so just pay some one to take em apart. Safe , and only abit of $ out of pocket.

[RPS.13]

Supercheap sell them for $30-40 odd dollars...

I've tried all different methods without spring compressors, all of which are not safe. Spend a few dollars for you own safety, please!

Having said that though, the best method I used without them was to lay the strut flat on the ground, hold the strut/spring with one foot (make sure you have it facing away from you or any valuable objects). Then hit the centre nut with a rattle gun. Once the nut is out the strut would shoot across the floor. Rather than the top hat flying into your face.

To get it back on I either got a mate to hold the top hat. A few times I did it with my own weight, not easy though.

[m3ntAL_l2]

Jack up ur car --> find a flat surface under the car --> place spring between the surface and flat ground --> slowly lower the car un till springs are compressed --> using a metal cloth hanger tie around the spring --> slowly jack up the car

Done, vise versa

[hondapop]

Jack up ur car --> find a flat surface under the car --> place spring between the surface and flat ground --> slowly lower the car un till springs are compressed --> using a metal cloth hanger tie around the spring --> slowly jack up the car

Done, vise versa

I'm speechless. :eek:

[Oxer]

lol @ this thread

[iceey]

Look mate, I've done this excercise both ways >i.e. undoing the centre bolt (shocky shaft) with the weight of the car on the wheels as you're talking about. And by using a compressor after you've taken them out assembled. Believe me, it's a whole lot easier (never mind the safer) with them out of the car intact, than having an expanded spring, a shocky shaft that is also expanded (because of the gas in the shock), and trying to undo all the other sussy bits you'll have to get out of the way in order to get the assembly out, especially the back ones.

You may be able to hire them, but the hire rate will probably cost almost as much as buying a set of compressors. If you do get some (and I'm assuming this is for the EH Civic), get the ones with the single hooks at each end, the coils on them are too small a diameter for the twin hook type to fit.

There is another factor in this, you need to note (mark) the position of the top hat (upper spring mount) in relation to the shocky if you're re-using the stock ones, because they are left and right at the front and the top hat is at an offset angle in relation to the yoke at the bottom. You also must, when installing the new springs, make sure that the bottom coil is sitting correctly against it's stop in the seat. If they aren't you'll finish up with springs that are curved inwards against the shock body which will put a bending stress on it's shaft.


thnx mate that was lots of help =]