Swapping struts over...

[Lurkin]

Plan was to only get springs at pickapart today... but decided after taking apart the front struts to just take the whole things.. figuring they would be in better nick than the ones on my car -

all very well.

Trying to get them back together now. It appears the top part that holds the top end of the spring in place has 'flat spots' to line up with the shock absorber - to ensure it does not spin and the 'OUT' sign match's up with the bolt holes at the very bottom of the shock absorber.

however, I'm not sure of whether its remaining lined up when I am doing the nylon nut that holds the whole thing together is done up?

ideas? figure once the car is dropped on it it will be a whole lot easier to do it up further - BUT dont want to do that if its not lining up etc. FFFFUUUU!

ideas?

[Bling]

So you're not sure if the shaft is lined up still with th flat section of the top hat?

[Lurkin]

correct. from searching the interwebs it is being caused by not using spring compressors.

thing is it only needs to go down roughly a little less than an inch...

also finding that when I'm trying to do up the nut that holds the top hat + everything else together in the centre, its just spinning and hence not actually doing up any further anyway?

[Bling]

Is the strut in the car now or are you trying to do it up out of the car?

[matt dunn]

Sounds to me like they are out of the car and he is just pushing the top spring platform down by hand and trying to screw on the nut while holding it in place.


Answer is, get some spring compressors or grow another pair of arms.

Maybe someone else can do the nut up while you hold the top down???

[Bling]

Yeah that was my thought too. Put the strut in the car attached to the hub/whatever, bolt the top hat into the strut tower, then lower and car and try put the shaft into the top hat hole.

Failing that, spring compressors

[Lurkin]

ok. they were out of the car.

took the top hats off, and the spring out. then tested what the top hat should look like when it meets the spline.

due to having had someone else have a go, they had been done up before incorrectly i think - and hence had a little play - causing the uncertainty.

got angry and help. pushed down on the part the immediately touches the spring and lined it up the best I could, whilst someone else popped on the part with the studs and did up the nut = presto.

Still a bit annoying that there is no ability to check it after finishing it really... other than a 'yank it to see if it moves' test. furthermore, whilst doing up the centre nut, the shock turns! (the central rod with the thread on it)

wtf! is this normally rattled up?

anyway ones sides back together... will do the same on the other side then let the car down and see if there is any slack that I can attend to on the centre nut.

don't think its possible to do this by putting it on/in the car for the same reason - theres no way to tell if its meeting the flat part - because the spring requires an inch of compressing.

question - which part are you referring to as top-hats? is that the uppermost section with studs and houses a bearing, or the next part that goes between it and the spring?

[Bling]

Spring compressors are designed to make this job a piece of piss.

Top hat is the top section that has 3 studs that protrude through the top of the strut tower when its all in place.

You don't have compressors that's why I said put it in the car. The same way you're supposed to do it if you don't use spring compressors. Saves the top hat flying off and hitting you in the face. Putting it in the car would allow you to lower the car down on to the spring to compress it and allow the shock shaft to stick out the top of the top hat ready for the nut.

Best way by far is to use spring compressors though if you're not 100% on what to do.

The nut should be able to be tightened up by hand (power bar etc) if its located right.

[Lurkin]

agreed. But it was an impluse buy.. without prep. grr.

nevermind pretty sure its right... like I said - either way theres little way to check whether its actually meeting the flat part or not - without spring compressors, using my weight or the cars.

anyway, will keep an eye out for some cheap spring compressors - they appear to be handy and agree they would make this job easy. tried to rangi it up using two pieces of steel across the springs but it was too hard to hold everything in place.

ok will use the cars weight to help with tightening the spring/ do up the centre nut.. will continue tomorrow. time for a beer!

[Dell'Orto]

Its about a billion percent easier with the struts in the car. You feel the strut lock into place when it hits the flat, and yes, a rattle gun also makes life easier when taking the top hat off.
If you're in the hutt I've got a set of spring compressors you can borrow.

[Lurkin]

cheers - will try the 'in car' technique tomorrow, if it works out better I'll undo the other side again and have another go. I'll PM you if I have no luck...

Not too bothered at the end of the day - have an entire set of spares from those coming off the car.. just would be nice to get it right the first time round

[85AW20v]

Another thing to do is compress the spring as much as possible while it's in the car and cable tie them together - either big fat ones or lots of them. When it's all reassembled and back in the car, cut the ties.

[Lurkin]

thats actually a brilliant idea..... may apply whilst off the car too... hmmm.. ok off to get broke shopping for suits..

then attempting the ideas that came to me whilst drinking a few bevys last night.. hmmm....

pics of any human damage to follow....

[Lurkin]

turns out we only actually disassembled one of the fronts, which I put back together last night using two people. funny how long it took to get struct back in last night

chucked the other side in - took all of 15 mins! ha! took it for a test drive... no clunking/ pieces falling off/ freaky sounds etc...!

now to do the back.


hmmm aside note, sits a 1cm odd higher than it was in the front than before... switching from misc red springs to dobis.. wonder if they were sagged or just super-lows instead?

[Lurkin]

All struts in and all systems go! no dodgy sounds etc! awesome.

seems to brake earlier now.. not sure if its psychological or not. also sits about 10mm higher than before... hmm.

[Bling]

Red springs might be Cobra springs. At least you know what to do now if you want to switch back to the old springs