Fitting Struts and Springs

[batttz]

How easy is it to do yourself?

and what tools are needed please?

[Darket]

Easy job .. to remove and replace the shocks youll need a 12mm socket ... 14mm socket 17 and 19mm sockets a breaker bar and a few assorted spanners big hammer etc etc

On the rears . remove the wheel .. support on axel stands. then unscrew the speaker covers .. remove the 3 12 mm nuts .. then remove the lower shock mount .... get someone to hold the lower wishbone down while you remove the shock assembly

The Fronts are the same appart from you have to unscrew the brake line from the shock and remove the top wishbone to chassis bolt to allow enough space to remove the shock.

To rebuild youll need a set of spring clamps .... aside from that its pretty straight forward ... you know .. big nut on top .. undo .. it all comes appart in a disorderly fashion

[Darket]

PS: there is a bush pressed into each lower wishbone .. when the bolt is tightened this takes up any slack in the lower joint of the shock .. sometimes this will need tapping flush again prior to fitting the new shock or the shock can be a right pain to relocate in the lower mount .. do this with a hammer and drift or an old 1/2 inch socket extension

[batttz]

Thanks Darket,

sounds like the kinda job a guy that can lift heavy box'es could manage, but apart from sliding round corners whats a drift?

[Darket]

a drift is usually a solid bar of varying sizes used to batter the crap out of something with the help of a birmingham spanner

[batttz]

Being a brickie I have a bucket full of drifts then. Where is the best place to get hold of spring clamps, halfrauds? a drift is usually a solid bar of varying sizes used to batter the crap out of something with the help of a birmingham spanner

[Darket]

yeah .. or any other motor factors

[batttz]

Did the fronts today, took 6 hours thanks to some crap spring clamps, had to go get a better set.

Thanks go to Darket and www.supras.nl (http://www.supras.nl/) where I found a walkthrough with pictures that was very helpfull

[adi]

yep everyone told me it was an easy job as well :D in reality it takes a LOT longer than you first anticipate if you 've never done them before.

[Roger NE]

Well I've always imagined it's the sort of job where you can have all sorts of complications (seized/snapped bolts etc), let alone have trouble without someone else to help . . . .

It's why it's one of those jobs I've never attempted . . . . .

[batttz]

Oh you need some serious pressure to crack those nuts, luckily they were ford wheelbrace size and I have a lenght of scaffold tube for leverage



Well I've always imagined it's the sort of job where you can have all sorts of complications (seized/snapped bolts etc), let alone have trouble without someone else to help . . . .

It's why it's one of those jobs I've never attempted . . . . .

[batttz]

Did the rears this morning 3 hours and 20 including a bit of undersealing and a tea break, A lot easier than the fronts.

It looks sooo much lower now, although I know its only 30 mm. who was is that wanted a front and rear strut to try and get some coilovers made?

[r.killa]

Did the rears this morning 3 hours and 20 including a bit of undersealing and a tea break, A lot easier than the fronts.

It looks sooo much lower now, although I know its only 30 mm. who was is that wanted a front and rear strut to try and get some coilovers made?
i had some coil overs made by leda and they wanted a front and rear strut which i sent them so they already have it on their computers.

[Dangermouse]

Really R.killa??? Since Leda now have them on the comp... how much would they charge for a full set (front & rear?)

[r.killa]

Really R.killa??? Since Leda now have them on the comp... how much would they charge for a full set (front & rear?)
are you sitting down and not suffering from any heart conditions?


i paid £1160 all in and they made them 2 1/4 inch springs so i could find replacments if i didn't like the springs easily enough. the tein ones were £900 but came with 3 inch springs and i didn't know where to find 3 inch springs if i didn't like them and 2 1/4's leave a bit more room for the larger tyres on the back. they are gas adjustable ones with 20 settings as well as height adjustment.there is well over 8 inches of adjustment on the struts but this doesn't translate to 8 inches on the car since there is only so low you can go before encountering steering problems and only so high you can go before you reach the limit of the extended strut lenght. i don't know if they are cheaper now that they have the pattern but they had to make them from scratch for me so there was more work involved for them. they cost £50 each to have them serviced and £60 each for a complete rebuild which is about the same as buying new struts later on so i went for it. i cannot remember the part number but i am sure mentioning my name and them searching their computers will come up with the right bits.

[funkymonkeybooze]

£Oh,

£My,

£God.

[r.killa]

£Oh,

£My,

£God.
perfection costs!, and i had to put something nice with my new whiteline antiroll bars and poly bushes. it will all go on on my next day off after tomorrows trip.

[flyer]

poser:duck: perfection costs!, and i had to put something nice with my new whiteline antiroll bars and poly bushes. it will all go on on my next day off after tomorrows trip.