Shock absorber cheats

[jimbo]

Hi Folks,

 

In order to get through my MOT, I need to change front shocks on the escort. Is there a way I can cheat when doing this?

 

Basically I'd rather not remove the whole suspension assembly, if possible. Also I'd rather not have to splash out on spring compressors (I do have clamps that will keep the springs compressed, If I apply them while the car is on it's wheels.

 

Any thoughts?

[Twinkle]

only takes an hour or so each side to replace them m8 including dropping the strut

[jimbo]

What about spring compressors. is there a workaround?

[Trevmk3]

wouldnt of thought theres much of a short cut for compressing springs mate. someone might lend you some compressors if you ask nicely as theres a few people from London way on here that might have some

[Vista]

spanish windlass?

 

Get a loop of strong rope through either side of the coils and then put a short straight edge through each loop and twist it, as the rope tightens it'll compress the spring.

 

I'd exercise extreme caution though as this could be decidedly risky and you'd be a lot safer borrowing or hiring some spring compressors.

[Tom]

dont fook about compressing springs mate and do the job properly. i've had a fuly compressed spring jump out of a compressor before and scraped my face before it went through the roof. not fun

[Baz.]

dont fook about compressing springs mate and do the job properly. i've had a fuly compressed spring jump out of a compressor before and scraped my face before it went through the roof. not fun

 

good advice

[jimbo]

OK. Point taken. I have asked around on my local freecycle group to see if I can borrow some locally (I don't think there are many OSF bods near me )

 

I'm just hoping that I can find a nearby factors with a pair on the shelf.

[jimbo]

Do I actually need to compress the springs to change the shocks? I've had a few people suggest that it can be done without. I was just going by he Haynes manual, which suggested I need to take out the whole suspension unit.

 

Man, is this confusing! But I'll be buggered if I let Kwik-Fit charge me a ton for the pleasure!

[flyingbanana]

yes you do and you can buy as set of clamps for about £15

[jimbo]

Cheers fb. I'd had a couple of folks go "you don't need them" but they aren't OSF, so I knwo I'd get some words of wisdom here.

 

Cash is tight, but the cars gotta stay on the road, so I'll buy 'em if I can't blag them.

[flyingbanana]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Two-Heavy-Duty-Co ... dZViewItem

 

under £3 atm

[bortaf]

I've done it "a few" times without clamps but have a spare set of undies handy when the spring starts to lengthen and the damper top threaded bit has cleared the top mount, they tend to "boing" sideways especialy if you have standard (long) springs.

What i'm trying to say is (politly), if you have to ask then do it with spring compressors

Everyone has to learn but TBH this is one of them jobs to either do safely with compresors or have lots of experiance of messing with these things, it's a job i was only glad to start after i bought a set of clamps

 

Where in london are you?

[Cookie]

DON'T FOOK WITH SPRINGS!!!!!!

 

Mate unless you are running lowered or chopped springs, use the proper compressors everytime, over the years friends and friends of friends have ended up in hospital due to flying springs when they let go the only thing thats stopping them is a brick wall! your jaw or wrist is no match for it

 

for the sake of a few quid (and I do Know the pennies count trust me ) it aint worth the risk, plus they will last you for ever, I bought mine about 12 years ago and still got them and have done 100's of springs with them

[jimbo]

OK. I've blagged some compressors to borrow. Are there any other tools I need for the job, besides spanners and joint splitters?

 

To answer your question bortaf, I'm in Tring, Herts

[texr2000]

With -2" in my 2.8 struts I don’t need to compress them there a loose fit lol

But I wouldn’t muck about there is a lot of force behind the spring. Changed springs on a MX5 I thought the new ones were wrong as they were twice the height of the compressed ones in the strut but that’s how much I needed to compress them, when I was changing them it almost come out of the claps proper 5hit me up. Heard load of stories at work about them shooting off, still got a broken window from 5years back where one shot off.

I got my compressors from Halfords for £15 I think

[bortaf]

OK. I've blagged some compressors to borrow. Are there any other tools I need for the job, besides spanners and joint splitters?

 

To answer your question bortaf, I'm in Tring, Herts

 

Ah OK was gonna lend ya me clamps , i'm J25 M25

try to get a ball joint spliter with the bolt not the bang with a hammer type as they tend to ruin the rubber ball joint covers

[jimbo]

Ah OK was gonna lend ya me clamps , i'm J25 M25

try to get a ball joint spliter with the bolt not the bang with a hammer type as they tend to ruin the rubber ball joint covers

 

Thanks for the thought Bortaf.

 

I agree re: the joint splitters. But I only have one at the moment. It works for the Tie-rod to steering arm joint, but not the TCA to Hub joint. What kind of design should I be looking for?

[Twinkle]

to pop the ball joints you dont need anything except a hammer

 

look on the bottom of the strut where the ball joints fit in and you should notice a slight flat spot on it that may have a burr around it, just whack it here a few times and they just fall out

[jimbo]

Hey Twink,

 

I think I might be being a bit of a numpty!

 

Whereabouts do you mean. I've uploaded a couple of pics. Couly you maybe pop an arrow on one to indicate.

 

 

 

Cheers,

Jim

[jimbo]

Or, of course, if anyone else can prvide the answer, they are welcome to.

[aden]

hit them with a hammer on the flat part between the nut and the rubber, ball joint splitters will split the rubbers everytime mate, wuould put an arrow on but i aint got a clue how to do that

[jimbo]

Cheers Aden, In the end, I've removed the TCA with the suspension unit, then prise the TCA off.

 

BUT! How the fudge do I get the Bump Stop Platform removed so I can get the shoch out? Don't have a special tool. Tried to turn it with a punch and hammer, but it's just burring the metal. Any ideas, anybody?

[aden]

sorry for the late reply mate, um what do you mean by the the bump stop platform? the bump stop itself just pulls off and then undo the collar and pull the shock out??

[jimbo]

Hi Aden. Thanks for getting back to me. No worries on the delay, I started a new thread to get fresh interest.

 

http://www.oldskoolford.co.uk/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=58127&highlight=

 

That should give you an idea of the bump stop platform.