Technical Front springs...

[nikrox]

After having a front spring snap on my nieces 'new'car I decided to replace them with KYB ones.
No problem thought I.
How wrong can a man be...
So I removed the shock/strut unit,easy enough and took them to the garage I been going too for 35 years.
Units stripped and rebuilt, refitted only to find the top mounts had gone.
So off they came again and Febi tops mounts used.
Re-assembled and refitted along with new Febi anti roll bar bushes.
You might reasonably have thought that would be 'job done'. BUT no.
Back off again and after searching for help I located a fitting guide for the top mounts,from Kyb, showing the correct procedure.
So this morning I drove to the garage and helped remove the struts,remove and refit the top mount's, as per the kyb video instructions and after refitting it all ...Tracking and the job was done.

Now lets wait to see what next weeks mot brings...:slayer:

 

[crankshaft]

Could you provide the video you found with the instructions?
I am curious about what was incorrectly mounted the first time. I also had mine replaced, and i don't know what problems you are facing.

 

[nikrox]

[ame]https://youtu.be/n8jiFEqqSsA[/ame]

 

[nikrox]

Basically the original spring snapped.I took the strut off and down to my mates garage.

The top mount has to be lined up correctly..there is a arrow on the top mount [physically] that has to be pointed to the rear.
The top spring mount also has a physical mark,like a castle turret that has to be directly inline with the wheel hub 'mounts.
Both 'marks' are at 90 degrees to each other.
And that's it really.

When you refit the strut the washer/dish,sits to the rear of the car..I think. Take a picture of your's.The cars gone now so I cant check.Sorry.

Top tip. Spray the rubbers,that secure the various connectors to the strut, and the two bolts,which secure the hub to the strut,and for good measure the circumference of the hub/ strut with wd40 or similar.

If its not lined up the springs actually bind against the bodywork and clonk and make a 'boing' noise when you turn the wheel.

I made the choice to buy the best quality available,to me. Which in my case was FEBI. I dont want to be doing it again next year

HTH..

 

[Scudmonkey]

Had my Springs done in a Garage a couple of years ago and they didn't manage to line the top mounts up correctly, the springs are slightly Banana shaped hence if not fitted correctly they contact the bodywork, and it's a horrible graunching noise they make. Revisited the garage to complain and they sorted it, so even professionals get it wrong sometimes

 

[nikrox]

The people who fitted the springs,and top mounts..twice were professionals..They watched the video and admitted that they had it wrong..and to quote them..'you learn something new every day'..

 

[jimboy]

I'm really not fit enough to tackle this kind of job at the moment, back in the past my biggest problem was rust, & usually working in not ideal conditions at the side of the street.

A very informative video by the way. A bit surprised at the so called professionals getting it wrong at the garage though.

 

[nikrox]

like we all said..you learn something new everyday...and I guess not all cars are the same. TBH I have over the years done a few of these on various cars,including my daughters GP,with no problems...

Every days a journey....

 

[nitramtpr]

I'm glad I've watched that video as I need to change my rear suspension and will be buying a full kit as the fronts look a bit ropey as well.
Is that really a 27mm socket needed to take the spring off the damper? The flippin' pass-through socket sets only go up top 24mm
Actually, I can use a 27mm ring spanner so don't need a socket.

 

[nikrox]

TBH I used an impact driver..

 

[judderbar]

I'm glad I've watched that video as I need to change my rear suspension and will be buying a full kit as the fronts look a bit ropey as well.
Is that really a 27mm socket needed to take the spring off the damper? The flippin' pass-through socket sets only go up top 24mm
Actually, I can use a 27mm ring spanner so don't need a socket.

From memory the thin nut is slightly resessed. You can get it off if you put the strut on the floor under your foot and then position an adjustable and then keep hitting the adjustable till it comes off. The angle is too much to just turn it off with your hand without the spanner slipping off.

 

[nitramtpr]

From memory the thin nut is slightly resessed. You can get it off if you put the strut on the floor under your foot and then position an adjustable and then keep hitting the adjustable till it comes off. The angle is too much to just turn it off with your hand without the spanner slipping off.

I've got some offset ring spanners somewhere that I inherited from my dad, I know they go big, I'll see if I have a 27 in those.

 

[Scudmonkey]

I'm glad I've watched that video as I need to change my rear suspension and will be buying a full kit as the fronts look a bit ropey as well.
Is that really a 27mm socket needed to take the spring off the damper? The flippin' pass-through socket sets only go up top 24mm
Actually, I can use a 27mm ring spanner so don't need a socket.

Rear suspension is easy to do, once the wheels are off it's basically just the 4 bolts on the shocks that hold everything together, probably the only likely issue is the bottom suspension bolt (the one at the bottom of the shock) may be corroded and need a lot of wd-40 to be able to undo it.

 

[nikrox]

I also changed the rear springs..I removed the top bolts and manually pressed down on the arm ...the springs are then removable ..