brynhamlet
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| posted on 15/5/08 at 12:40 PM |
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Spring removal
Following on from the thread about spring rates
I’m thinking of changing the springs on my car. It’s an MK Locost with an escort live axle and Ford OHV engine. Can you remove the springs without
spring compressors from coil-overs without the springs flying off everywhere?
The car is fine on smooth roads, but on bumpy roads it’s like driving a pogo stick, particularly the back end.
Can any Locost owners suggest rates as I bought the car as an aledgely nearly finished car so I haven’t got a clue to the existing rates
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Mr Whippy
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| posted on 15/5/08 at 12:49 PM |
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if its the protecs as per MK supplied, then they almost come off when removed from the car. If you take most of the weight off the car by jacking it
up and wrap some large plastic tie-wraps round the coils they will easily be removed. You can do the same to the new springs by lowering the car onto
them and again tie-wrapping before fitting.
To get the scary tie-wraps off, wrap a towel round the spring, hold it down with you foot and cut the tie. Don't worry it won't fly
through the wall 
Alternatively be boring and use a proper compressor.
[Edited on 15/5/08 by Mr Whippy]
Fame is when your old car is plastered all over the internet
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smart51
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| posted on 15/5/08 at 01:03 PM |
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protechs are easy.
take the weight off the springs.
undo the shock top mount.
wind the platforms down so that the springs are unloaded and there's a few mm of gap between the top platform and the spring.
slide out the top platform.
The spring can now be lifted out over the top mount.
I believe with some other makes you have to remove the top mount from the "plunger" to get the spring off.
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BenB
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| posted on 15/5/08 at 01:08 PM |
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It's best to wind down the platform as mentioned. Then they come off nice and simply...
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Mr Whippy
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| posted on 15/5/08 at 01:10 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by smart51
protechs are easy.
take the weight off the springs.
undo the shock top mount.
wind the platforms down so that the springs are unloaded and there's a few mm of gap between the top platform and the spring.
slide out the top platform.
The spring can now be lifted out over the top mount.
I believe with some other makes you have to remove the top mount from the "plunger" to get the spring off.
Unfortunately with the protecs I had, I found that even when fully wound down, the springs were still under tension, hopefully they have sorted that.
Fame is when your old car is plastered all over the internet
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mookaloid
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| posted on 15/5/08 at 01:36 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by brynhamlet
on bumpy roads it’s like driving a pogo stick, particularly the back end.
Might be a daft question but you have tried adjusting the damping rates haven't you?
My Indy could go from feeling glued to the road with the right damping settings to being downright dangerous with little or no damping dialled in -
(the pogo stick feeling).
Cheers
mark
"That thing you're thinking - it wont be that."
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brynhamlet
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| posted on 15/5/08 at 01:58 PM |
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mookaloid
thanks for that, I was told to set the damping at the softest setting, sounds like I need to set them at the hardest setting and slowly back them off
until the car feels right.
By the way the shocks are AVO's but they are similar
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indykid
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| posted on 15/5/08 at 05:14 PM |
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full hard will be even worse i'd wager.
just turn them up a couple of clicks at a time and keep driving and checking. when it starts to feel like it's getting skittish, knock it back a
couple of clicks.
keep the back end a bit softer damped than the front unless you like going tail happy.
tom
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mr henderson
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| posted on 15/5/08 at 05:22 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Mr Whippy
Unfortunately with the protecs I had, I found that even when fully wound down, the springs were still under tension, hopefully they have sorted that.
Doesn't sound to me like there is anything wrong with that, unless you want to restrict the suspension movement. Personally I would prefer to
have all the travel available in an LSIS and that will mean that undoing the adjustable seats fully will still leave some compression in the spring.
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