Hi peeps. I've recently bought some second hand coilovers, bargin they were, but there seems to be some spring removal issues.

They are Spax, possibly std westfield fronts.
The issues is the springs are too long, so that when the seat is wound all the way out, there is still crush, thus the top seat won't move enough to allow the spring to be removed. Mac Strut compressors won't fit, and i can't really seem to come up with any more safe ideas i'm willing to let my dad try.
There is the option of winding the seat in to compress the spring, then maybe a number of cable ties t hold it compressed, remove and then relase with a spring compressor, but if the cable ties give way it might be nasty.

Any ideas? Thanks.

dont use cable ties!

Srpings are STRONG, why wont a proper spring compressor fit? If the shock is off the car it should fit on fine.

cable ties won't work, I've tried it before on springs for a smart car (which are seriously soft) and the ties broke. Not a good idea.

could you fashion some sort of device using a desk vice?

same problem removing oversized springs we put the bottom of the shocker in a vice I grabbed the spring pulling it down as hard as I could while my mate levered the top plate off. My face was a lovely shade of red and my neck veins stood out like Deidre Barlows lol.

You could also tie rope between the coils place a bar through the rope and turn the bar to compress the spring. If you think getting an oversized spring off is hard wait until you try to put one on. I agree that cable ties are too weak

Cable ties are definatley a no no then. Thought it'd check as i found a website advocating them.

I havn't tried woth a spring compressor as i'm at uni at the mo, but they won't fit behind the spring, and they are for the wrong dia springs.

Apparently the springs won't bidge by hand, so i think that's out, might see about the ratchet straps, if they'll fit.

As for putting them back on, i'm thinking some new springs are inorder.

Thanks for all your help peeps.

Do you have a MIG welder? If so get the spring compressed as far as you can either by winding the platform up or refitting it to the car. When it is compressed wire the coils together with mig wire using plenty of wraps.

I've done springs like this a few times without incident. Obviously avoid pointing or leaning over the spring while it is compressed.

Cheers
Davie

Had to file a blob of weld off my Spax shocks so that the seats would come off, whilst using spring compressors as well. It's gonna be a real bugger to get them back on without scratching all the nice new paint.

Haha... I have tried using cableties in the past....

In the end I just used brute force...

Althogh next time around I will make a proper compressor that will fit inside the coils... the ones that halfords sell are just too big and slip off (if you can get the fingers between the coils in the first place!)

I made a spring compressor from wood........the lower part is 4" square , a couple of uprights from 1/2 ply , then the handle is two short bits of 1/2 inch ply and 3 foot of 3x2 - jsut pop the shock in , 2 screwdrivers through the spring high up - even I can compress the springs with one hand while taking the collar off with the other

Thanks for all the help peeps.