Squeezing spings inside shocks
HappyFather - 20/1/11 at 10:06 AM
Hello,
Probably dumb question, but I couldn't be sure using Google is this is doable or not.
Last night tried to put the coils on my protech shocks. Loosened the rubber thing, took off the disk-like part and placed the coil in place. To put
the disk-like part again on top of the coil, even after extending the shock to it's longest position, I had to compress the coil. And I
don't have enough strength to compress with one hand and put the disk-like part with the other.
Is there any trick to do this, does it need two people (one to compress the coil and another to insert the "disk"
or do I really need a
special tool to compress the coils? All howto's I found through Google assumed people had the special tool...
Many thanks for reading! Best regards,
HappyFather
clairetoo - 20/1/11 at 10:15 AM
I made a simple lever tool out of some scrap wood first time I did mine , with a long enough handle
You can hold the spring compressed with one hand .
MikeCapon - 20/1/11 at 10:25 AM
The tool for the job is a spring compressor
If the springs are not too long/stiff you can get by with a pair of small ratchet straps through the last but one coil at each end. Be careful though.
The more you compress the springs the harder they will fly off if the straps slip.
deezee - 20/1/11 at 10:25 AM
A set of spring coil compressors are the tools for the job.
edit... added photo
[Edited on 20/1/11 by deezee]
RazMan - 20/1/11 at 10:41 AM
quote:
Originally posted by MikeCapon
The tool for the job is a spring compressor
If the springs are not too long/stiff you can get by with a pair of small ratchet straps through the last but one coil at each end. Be careful though.
The more you compress the springs the harder they will fly off if the straps slip.
+1 for that tip - its a good idea to wear goggles and gloves while doing it too
nick205 - 20/1/11 at 11:01 AM
Spring compressor is the best way and they're cheap enough to buy and have handy for any future needs.
I wouldn't recommend it, but I have done it before (on ProTech shocks) using lots and lots of cable ties to compress the spring enough to slip
the collar back on.
How ever you do it be careful - my BIL still has a nasty scar on his leg from an escaped coil spring and we were using proper spring compressors at
the time.
Alfa145 - 20/1/11 at 11:25 AM
quote:
Originally posted by RazMan
+1 for that tip - its a good idea to wear goggles and gloves while doing it too
Hmm goggles and gloves might not save you from a flying spring.....
Get proper spring compressors, much safer and not too expensive.
JimSpencer - 20/1/11 at 11:25 AM
Hi
Or:-
The springs are too long?
With the shock fully extended, and adjustment ring fully wound down you should be able to slip the collar out, otherwise you'll have pre-load on
the spring at full droop, which will make adjusting it accuratly to what you want tricky to do?
MikeCapon - 20/1/11 at 11:37 AM
quote:
Originally posted by JimSpencer
Hi
Or:-
The springs are too long?
With the shock fully extended, and adjustment ring fully wound down you should be able to slip the collar out, otherwise you'll have pre-load on
the spring at full droop, which will make adjusting it accuratly to what you want tricky to do?
This is not the case. Any spring will need significant preload at full open (full droop). Choosiong a spring simply on the basis of avoiding
compressing it to fit is very dangerous. You are likely to end up with too short a spring. Once you have wound on the necessary preload to achieve the
correct ride height you may well not have sufficient movement left. When springs go coil bound they will break everything around them, tearing off
shock brackets and bending wishbones.
Beware.......
JimSpencer - 20/1/11 at 12:29 PM
quote:
Originally posted by MikeCapon
This is not the case. Any spring will need significant preload at full open (full droop). Choosiong a spring simply on the basis of avoiding
compressing it to fit is very dangerous. You are likely to end up with too short a spring. Once you have wound on the necessary preload to achieve the
correct ride height you may well not have sufficient movement left. When springs go coil bound they will break everything around them, tearing off
shock brackets and bending wishbones.
Beware.......
Never seen this on Seven that hasn't get EL Cheapo fixed platform shocks - normal road cars yes, but not one like we all use.
On a production car you would be quite right as the spring platform height is normally fixed and suspension setup is pretty much built in. Our cars
are effectivly built as one would for racing, so you have an adjustable spring platform to wind up & down, a shock with travel of a few inches
included within that is a bump stop. Given a normal spring length of say 8 - 10 inch's then anything under thousands of pounds an inch
there's no way it'll coil bind.
Given that the OP is using ProTech's then an you would want the sping platform height to be at in the middle third of it's adjustment range
with the car sat at normal ride height then the free length of the shock, coupled with the platform wound right down should see the spring removable
by hand.
Certainly if it isn't then the amount of pre-load on those springs is going to be quite high..
HappyFather - 20/1/11 at 01:39 PM
Thank you all for the answers.
Maybe I should have posted a picture of the shocks and coils. Here is one where the shock is not fully extended. Fully extended, the coil goes from
the sitting place to the cap. But to insert the cap with the coil in place I have to compress it probably 5cm (2".
I'll try tonight compressing with both hands and having my wife place the cap. If that fails, I'll ask on a repair shop to lend me the tool
or to assemble it for me. I already have to buy some other services from a shop, I'll just add to the list.
Unless (and this is a new question) I should have coil compressors. Namely, after I get the car on the floor and want to set up the suspension/ride
height, will I need the coil compressors to compress a coil in order to wind up or down the spring platform?
Thank you all once again for the answers and help!
Best regards,
HappyFather
MikeCapon - 20/1/11 at 01:53 PM
No you don't need coil spring compressors. Apart from, for fitting the springs.
Just one other bit of advice. I assume that you had slid the bumpstop down on the rod before trying to fit the spring and the collet? Looking at your
picture it is still in place? ?
MikeRJ - 20/1/11 at 02:13 PM
If you don't need to compress it much then heavy duty cable ties are your friend. Don't ever use them to hold a fully compressed spring
though, unless you enjoy extreme danger!
HappyFather - 20/1/11 at 02:23 PM
quote:
Originally posted by MikeCapon
Just one other bit of advice. I assume that you had slid the bumpstop down on the rod before trying to fit the spring and the collet? Looking at your
picture it is still in place? ?
Yes, I did. I 1st ensured the rotating button on the bottom of the pic was full left (shock offers less resistance), stretched it to the max, pulled
down the grey rubber bit enough to take off the cap.
Putting the cap back in with the coil around the shock proved to be the problem.
Thank you all once again! Best regards,
HappyFather
HappyFather - 20/1/11 at 11:04 PM
Can't find a blushing smiley... Very dumb mistake of mine with the coils and shocks.
I only unpacked one coil and shock last night and tried to assemble them. A bit ago when I had the wife ready to help, I unpacked all shocks and coils
and found out that I have 2 sets of shocks with different lengths and also coils with different lengths. Last night I was trying to fit the long coil
on the small shock.
Doing it right requires no coil compression. It's a one man job.
Sorry all for having taken your time with this. Thanks also for the information taught about tricks and tools!
Best regards,
HappyFather
MikeCapon - 21/1/11 at 08:35 AM
quote:
Originally posted by HappyFather
Can't find a blushing smiley... Very dumb mistake of mine with the coils and shocks.
I only unpacked one coil and shock last night and tried to assemble them. A bit ago when I had the wife ready to help, I unpacked all shocks and coils
and found out that I have 2 sets of shocks with different lengths and also coils with different lengths. Last night I was trying to fit the long coil
on the small shock.
Doing it right requires no coil compression. It's a one man job.
Sorry all for having taken your time with this. Thanks also for the information taught about tricks and tools!
Best regards,
HappyFather
Ahhh... Don't you just love a happy ending! Don't worry about the time taken. Always good to swap a few opinions and advice.
You've probably saved someone else from doing the same thing.
Cheers,
Mike