Any Diy'ers Near Bristol Fancy Giving Me A Hand?

[chris1712]

After over a year of meaning to, I've finally got myself some lowering springs for my PFL. 35/40 FK, £70 delivered all the way from Germany, bargain!

Anyway, I really don't fancy paying the £200-300 of labour a garage would charge me so intend to DIY them. I'm not an experience mechanic beyond servicing so I'm a bit apprehensive and was wondering if there's any members near ish me that wouldn't mind doing it with me? I still need to order some spring compressors but I've got various sockets etc. so should be alright on the tools front. Alternatively I don't mind traveling up to an hour or so to do it at someone elses place.

Thanks for any help,

Chris :D

[Veracity]

I'd offer you my assistance as an extra pair of hands, but it's probably a bit far to travel. I also want to get my springs changed at some point, so it would be nice to help someone out with their and then possibly try to attempt doing my own.

[oldcodger]

Hey,

Just a little point about the spring compressors, have change a few dampers and found that using a set of just two compressors, as often sold, can easliy slip.

Far better to use a set of three - Machine Mart do a decent set for £30.

Also ensure you oil the threads / nuts well when in use

Changing the dampers /springs is not that difficult, just ensure you have the correct tools before starting the job, nothing worst that getting it all disassembled and finding you are stuck on one last nut.

Also, before you disassemble each strut, mark the location of the old spring on the strut body / rubbers so you know how they located.

[mr-p]

i could write you a guide if you like? im just a bit to far away otherwise id be there ive got the fk springs on my t sport and there very good, only 58 quid to

[mr-p]

heres one i wrote earlier

lowering

[chris1712]

Hey,

Just a little point about the spring compressors, have change a few dampers and found that using a set of just two compressors, as often sold, can easliy slip.

Far better to use a set of three - Machine Mart do a decent set for £30.

Also ensure you oil the threads / nuts well when in use

Changing the dampers /springs is not that difficult, just ensure you have the correct tools before starting the job, nothing worst that getting it all disassembled and finding you are stuck on one last nut.

Also, before you disassemble each strut, mark the location of the old spring on the strut body / rubbers so you know how they located.

Cheers for the compressor recommendation. I don't quite get what you mean with the marking though? Do you mean where the end of the spring is in its holder thing?

heres one i wrote earlier

lowering

Will check that out, thanks.

[mr-p]

Hey,

Just a little point about the spring compressors, have change a few dampers and found that using a set of just two compressors, as often sold, can easliy slip.

Far better to use a set of three - Machine Mart do a decent set for £30.

Also ensure you oil the threads / nuts well when in use

Changing the dampers /springs is not that difficult, just ensure you have the correct tools before starting the job, nothing worst that getting it all disassembled and finding you are stuck on one last nut.

Also, before you disassemble each strut, mark the location of the old spring on the strut body / rubbers so you know how they located.

Cheers for the compressor recommendation. I don't quite get what you mean with the marking though? Do you mean where the end of the spring is in its holder thing?

heres one i wrote earlier

lowering

Will check that out, thanks.

no probs never had a problem doing it with just 2 spring compressors! if you do them up and take them off evenly you will have no problems.

in them instructions it says you need a ramp lol id ignore that bit

[chris1712]

Righto I managed to get the front changed over today :D. Rears looked a little bit trickier and it was getting dark so I left it. I can't get an allan key on the top mount of the strut at all, however am I right in saying if i take the whole shock out I'll be able to crack it outside the car? I'll have the leverage of the allan key + some bar rather than the pressure of the car but that should do it? How did you guys go about it?

Also, I couldn't spot a nice lift point for the whole rear, got one side up then realised I might have problems with the rear sway bar getting back in line with the shock etc. because I only had one side jacked up. What's the recommended rear jacking point? I did try the little box just past the rear wheel well, but it wasn't secure at all and tbh didn't look entirely strong enough.

Getting there slowly! At least I've got one axel out the way so it should be driveable if a bit funky until I can get some help with the rears.

[Gig-189]

For the rear, I just cut a bit off the allen key, and job done :) (You can buy another allen key anyday)

[chris1712]

Well no luck :(. Got as far as taking off the rear wheels, and one of the locking nuts is absolutely shagged. Went and got a supposed removal tool and it did sweet FA, chewed up the nut nicely though.

What it should look like....

What this one looks like.

**** cars, now I have to somehow get it to a garage during a week of full time work. FML.

[PaulinhoT]

I have one of these locking wheel nut

Where abouts are you in the UK, as I could lend it to you, but I'm on the south coast down in Dorset..

[chris1712]

I have one of these locking wheel nut

Where abouts are you in the UK, as I could lend it to you, but I'm on the south coast down in Dorset..

I tried one of those, it just seemed to chew the hell out of the nut. It's like its softer than it is tight, if that makes sense. Bristol location mate.

[PaulinhoT]

Ah that's a bugger, would of thought it would of done the job.

Don't know how good these people are but there in your area Wheel nut removal ?

[chris1712]

Ah that's a bugger, would of thought it would of done the job.

Don't know how good these people are but there in your area Wheel nut removal ?

Interesting thats only a mile or so from work, will try and get down there at early o'clock tomorrow and see if they can help! Cheers :).

[215 compressor]

Well no luck :(. Got as far as taking off the rear wheels, and one of the locking nuts is absolutely shagged. Went and got a supposed removal tool and it did sweet FA, chewed up the nut nicely though.

What it should look like....

What this one looks like.

**** cars, now I have to somehow get it to a garage during a week of full time work. FML.

okay bit of a helping hand for here ,if you get a small chisel or old screwdriver and chisel the chrome sleeve that fits around the wheel nut of you can then retry with the locking wheel removal tool and it should then grip and take it of ,reason being the toolcan,t grip cos the chrome collar is to hard remove that and it should grip .see how you go

[chris1712]

Does the nut definitely have a collar around it? I did take one off to inspect from the other side and it didn't look like it..... Hmmmm.

[215 compressor]

tes not the cover look at your pic you can see the collar a bit damaged goes around the locking nut

[chris1712]

Interesting. I really can't be bothered right now as its parked on the road not the driveway, got a JCB coming through tomorrow morning. Bluergh I'll see what the garage says, if he's not gonna charge me silly money like garages like to I'll just get it sorted there. If not I'll try after work tomorrow.

[chris1712]

Sorted, tyre place next to work sorted it this morning. Hopefully now I can change the rears over pain free.

[PaulinhoT]

Ah glad you got it all sorted

[chris1712]

Well. ****. Went at the rears today, did one side fine. Other side the eyelet of the shock was pretty seized on, after a lot of hammering and persuading we gave up and went to put it all together. Re-assembled the top and went to put the nut on the bottom (eyelet) bit, and the thread is shagged on the bolt :|. So can't even get it back together, tried filing the end to get onto a further thread but no luck. I think we must of caught during the hammering and bent the thread a bit.

Dunno what to do, gonna have to get it flatbed'd to a garage and hope they don't bend me over :(. All the money I saved doing the front myself has very much so just been written off I think :(.

[chris1712]

Finally, all sorted :D. Garage had to file down and re-thread the bolt, what a pain. Oh well it's done now :/. Mr-P, did you notice any change in sound with the FK springs? I notice on acceleration it kind of sounds like somethings rubbing against something? Do the bottom coils of your front spring touch? Mine do :/.

[mr-p]

Finally, all sorted :D. Garage had to file down and re-thread the bolt, what a pain. Oh well it's done now :/. Mr-P, did you notice any change in sound with the FK springs? I notice on acceleration it kind of sounds like somethings rubbing against something? Do the bottom coils of your front spring touch? Mine do :/.

no mate not that i can hear, do have a knock but i know its a slider pin, had to heat it up was seized solid and the rubber is no more, need to get round to doing that . nothing from the suspension though, will have a look but i dont think so, just have to ask you did get them the right way up? they are progressive rate springs so the tighter coils should be at the top

[chris1712]

Finally, all sorted :D. Garage had to file down and re-thread the bolt, what a pain. Oh well it's done now :/. Mr-P, did you notice any change in sound with the FK springs? I notice on acceleration it kind of sounds like somethings rubbing against something? Do the bottom coils of your front spring touch? Mine do :/.

no mate not that i can hear, do have a knock but i know its a slider pin, had to heat it up was seized solid and the rubber is no more, need to get round to doing that . nothing from the suspension though, will have a look but i dont think so, just have to ask you did get them the right way up? they are progressive rate springs so the tighter coils should be at the top

It seems ok now, think it was just my mind playing tricks on me :). The spring only goes in one way round I'm pretty sure, as the diameter at each end is different and so are the shocks plates? Wider end at the bottom for me.

The car feels so much better, they really should be like this from factory. Bumps are a bit more jarring I guess because of less suspension travel, but the steering feels so much more attached and direct.