front spring lowering problems

[spanishbhoy]

Hi guys was lowering my car today... Rear went according to plan... Follows the guide and had no real issue

tool the front spring out and couldn't get the f**king spring to uncompress.... Spent about a hour f**king about with it and finally gave up and reassembled the strut and put my wheel back on... can anyone help? What am I doing wrong

 

[GeorgeH]

What spring compressors are you using?

 

[spanishbhoy]

cheap ones lol like two big long screws both with the clips on them that tighter around the spring , pretty
Much the same
Ones that the guy uses in the guide... Just
Couldn't get the spring
To
Compress enough to remove it nightmare

 

[GeorgeH]

Hmm I used cheap and they were fine.

Just clamp as many coils,3/4 tight until theres no pressure then take the top nit off.

 

[spanishbhoy]

When u say no pressure u mean when I can move it about freely in the strut thing? I was thinking of buying another set of spring compressers to help... think it would

 

[clancy]

you dont need to compress it to the point where its loose, just so that you can undo the top nut without there being obvious tention from the spring as your un doing it.

have you tried putting it as tight as possible then undoing the nut ?

 

[spanishbhoy]

no. I was following the guide and it says compress to the point where you can freely move the spring about in the strut... Tbh after I compressed it and it still wasn't loose I was abit wary to start loosening the nut for fear of death by
Spring.. You reckon I should have just opened
It then? If
So then the guides a bit misleading...

 

[clancy]

the guides being extremely safe, if the clamp is holding the tension of the spring then undoing the nut will be fine. with the clamp being completely shut, has the spring compressed considerably? youll know if its to tight when you try and undo the bolt, youll still feel the spring pushing and it will be really hard to undo

if you really dont feel safe with them then dont do it, if you have the suspension untis off the car, you could always take them to a garage and ask them to swap the springs for you. probably do it for free as it takes 2 seconds

 

[spanishbhoy]

Did consider that actually... Giving it another bash tonight if still no joy then I'll do that

 

[clancy]

fair enough, as i said, it doesnt need to completely depress the spring, just hold the tension for you to undo the bolt safely

 

[spanishbhoy]

Got it lads....thank f**k

 

[NeilC172]

sounds like fun!!!! i'm doing mine tomora, how long did it take you to do?