Rear spring replacement how to anywhere??

[beinet1]

Hi all,

To make everything short, my both rear springs are broken and I am going to replace them. I guess that replacment of these is nothing more complicated than just:

- Put car on axle stands, remove rear wheels
- Support rear suspension arm with a jack
- Remove lower shock absorber bolt
- Lower suspension arm
- Remove and replace spring
- Reverse of removal....

?????

Thanks for the advice

[wuzerk]

This should help

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rW8mF...layer_embedded

[beinet1]

Thanks for that

A little bit more work than I expected, but should be no problem anyway. Next task will be to order new springs....

[HarryM1BYT]

Originally Posted by beinet1

Hi all,

To make everything short, my both rear springs are broken and I am going to replace them. I guess that replacment of these is nothing more complicated than just:

- Put car on axle stands, remove rear wheels
- Support rear suspension arm with a jack
- Remove lower shock absorber bolt
- Lower suspension arm
- Remove and replace spring
- Reverse of removal....

?????

Thanks for the advice

More or less, but doing mine, I found the new spring was too long to slide in. I ended up having the clamp it down with spring clamps, then lash it tight with thin rope before it would slide into place. Once in, just cut and remove the rope. I also had trouble working out how the rubber cushion comes off and goes on the new spring. Once you work it out, it is easy.

[beinet1]

Originally Posted by HarryM1BYT

More or less, but doing mine, I found the new spring was too long to slide in. I ended up having the clamp it down with spring clamps, then lash it tight with thin rope before it would slide into place. Once in, just cut and remove the rope. I also had trouble working out how the rubber cushion comes off and goes on the new spring. Once you work it out, it is easy.

Ok,

I would try to go this route first as I have done it this way on a couple of other cars earlier

[Arctic]

Originally Posted by beinet1

Ok,

I would try to go this route first as I have done it this way on a couple of other cars earlier

Hi Einar.
A few pics below as i presume you will not have a car lift and will be working of axle stands,i have a few more pics if you need them but as the video remove the nut and bolts needed to first turn the spring before removing foot on the wheel hub push down and pull out refit the same way even better if you can get someone to foot the wheel hub down when refitting Arctic.

[beinet1]

Hi Artic,
Thanks for the pictures.

I looked up the RAVE manual and my Haynes book. The procedure there is a little bit different which basically is loosen innboard bolt for upper arm, remove innboard bolt for lower arm and shock absorber to free the spring tension.

Anyway, I will figure out how to do this when the car is on the axle stands

I have ordered these springs, Seems to be the correct ones: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3706117054...84.m1497.l2649

[Trophy Blue Tourer]

If you have a anti-roll bar it's worth disconecting the links from both ends of the bar to make it easier to push the hub down as it allows more travel of the lower arm!!

Its much easier to remove the top bolts from the links before you fight with the bottom bar conections aswell TBH !!

Then as Steve says just push the hub/lower arm down and the springs come out quite easily!!

My lower arm/spring seats were dirty with paint missing/surface rust as per some of the pics on this thread so as it was warmer weather I wire brushed everything and treated it to a coat of hammerite black and then once dry I gave it a good coat of waxoyl as well before fitting the springs - this also made it easier to twist the spring/rubber combo to lock the lower end in place and I would recomend the clean and a coat of waxoyl is done for long term protection of the lower arm even in the current weather!

HTH ??

Andy

[vitesse]

Did this job 6 months ago while replacing very rusty suspension arms and found to my delight the 2 broken springs. Also found it easier to compress the springs & tie with wire before refitting.

Had great difficulty with the inboard bolt on one side. It has a captive nut on one side located in a box section, in my case the captive nut didn't stay that way and decided to rotate! Grinder & MIG welder then used.

The other side was better as by then I'd learnt the lesson and soaked the captive nut with penetrating oil before trying to turn it, a little at a time, backwards and forwards.

Good luck

[capese21]

I looked in the Haynes manual and it seemed quite a big job. I asked for a quote from my local garage and they charged me £80 labour as I supplied the parts. Seemed worth it!!