spring compressors... how do you fit them?

[Locutus]

i have koni sport (yellow) shocks & king springs, and i've been trying to raise the lower spring perches on my rear shocks. at the moment the rear of my car sits lower than the front...

i've tried using two sets of spring compressors of different design and neither of them fit! it seems impossible to attach one compressor to each side of the spring because either the body of the car (the boot) gets in the way, or the lower control arm.

any ideas? i've just about had it and am really close to just taking to a suspension shop.

[Juffa]

There is another method to remove springs without a spring compressor. I have used this method numerous times on all 3 of my MX-5s over the past few years.

Use your preferred method to ready the spring/shock absorber for removal, ie separate the ball joint or remove the upper A arm bolt.

Using a scissor jack to press up against the bottom of the suspension, ie on a point where you can safely apply upward pressure without the jack slipping.

Raise the jack until the spring is compressed. Be careful not to raise the jack to the point where the car is lifting off the jack stands.

Loosen and remove the single upper shock absorber nut. (do not do this unless the spring is being safely compressed by the jack).

SLOWLY lower the scissor jack thus releasing the pressure on the spring. The spring will un-compress as the pressure from the jack is removed.

Once fully released the spring should be loose and ready for removal.

Pressing down on the lower suspension arm will allow the spring/shock absorber to be swung free from the upper mounting point.

At this point the spring and shock absorber can be removed.

Installation is a reversal of the above.

[StanTheMan]

or just use a long pipe or handle . Use the apropriate 2 points to force the the suspension down & the whole schock will just fall into your lap.

of course thats not possible at the front. So Juffas method is the one I use for that.

[adamjp]

When I had to do this with my Koni shocks, I went and bought a couple of nuts that fitted the thread of the compressors (2 per compressor).

You put the nuts on the OTHER end to the existing head, locked together so they don't move.

Put the compressors into the suspension with your new nuts at the bottom.

Put your socket on these nuts to compress the suspension.

Dodgy, but works fine.

[Locutus]

sounds kinda scary. i only need to raise the jack far enough to see a slight but obvious compression in the spring, right? i'm figuring the less i need to compress, the less energy in the spring, the less risk...

When I had to do this with my Koni shocks, I went and bought a couple of nuts that fitted the thread of the compressors (2 per compressor).

You put the nuts on the OTHER end to the existing head, locked together so they don't move.

Put the compressors into the suspension with your new nuts at the bottom.

Put your socket on these nuts to compress the suspension.

Dodgy, but works fine.

i don't see how this is any different than fitting the spring compressor upside down?

[StanTheMan]

Just re read your post.

You don't need take the shock out to raise the suspension. I did mine yesterday in a matter of 20 min. Both rears

If you are anywhere near seaforth. Drop in I'll be happy to do it for you.

I'm avail until 3pm today. Its a piece of cake. Don't pay someone $150.

I'll PM you my details. Bring a brolly.

[StanTheMan]

I just came back from a little drive the rear has setlled


Here you can see the shock with the cup that holds the spring. The cup is held in place by a clip. Just below the cup you can see a grove which is the lowest setting.

It is now at the higest setting. So all i did was force the cup higer & moved the circlip to the highest setting. To lever it I used the handle from the sledge hammer. Rather than taking out the whole shock , take the spring off , move the circlip & then put it all together again.




so this is how it now looks with the suspension settled back into place. Thats about 8mm extra travel before it starts to hit the bumpstops.



It may be just my mind but I did the front a few months ago. so maybe I aslo mucked about a little with the ballance of the whole car.

It appeared a little more stable even though its now higher but its defenatley a little better over big bumps

[Locutus]

all done!

http://www.mx5cartalk.com/viewtopic.php?t=30691

owe ya one mate.