E30 Zone

my car has a set of lowering springs
how do i get them out
thanks the rear ones just
al

Lift the car on a ramp or onto axle stands. Remove rear wheels. Undo the lower damper bolts to release both swing arms and to let those hang lower. Ease the springs out.

Mox3d wrote:Lift the car on a ramp or onto axle stands. Remove rear wheels. Undo the lower damper bolts to release both swing arms and to let those hang lower. Ease the springs out.

put a jack under the trailing arm when you undo the damper bolt,also you may need to force the trailing arm down before the spring will come out.

I'm sure I had the handbrake off when I changed the rear springs on the touring too...

I had to force the trailing arms down with a scaff bar to get the springs in and out

leeparkes wrote:I had to force the trailing arms down with a scaff bar to get the springs in and out

For fitting the buggers I did the following: Stuck the springs in a vice, tied them with some VERY strong cable ties, slotted them into place, then cut the cable ties off. Worked just fine

georgen wrote: For fitting the buggers I did the following: Stuck the springs in a vice, tied them with some VERY strong cable ties, slotted them into place, then cut the cable ties off. Worked just fine

Sounds like a good idea!

grantfk10 wrote:

georgen wrote: For fitting the buggers I did the following: Stuck the springs in a vice, tied them with some VERY strong cable ties, slotted them into place, then cut the cable ties off. Worked just fine

Sounds like a good idea!

It did work well Grant, but the ties have to be of the chunkiest variety ( supplied free from work ). Wee ones will just break and no doubt cause a painful hand injury..

georgen wrote:

leeparkes wrote:I had to force the trailing arms down with a scaff bar to get the springs in and out

For fitting the buggers I did the following: Stuck the springs in a vice, tied them with some VERY strong cable ties, slotted them into place, then cut the cable ties off. Worked just fine

This did cross my mind but i had visions of the cable ties snapping,

years ago i nearly had a spring compressor fetch my ear off when it sliped off the spring,it landed on my neighbours drive (3 houses away)

georgen wrote:
It does work well Grant, but the ties have to be of the chunkiest variety ..

I think I have some of those in my garage .....also supplied from previous workplace

just follow post 2

thanks for all the help ill give it a go today
cheers
al

Mox3d wrote:just follow post 2

Why the roll ? Is this not a forum where ideas are swapped and pondered over, and then perchance attempted ?

Granted, some ways will work better than others. All I was doing was sharing my experience of the job and passsing on my thoughts and suggestions.

You've really got my back up with that post !!

Because you're going to seriously hurt yourself or someone else some time with that god awful advice. I got your back up ? lol@u

Put a spring into a vice??? Use tie wraps????

Mox3d wrote:Because you're going to seriously hurt yourself or someone else some time with that god awful advice. I got your back up ? lol@u

Put a spring into a vice??? Use tie wraps????

And that's all it is, advice. People can use it or not. The technique worked for me, it may not work for others but I believe that that's up to the individual to decide / try.

And what makes you think that 10 huge cable ties slightly compressing a rear spring will all break, leading to a horrendous injury ?

Enough. You're on you're own.

edit: specifically to georgen (not trex) who recommends you put yourself at serious risk by compressing a spring in a vice, to put tie wraps around it. And calls that advice.

That, people, is an accident waiting to happen. Wake up!!!!

Mox3d wrote:Enough. You're on you're own.

I've already carried the job out successfully on my own, as previously stated..

Mox3d wrote:Lift the car on a ramp or onto axle stands. Remove rear wheels. Undo the lower damper bolts to release both swing arms and to let those hang lower. Ease the springs out.

It also helps if you use spring compressor's to compress the spring before trying to wriggle it out

It's also easier to fit the replacements if you use the spring compressor's as well.

Lowering springs would not need to be compressed at all. Standard springs need to be eased out a little bit. There is no call to compress any spring in any part of of this simple operation.

That is all.

Mox3d wrote:Enough. You're on you're own.

edit: specifically to georgen (not trex) who recommends you put yourself at serious risk by compressing a spring in a vice, to put tie wraps around it. And calls that advice.

That, people, is an accident waiting to happen. Wake up!!!!

Mox3d,

You're starting to repeat yourself. Re-read the posts again please. Mine have never carried the recommendation that others carry out this procedure. I, as already stated, have mearly explained the way that I did it.

I am not prepared to fall out with any zoner over a matter like this, so I'm asking if we can agree to disagree ?

Settle down, ladies!
I would expect a lowering spring to go in and come out with no compression at all. Standards springs will just about go in and out, but some force is needed, and compressing the spring slightly is desirable.
I have to agree that georgen's method is a little on the dangerous side - the energy, even in a lightly compressed spring, is quite impressive, as is the damage it can do and distance it can travel if it comes loose.
My spring compressors are of the hook on type, and I still get extremely nervous when using them!
I also tie the spring to a solid object with a short length of thin rope to keep it under control if the clamps slip.

I have used a load strap in addition to spring compressors too, heavy duty one though. Gave me just a little bit of extra confidence.

I struggled with getting my lowered springs out today - no issues getting them in mind.

did a few sets of rear and front springs in my time i normally use spring compressors and have had one slip on me once I've never had a set come off so i suppose I'm lucky there. I've seen ppl using far worse things to compress spring than cable ties

It helps if you disconnect the arbs too as it makes moving the trailing arms up and down that little bit easier.

I found my Eibachs needed a slight bit of compression to put in... the cheap lowering springs I took off practically fell out once I disconnected the shocks, lol.