Discussion
Does anyone know where I can get a front suspension spring compressor from. Going to do bushes.Have read that one can be made but would like to buy proper one - safety and all that. Does anyone also know whether I can buy a full set of new suspension bolts and nuts for the front and rear.God I am going to be busy
Cheers
Steve D
Cheers
Steve D
It is easy to do. Make a plate/bar that bolts onto the bottom of the wishbone where the shock goes. Drill a hole through the middle of the bar to take a 12mm threaded rod. Insert rod and bolt with washers at the top turret mount. Use a couple of washers on the bottom bar with a nut. Tighten nut and compress that spring. I would not use anything less than a 12mm thread as the pressures involved are high.
The key point is making sure the bar is strong and doesn't bend.
I can make a few up if people are interested and add them to the website. I would guess that they would be £15 to £20 including VAT and postage.
Any interest?
The key point is making sure the bar is strong and doesn't bend.
I can make a few up if people are interested and add them to the website. I would guess that they would be £15 to £20 including VAT and postage.
Any interest?
Hi Guys
Thanks for replying. www.tvrextras.co.uk have mailed me with everything I should need to rebush suspension.Never thought about FORD dealer for the front though - could even be cheaper - might have some money left over to do hood as well
Seriously - Thanks Guys
Steve D
P.S Might meet some of you one day on top of Horseshoe pass - few times I go up there never see a Wedge, only 60 year olds on 1100cc Kawasaki's and Honda Goldwings who take great delight in overtaking you at every dangerous oppurtunity they can - please tell me I will not end up like that LOL
Thanks for replying. www.tvrextras.co.uk have mailed me with everything I should need to rebush suspension.Never thought about FORD dealer for the front though - could even be cheaper - might have some money left over to do hood as well
Seriously - Thanks Guys
Steve D
P.S Might meet some of you one day on top of Horseshoe pass - few times I go up there never see a Wedge, only 60 year olds on 1100cc Kawasaki's and Honda Goldwings who take great delight in overtaking you at every dangerous oppurtunity they can - please tell me I will not end up like that LOL
Vauxste said:
P.S Might meet some of you one day on top of Horseshoe pass - few times I go up there never see a Wedge, only 60 year olds on 1100cc Kawasaki's and Honda Goldwings who take great delight in overtaking you at every dangerous oppurtunity they can - please tell me I will not end up like that LOL
Well you might if you ride a bike. Sometimes what looks dangerous to a car driver (especially one with his ar53 five inches off the deck and seven feet of car in front of him) is quite safe to the biker. That said, the Goldwing is more than half the width of the average car so you could easily come unstuck. My bike is 3 feet wide across the mirrors and that's bad enough.I made a "threaded rod" compressor a la SHPUB. Easy to make & easy to use.
Having said that 15-20 notes for the proper tool delivered to your door is an absolute bargain! Register your interest and buy ASAP. Support your Wedge deity
Much better than messing around with the finger type compressors and the possibilities of them slipping and killing you!
Having said that 15-20 notes for the proper tool delivered to your door is an absolute bargain! Register your interest and buy ASAP. Support your Wedge deity
Much better than messing around with the finger type compressors and the possibilities of them slipping and killing you!
This afternoon I stripped out the O/S front suspension. Apart from 1 nut everything else had rusted which meant I had to angle grinf off all the other nuts except those mounting the wishbones & tie rod. Without using a spring compressor I stripped it down in the following order
1. Track rod end
2. Upper wishbone - reomoved from chasis
3. Removed disk & caliper by cutting through the upper & lower ball joints
3. Tie rod
4. Shock absorber.
At this point the lower wishbone dropped away and spring lost its tension as I lowered the jack to allow the shock absorber to drop out I then removed the bolt before removing the lower wishbone.
I got a pair of SH's droplinks sent yesterday which will go on nicely once I cleaned up the ARB. The decision I now have is whether to replace the Konis for an Armstrong shock absorbers I picked up on ebay...
1. Track rod end
2. Upper wishbone - reomoved from chasis
3. Removed disk & caliper by cutting through the upper & lower ball joints
3. Tie rod
4. Shock absorber.
At this point the lower wishbone dropped away and spring lost its tension as I lowered the jack to allow the shock absorber to drop out I then removed the bolt before removing the lower wishbone.
I got a pair of SH's droplinks sent yesterday which will go on nicely once I cleaned up the ARB. The decision I now have is whether to replace the Konis for an Armstrong shock absorbers I picked up on ebay...
Edited by GV on Saturday 29th December 17:36
I don't they are needed as a trolley jack does the job nicely. - I have stripped out both sides of the front suspension without too many dramas. Of all the components covered in rust - I have a need to change only 1 lower wishbone the rest of scrubbed very nicely with a wire brush and a healthy dose of Fertan rust converter.
Its a serious health and safety issue. Using a trolley jack means that you are relying on the jack staying in place and not moving. If it slips or the jack fails, the spring will decompress very quickly and catapult everything around. It can remove fingers and do untold damage. Having seen it happen... it is very scary indeed.
It falls into the same category as working under a car supported only by a trolley jack. Most times it can be got away with but those times where it fails often result in serious injury or even death.
Your choice but I would not recommend taking those springs off without the right tool to do the job. This is why I put the description in the bible in the first place.
It falls into the same category as working under a car supported only by a trolley jack. Most times it can be got away with but those times where it fails often result in serious injury or even death.
Your choice but I would not recommend taking those springs off without the right tool to do the job. This is why I put the description in the bible in the first place.
shpub said:
Its a serious health and safety issue. Using a trolley jack means that you are relying on the jack staying in place and not moving. If it slips or the jack fails, the spring will decompress very quickly and catapult everything around. It can remove fingers and do untold damage. Having seen it happen... it is very scary indeed.
It falls into the same category as working under a car supported only by a trolley jack. Most times it can be got away with but those times where it fails often result in serious injury or even death.
Your choice but I would not recommend taking those springs off without the right tool to do the job. This is why I put the description in the bible in the first place.
Mine arrived today, thanks Steve It falls into the same category as working under a car supported only by a trolley jack. Most times it can be got away with but those times where it fails often result in serious injury or even death.
Your choice but I would not recommend taking those springs off without the right tool to do the job. This is why I put the description in the bible in the first place.
I now know I can get the front springs off the 280 safely, done the trolley jack thing, not nice, not doing it again. DEADS DEAD !! 
Edited by BadRedWedge on Tuesday 8th January 08:29
I have found myself that the shock absorber when on full stretch, and the top nuts almost off, is not far off the full length of the spring, and have used a jack in the past without any concerns, because there was only about a centimetre of spring compression. I suppose it depends on whether the springs are old and have lost a bit of length.
I certainly wouldn't jack it up so that the spring was fully compressed without the damper bolted in, though.
If in doubt - be safe and get a spring compressor.
I certainly wouldn't jack it up so that the spring was fully compressed without the damper bolted in, though.
If in doubt - be safe and get a spring compressor.
Today - I reassembled the o/s front. Both wishbones have new ball joints after having been fully cleaned. There's a new superflex bush on the tie rod. A new SH ARB drop link and a new TR End now in place
Putting all back together took just over an hour. I used 2 jacks. 1 to compress the spring - the other to align the lower wishbone. Of course I was mindful of the risk with the spring but it all went back in without any dramas.
I've got a pair of Armstrong shocks to be used for the old konis though I will probably opt for someting better suited in the long run.
All I need to do now is to torque up all the nuts and insert new split pins - the R pin on the drop link doesn't inspire much confidence and I may insert a split pin in its place.
The key thing for me when doing this type of work, is the satisfaction of being able to do it on your own as well as the saving made in labour and parts if I went to a garage....nuff said.
Putting all back together took just over an hour. I used 2 jacks. 1 to compress the spring - the other to align the lower wishbone. Of course I was mindful of the risk with the spring but it all went back in without any dramas.
I've got a pair of Armstrong shocks to be used for the old konis though I will probably opt for someting better suited in the long run.
All I need to do now is to torque up all the nuts and insert new split pins - the R pin on the drop link doesn't inspire much confidence and I may insert a split pin in its place.
The key thing for me when doing this type of work, is the satisfaction of being able to do it on your own as well as the saving made in labour and parts if I went to a garage....nuff said.
GV said:
All I need to do now is to torque up all the nuts and insert new split pins - the R pin on the drop link doesn't inspire much confidence and I may insert a split pin in its place.
The reason behind the R pin is that I have experienced the split pins breaking and then seizing in the ARB. I have had R pins in my car' ARB since 1998. Still there. haven't broken. Still easy to remove. I even use R pins on the castellated nuts on the front bearings for the same reason. They do the job, are easy to remove and don't break in situ like split pins. Gassing Station | Wedges | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff