Stubborn top collar on Gaz Golds

[Deeman]

I managed to move 3 corners today, but typically 1 is well stuck. Copious amounts of belting with a lump hammer and the right spanner, loads of penetrating oil. Still not budging. Any other tried and tested methods for shifting seized collars? Its driving me nuts!

[phillpot]

This bit ?




Is it alloy, maybe a little heat would expand it enough to loosen it?

[GreenV8S]

Have you taken the load off the spring?

[Deeman]

Mike - I can't see the picture on my work PC, but essentially its the top nut on which the spring sits. Green V8 - I have taken pressure off the spring (car is jacked with wheel off), but does it also need a spring compressor? I assumed it wouldn't, as all the other 3 have been done ok - what's your view. I thought about the heat too, but am always a bit nervous given proximity to fuel tank (its a rear damper, but was going to give this a try after days soaking in penetrating oil..

[phillpot]

Aha ! thought you meant the collar thigy at the top of the spring.

whether using heat or not I'd slip it off and get it in the vice to get at it properly then attack it with something like these....



You have to show these things who's boss

[Deeman]

Mike - I may need to borrow such a tool from JW Offshore - I remember wrenches that big when working on the rigs! Basically brute force wins the day.

[GreenV8S]

Deeman said:

I have taken pressure off the spring (car is jacked with wheel off), but does it also need a spring compressor? I assumed it wouldn't, as all the other 3 have been done ok - what's your view.

I'd expect to find that top mount was screwed or welded to the damper rod and the top spring seat just rested against the bottom of it, held there by the spring pressure. Is that what you have there? In that case it must just be muck and corrosion holding it in place. You would probably be best to get the damper right off the car if you haven't already. If it is that design, and once the lower spring seat was adjusted far enough to take the spring out of contact with the top collar, then if it was me I'd pull the damper out to the fully extended position and gently tap the spring seat downwards with a soft faced mallet to separate it from the top mount. On the other hand if the top mount and spring seat are a single unit screwed onto the shaft then there should be a lock nut which is accessible once the spring is out of the way.