how to remove rear dampers?

[TVRVixenV8]

Hello to all,

does anyone has an advice how to remove the rear dampers on a 400SE? It's extremely difficult to get access to the 17mm nut and much more difficult to losen it without spinning only the dampers rod. There is a point on the top to fix it with a 6mm spanner but this is far to small to get any chance to hold up the force of the 17mm spanner. Any ideas?



Kind regards
Axel

[Wedg1e]

Yep, that's the way to do it, unfortunately. What you'll probably find is that there are two 17mm nuts, one locking the other. If you can get a spanner on the lower one you can use that to hold the shaft while you crack the top one off. Once they're slack they usually undo quite easily.

Edit: it's usually a good idea to fit spring compressors first, or if you're brave you could put a trolley jack under the hub carrier and use that to keep the spring compressed while you remove the damper nuts.

Anyway this is only half the story: you also have to get the bolt out of the bottom of the damper...

Edited by Wedg1e on Saturday 3rd November 16:22

[350zwelgje]

I have access holes in the boot....
Makes the job easy.


Rob

[al 350i]

open boot, pull back carpet, cut hole in body with hole saw!! keep piece and bond back in place when shock is replaced!

it sounds more drastic than what it is but its the easiest way.

[RCK974X]

Assuming the same deal as the early ones, I did *just* manage to get 2 17mm spanners into the gap on my 280, but it's a real fiddly job. Once the spanners are in place though, it's not that hard to get the nuts undone, as stated above.

I must be lucky, I didn't have a problem with the lower nuts either - just a good squirt of WD40 left overnight...

[Danny Hoffman]

I was expecting this to be a pig of a job on my 350i, but after a good soaking of penetrating oil and trying a few different spanners it all came apart surprisingly easily.

[The Hatter]

I'd echo those comments; once you find a set of spanners that will go on, the job is manageable. Don't be afraid to buy some spanners and cut them up - I'd rather cut a spanner than the car.

[RCK974X]

The Hatter said:

I'd echo those comments; once you find a set of spanners that will go on, the job is manageable. Don't be afraid to buy some spanners and cut them up - I'd rather cut a spanner than the car.

A Big Yea to that !
Also, shop around, often useful to get 'thin' and 'thick' castings, and I find the combination ones (ring one end open at the other) probably the most useful overall to backup the socket set.

Yes, I've also got one or two which I cut in half for particular problem jobs.... and at least one which has been ground down thinner....

Edited by RCK974X on Saturday 3rd November 22:58

[TVRVixenV8]

The 17mm spanner isn't the problem, i had him in place several times. There is only one nut and i'm sure it's a self-locking one. So the only chance to loose this nut is to fix the damper rod on the top end. I don't know if it's a big advantage to get acces from top because i don't know what tool to use for fixing the rod. Cuttin a hole in the boot isn't a problem either but the nice carpet is very carefully glued in. Typically TVR , normally a job for minutes and on "Blackpools finest" a hole winters job :-(

[hallsie]

Have a check again, Im pretty sure you will find its 2 thin nuts that are covered in crud and look like one!

Then get your youngest child to get their hands in there and undo them!

I find that brushing the threads and the release oil on them helps loads too.

Stu

[JMF894]

Yes should be two seperate nuts.........oooer missus

I found a slim open ended spanner with a slight angle on it fitted

Fiddly but manageable

Compress the springs of course

Jimbo

[Danny Hoffman]

I didn't need to compress my springs as they hang slightly loose when the back is jacked up.

[RCK974X]

Of course, I guess we are all assuming it's the original setup, which is a standard size nut and a thinner locknut.

If someone has already stripped it down before they may have put a nyloc nut on it, in which case it's going to be a pig to shift....

TVRVixenV8 - Have you got a small wire brush (or even an old toothbrush) to try to see what's on there ?

[TVRVixenV8]

It's impossible to get a closer view without a special tool. I hope to get a endoscope cam to see exactly what kind of nuts they have used. The nut is very clean, it was well protectec by a plastic cap, no signs of corrosion.
I have the car on a car lift, using a transmission jack to lift to compress the spring by lifting the hub assembly