Changing Springs ... HELP

[GrEy240SX]

alright. i need to know a couple things before i get started to change springs. i know there is a way to compress the springs without using a spring compressor. you like move the axles? up and down to compress the spring. but after all that is done and the spring is compressed. what do i do? do i have to take the whole shock/strut assembly out? this is my first time...please help...thanks.

[Zydeco]

Why not just rent a spring compresser? There only like 20 or less a day.

[SilviaS14KA24DE]

ok. you have to dissasemble the struts. unscrew the three screws on top of the struts. Then you have to take out the brake lines that are attatched to the strut. then also remove the bolts that hold on the strut and the control arm. Then you can just take out the whole strut and use the spring compressor. thats how you remove springs.

a ghetto way is using metal wire hanger. Take it apart so its one long piece of wire, then pull it through the springs, then twist it together. But I dont recommend that. Thats just a ghetto way

[TurboKA37]

even if you could compress the springs by moving the axles up while still mounted, how will u put the new springs on? just go out and rent or buy one, it will be much safer. i bought mine for $50

[Altiman94]

most times if you rent something you get your full deposit back upon returning the tool.

[TurboKA37]

^ i think autozone might do that, not sure

[GrubyFngaz]

Autozone does do it. I just did it less than a year ago. I think it's like $15, and they give it back when you return the compressor. If I am correct, it is called a spring or strut compressor, can't remember.Josh

[driftaholic]

all you need to know about changing springs can be found at mountainracer

[Altiman94]

nice lookin s14 gruby. Changing springs isnt hte hardest thing to do. Should take you about 2 hours to do all 4

[driftaholic]

i was just thinkin, if that is your actual car in your sig, then you might not need a spring compressor at all. i have tein s.techs, which lower about 1.5", and they put almost no pressure on the upper mounts when they whole assembly is out of the car (the whole reason you need a spring compressor is so the springs don't go shooting off when you take the upper mounts off). worth looking into

[Altiman94]

hes not the guy doing the spring work

[BuudWeizErr]

I've put on Tein S Techs and Eibach Sportlines. Neither needed spring compressors to put everything back together.

if you are too lazy to rent spring compressor (like me), put vise grips in the strut tube, put foot on spring, use air gun to unbolt the perch. strut bottom will come rocketing out, but thats half the fun! Then just put everything back together.

(buudweizerr is not responsible for you being an idiot)

edit: i mean chunkidori.

[driftaholic]

hes not the guy doing the spring work

i'm far too tired to be posting anymore tonight

night all

:hiding:

[SilviaS14KA24DE]

i'm far too tired to be posting anymore tonight

night all

:hiding:

[gumby]

definitely doing the install myself.

went to the closest place, sts wheel center, to see how much for an alignment. out of curiosity i ask how much to replace the struts/shocks & springs if I were to bring in 2yr old used performance parts. guy tells me if they didnt use their parts it'd affect the rate. Fair enough. Then he tells me its 3hrs for the front alone @ $75hr and if it went over because of a frozen bolt or something it'd be more. i almost told him to go ***** himself. I have a recipt from a place that did front and rear struts/shocks, springs, & tie rod ends in 4.5 hrs @$60hr. what the hell kinda mechanic charges extra for a removing a frozen bolt. correct me if im wrong but dont the books exist as a standard. so either charge the rate, decline, give a plausible reason for charging extra or get outta my face. please tell if im being unreasonble.

[DAEDALUS]

Well, no one has to use book rates if they don't want to. And no, he doesn't need to give a plausible reason. Call it an "abuse of convention" if you want. If he's okay losing business that way maybe it's a sign your town has room for more shops to compete with him. What's wrong with the shop listed on your reciept?

[DAEDALUS]

if you are too lazy to rent spring compressor (like me), put vise grips in the strut tube, put foot on spring, use air gun to unbolt the perch. strut bottom will come rocketing out, but thats half the fun! Then just put everything back together.

(buudweizerr is not responsible for you being an idiot)

edit: i mean chunkidori.

I wish you were kidding. Also wish I could see a picture of such recklessness.

[Altiman94]

Just rent a compressor and be done with it. Play it safe and do it right the first time.

[black s13]

or just do them on the car. compress spring via the LCA with a jack, remove the nut on the top of the strut, and lower the LCA slowly. done.

[TurboKA37]

or just do them on the car. compress spring via the LCA with a jack, remove the nut on the top of the strut, and lower the LCA slowly. done.

then u have to put the new springs in, which will be harder.

[BuudWeizErr]

I wish you were kidding. Also wish I could see a picture of such recklessness.

No, I'm not kidding at all. We did my whole spring swap that way. It is dangerous, one of my friends got nailed in the face doing his that way. If you do it "right" then, it's pretty safe, but most people won't know to take certain precautions. And if you're using hand tools, I would NEVER recommend doing it that way. But it is a quicker way to get the spring off.

but, still not as safe as spring compressor.

[black s13]

then u have to put the new springs in, which will be harder.

nah, its not hard. just put the spring over the strut and pump up the jack, line up the top of the strut to go through the top hat, and put the nut on.

or, like several have said, after market springs often go on by hand, so just take the 2 or 3 nuts off the top hat, and take the strut off the spindle/lca and put it back together off the car.

[Dattebayo]

you know that little disclaimer at the bottom?doesnt work. you guys are gonna get sued by a kid with a strut in his jaw.

you all are screwed. :pface

[jdmfreak]

rotflmao!

[gumby]

unfortunately he's 35 miles away. dont get me wrong i understand if they need the turnaround on the parts to make it worthwhile. if he leveled with me instead of giving me a song and dance about rusted bolts I would've brought it there for an overpriced alignment now they get nothing. unprofessional and he looked like a friggin troll.

[BadMojo]

you know that little disclaimer at the bottom?doesnt work. you guys are gonna get sued by a kid with a strut in his jaw.

Those springs scare the **** out of me. I was using a spring compressor when I did my suspension stuff, and I was still really over-cautious about the job.

So, has anyone lost an eye yet?

[DAEDALUS]

No, but after doing all 4 on my car the first time, the cheap spring compressors I was using were both bent--badly. I threw them away and eventually bought a hydraulic compressor. Those are bad mofos. Compresses the spring in about 10 seconds with no sweat. Forget losing an eye, a compressed spring probably has more than enough stored energy to break a skull.

[BadMojo]

Compresses the spring in about 10 seconds with no sweat. Forget losing an eye, a compressed spring probably has more than enough stored energy to break a skull.

Yeah, I was using some cheap Autozone rental tools and I treated those springs like a loaded gun. What's the spring rate on a 240SX spring...something like 115 lbs/in?

I think messing with springs without the proper tools ranks right up there on the stupid-o-meter with climbing under the car without jack stands.