tein coilovers stuck

[coreylol]

my car came with tein coilovers and i already broke one tool tryin to loosen the seat lock (bottom ring). i sprayed with pb blaster a few times and let it sit a week! still wont budge. and now the bottom ring is stripped a little. anyone have any ideas about what i should do?

[gumby74]

Get you a brass or an aluminum drift. Basically a 1/2"- 3/4" piece of rod maybe 6 to 8" long. The metal you use for your drift can not be harder than the metal used to make the lock rings, which should be aluminum.Use a hammer and the drift and start tapping that bad boy in the appropriate direction. Righty tightey, lefty loosey.Don't go Hulk smash with the hammer, but don't be a wuss either. Use controlled moderate strokes.

[gumby74]

You could also use a screwdriver, but you are opening the door for bad things to happen. Metullergy is an interesting thing. So I recomend using the proper tool for the job.I am not saying a screwdriver is going to break the teeth off the lock rings, but it can happen. It probably has happened to someone. Good luck, and always excercise common sense.

[coreylol]

i already tried a screwdriver and it started bending teeth on the aluminum lock ring.. i'm beginning to think my only option is cutting it off with a dremel and getting a new ring. but i'm gonna try whatever i can before i get to that point.
Modified by coreylol at 12:03 PM 3/3/2008

[gumby74]

Definitely go with the brass or aluminum rod.Also, have you tried turning the ring on top of the lock collar as opposed to just trying to loosen the lock collar? Don't know if that made any sense. Just to be sure, the car is jacked up and the suspension is not loaded right? Let's just say I have a friend who lives in a constant state of duh.

[rbsileighty]

Have you tried loading the actual ring tool with one hand and hitting it with a hammer with the other? If you use a mini-sledge light taps will be all you need

Might give it a couple of taps in the tight direction then go loose and work it free... depends on how stuck it actually is against the base

[coreylol]

yeah the first tool i bought actually bent because i used a hammer. i ordered real tein adjustment wrenches and they are holding fine when i use a hammer. now the little slots in the lock collar are bent. one is bent so bad it wont even hold the tool anymore. this **** is on tight!

[rbsileighty]

Are they oxidized on there? Maybe try baking soda and warm water to break it up...

Sounds like you might have to cut it off in order to make sure you have one on there that works anyway... maybe try using two tools stacked for a larger footprint on the teeth

[coreylol]

do you guys know the size ring to order from tein? they have a few different sizes

here is the url

http://www.tein.com/online_shop/wrench.html

[rbsileighty]

I'd just call them and have them tell you the part number. This way they are liable (make sure you get the sales/tech person's name who helps you) if for some reason you end up with the wrong part.

Telephone: 562-861-9161

Calling will get a faster responce than email more than likely...

http://www.tein.com/contact_info/index.html

[CropTub666]

any news on this... did you end up solving the problem?