In my readings of various posts is my thinking correct that I can remove the rear shock and the spring comes with it? No having to put any safe guards anywhere??? Then I can compress the spring and remove it from the shock? I figure I'll just remove the whole thing since I'm puting a sway bar on the rear so the bottom of the shock will be loose anyway... (I think) Maybe I should RTFM?
bruce

You are correct.

Are you changing the shock, or just adding the sway bar?

yepp, and depending on how much mass you are carrying around, you won't even need a spring compressor

i know a few people that can compress a 100lbs spring by hand.
Andy

If it's still got the stock springs it's a piece of cake, those things are so soft...

...and if they aren't 100lb'ers, they may fall out.


M

it's the 100 pound springs that you have to worry about, thier free length is about 14".....most of the aftermarket 140 and 180 springs are 10" free length

i went through this a while ago- rear susp article posted in the classics!

My "old", "worn out" 100#ers blew a hole in the bottom of a trash can when they went flying off. Yo can rent spring compressors from FLAPS for cheep

I'm adding the rear sway bar but also changing springs. Going from the original 60# to 110's.
bruce

Bruce,

You're gonna need to compress the 110# 's to get them on.

$.02

be careful bruce. best case you will need reconstructive surgery. worst, no more cruises in the beaver. when one of the clamps shifts a bit you will need a clean pair of jockeys. btdt. you can rent compressors. to do it by hand you have to stand over them .

kevin

to do it by hand use a wheel/tire combo to control it.
If I had one here, I could give you the exact method. It works well.

..... this is gettin' scary.... I'm deffinetly gonna get a compressor. I NEED to keep driv'n the teener but with 1/2 a brain it wouldn't be possible. This is a prime example of E=MC2 once the energy is released without control the mass can reak havoc with soft human parts I WILL be safe and follow y'all's instructions
bruce

use e=mc2 to calculate the damage only if the spring is travelling near the speed of light when it lets go

i usually use f=ma with tired springs

When I changed rear shocks and springs, I removed the assembly from the car and took it and the new pieces to a local VW shop. They have the nice commercial HD spring compresor and charged only a small amount to disassemble and reassemble the units. I didn't like the flimsy loose compressors offered at the rental shops. The compressor hooks on the cheapies slip and the springs start twisting...not a good thing.

Mike

Yes it is. I'm living proof!

BE CAREFUL!!! I was changing the strut inserts on a honda civic a couple of years ago and didnt notice one of the safety pins in the spring compressor had been broken off. These go around the bottom side of the spring to keep the compressor from coming off. I had it slip off right after I had taken the retaining nut off. The top of the strut got launched into my chin on the left side. It was hospital time after that. I had a very deep gash in my chin. I still have the scar and my jaw hasnt been the same since.

John

I bought a pair of strut compressors on ebay for about $15.

They worked a treat for pulling my old springs off. Worked for the torsion bars too :-) ROTFL.

Fiid.

OK, well..... here I go. It's 7:15 pm. Gonna take a pic of the car before and then gonna raise it up & take off the shocks Another adventure in teenerland about to be undertaken. If I'm not back here by midnight ........

bruce

OK, call off the calvary I did it. Would've been done an hour ago but I left off a very important part the spacer or ring joint at the top of the spring retainer geeze, what a dumbshit.
I used Scenery's method of the tire /wheel combo. One on the floor and a tire & wheel on the top. Then I wedged one side of the tire under the work bench & the tire & wheel became a lever. Really worked slick!
AND..... I took pics
bruce

tire on top

another

spring undone

The new spring

PAY ATTENTION THIS SHIT IS FUNNY!



M

miles,

i nearly shit my pants in my office every day reading your posts - YOU funny!

you funny in chat room today too

Bruce -

(my project tonight was building a home-diy bead blasting cabinet - had the blasting head and didn't want anything fancy in my garage like carl so i mocked one up from plywood, plexiglass, flashing, etc)

jbb

GET OUT! THE CALLS ARE COMING FROM INSIDE THE HOUSE!

As the 914club crashed, I was trying to add that I think we should use that last picture Bruce posted as an example for newbies on where to find the passenger side CV relief tubes.


M

free mitre box in bruce's garage - first come first serve!

Just to the right of that orange spring, I see something that looks like a sawed off thumb.

Bruce, you ever teach shop?


M

Well, you got the new spring on but you are very lucky that you came out unscathed.

Can anyone tell me what Bruce did wrong here? Yes, you in the back row...

That's right! Never, ever use studded tires when performing this procedure. Bruce is lucky that he can still reproduce.

bruce, relieved that your wife did'nt post the hospital to send flowers to.

kevin

Oh man! I gotta be careful from now on what I git da peecture
Miles, I still got all apendages and, for the life of me, I can't think of what that is we see. The Mitre box has been wit me for 20+ years.... it ain't gonna leave.

Jeff, good job on the bead blaster. I could use one a dem ever so often.

Miles, (again) I agree wit Jeff... look yer way for the early mornin' chuckle and.... where's the CV relief tubes yer refrencing?
bruce

Kevin

That's really rotten. Look how resourceful Bruce was tucking that tire under the workbench. Great idea Bruce. That solved a big problem for me when I do my springs.

Bruce

The color thing is just going to far. Orange springs on an orange car. Kinda reminds me of my wife. She'd love that. Next time I see your car I'll have to look under it just for the thrill.

Dave

Oh yeah, just mark this thread, and keep it warm.


M

Unscathed??? in the 2nd & 3rd pic there's a red droplet on the far right wheel rim. It was dem damned studs that caused me to let blood I rarely lose the red stuff when working on the car but add sumpin a lil' different like studs & anything can happen
I still haven't driven it yet but will this afternoon.

Dave, the orange is the only reason I bought the springs for the color co-ordination and the bench just happened to be the right height
bruce