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Changing front springs - Sanity check please - Am I being thick


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Just in the process of changing front springs & shocks...

I've come to install the new s/h (OEM I belive) front springs for the 110.

The spring is considerably larger than the opening... This is with the jack / axle stand under chasiss and the axle barely supported it really doesn't seem to naturally want to fall any further than this..?

The spring is somewhat compressed on the photos and would need a fair (uncomfortable ammount) bit more to compress it fully, but I've read of them supposidly going straight in??? I could bottle jack on top of axle to chasiss but I feels like i'm missing something silly here!

No front anti roll bar, and wheel is still on, on the other side of the car...

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It looks the right length spring - but the axle doesn’t look to have dropped much on this side, just judging by eye and the bend in the flexible brake line.

Taking the wheel off the other side should make it easier to flex this side down. You can try jacking the other side of the axle up - or jacking this side down to increase the droop/gap.

Your spring compressor’s rod also looks very long ?  Looks like it will get in the way when trying to use them here … but other than that I’d say you could wind them in more.

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Done this on 90s with no problems, but not 110 ?

Anyway, I found that if you take the front two bolts out of the radius arm to axle (not the rear ones) It allows the axle to fall a lot further, provided they are not all seized in the bushes. You wanted an extra little jobette though, didnt you ? Put the bolts back when the weight is on the springs.

Or just disconnect the radius arm from the chassis, one side at a time. 

Mind the brake hoses though. Tighter wound coils at the top. Dont forget the shock absorbers 😁

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You really need both wheels off and drop the axle straight, otherwise, as one side drops, it will try to push the chassis to one side and could slip off the axle stands.  It is also the only way you're likely to get enough drop on the axle.

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Yep, drop it straight, also allows you to articulate it manually to drop one side at a time. 

Also, a LR bottle jack fits nicely between radius arm and chassis, which you can then pump up and separate the two spring perches and pop the spring in.

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Hmmmmm, due to 'space limitations' its parked up against a fence on one side... 🤔

I guess wheel back on, and move it across and take both wheels off then.... For manouvering purposes should be absolutely fine without a spring in front corner? 

Just to check, I don't need to remove the other spring / shock, just the wheel off should give me enough manovurbility?

 

 

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28 minutes ago, Escape said:

You'll want to loosen (not remove) the shock on the other side as well, to make sure that's not preventing the axle from dropping more.

Hmmmm, yeah that won't be happening 😄... it was a proper cut them off with repricating saw jobby... (think they've been on for a longggg time!)

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I've done it one side at a time, you've just got a slightly harder job as you're fighting the roll resistance of the radius arm bushes. Gentle use of the bottle jack between chassis and axle should have it in there. What coloured stripes are down the spring? That will tell you the intended fitment and whether you've got the ones you want/need.

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8 minutes ago, Mo Murphy said:

I usually Jack the chassis with the hi-lift and lower the axle on a bottle jack to get enough room to change springs. Spring compressors are very fiddly and awkward to use so I avoid them.

Mo

Supporting the vehicle with what? This sounds frighteningly dangerous to me with the limited details!

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1 hour ago, missingsid said:

Supporting the vehicle with what? This sounds frighteningly dangerous to me with the limited details!

Which is probably why you don't do it !

I, on the other hand have never had a problem with it. I use a jack adapter in the crossmember or front hole and a bottle jack under the axle, remove one wheel and lower the axle, jack up crossmember, *SECURE THE HANDLE*, remove the now free spring and insert replacement, lower the hi-lift, jack the axle back up, refit wheel. Repeat. Easy and saves all the palaver listed in other posts and no lying on the ground under the vehicle removing Radius arm bolts !

Works for me but can't say for other people as it's dependent on your own level of intelligence. 

It's the only practical use for that big lump of useless cast iron that I've ever found.

HTH and clarifies

Mo

 

 

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On 3/26/2022 at 9:34 AM, Mo Murphy said:

Which is probably why you don't do it !

I, on the other hand have never had a problem with it. I use a jack adapter in the crossmember or front hole and a bottle jack under the axle, remove one wheel and lower the axle, jack up crossmember, *SECURE THE HANDLE*, remove the now free spring and insert replacement, lower the hi-lift, jack the axle back up, refit wheel. Repeat. Easy and saves all the palaver listed in other posts and no lying on the ground under the vehicle removing Radius arm bolts !

Works for me but can't say for other people as it's dependent on your own level of intelligence. 

It's the only practical use for that big lump of useless cast iron that I've ever found.

HTH and clarifies

Mo

 

 

My comment was that someone less 'skilled' than you asked for help, as mixing together the suggestions could kill, it needs to be explained clearly.

 

I dont do it because i am a stoopid scaredy cat who likes staying alive and having regularly used a highlift's instability to move a LR sideways I know how they love to tip over. Tieing the handle does nothing to stop that.

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Farm jacks are very unstable.  I used mine to lift the chassis to roll out the rear axle as I stopped the 109 (just a rolling chassis by that point).  I was very careful not to put myself in harm’s way.  Sure enough, just after I got the axle clear, the Jack toppled sideways and the chassis fell to the floor.  Made a hell of a noise and my wife rushed out fearing the worst (I was well clear).  They are incredibly dangerous for use when conducting work on a vehicle and should only be used for recovery purposes unless you have a robust method to stabilise them so they can’t topple.  Even then, don’t trust them.

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@missingsid

Uh oh, the health and safety police are back !

I'll be needing an IVA next ... 🤣

 

Firstly it can't fall over because you're maintaining 4 points of contact on the ground, 3 wheels and an axle end on a jack unlike the extremely dangerous practice of casting a vehicle from ruts where you're lifting the 2 wheels on one axle off the ground ! I always use a spade when I'm stuck in deep ruts and drive out 🤔

Secondly if you don't understand why you would secure the handle of a hi-lift jack when extended with a load on it then you're not really qualified to lecture me on safe practice 👍😁

Have great day

Mo 

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6 hours ago, Mo Murphy said:

@missingsid

Uh oh, the health and safety police are back !

I'll be needing an IVA next ... 🤣

 

Firstly it can't fall over because you're maintaining 4 points of contact on the ground, 3 wheels and an axle end on a jack unlike the extremely dangerous practice of casting a vehicle from ruts where you're lifting the 2 wheels on one axle off the ground ! I always use a spade when I'm stuck in deep ruts and drive out 🤔

Secondly if you don't understand why you would secure the handle of a hi-lift jack when extended with a load on it then you're not really qualified to lecture me on safe practice 👍😁

Have great day

Mo 

If that's what you puck up on the comment then a four letter word starting t and ending in t springs to mind. But carry on. I'm sure you have plenty more useful ranting left.

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3 minutes ago, missingsid said:

If that's what you puck up on the comment then a four letter word starting t and ending in t springs to mind. But carry on. I'm sure you have plenty more useful ranting left.

I haven't ranted or called you names ! Perhaps you're confused ?

Mo

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On 3/26/2022 at 9:34 AM, Mo Murphy said:

Works for me but can't say for other people as it's dependent on your own level of intelligence. 

It probably started with this Mo. Which comes across as pretty insulting without any humour with it. 

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20 minutes ago, Anderzander said:

It probably started with this Mo. Which comes across as pretty insulting without any humour with it. 

No rants or name calling there that I can see, Stephen. I can't see the problem with my original post that you've quoted, we've all seen unintelligent use of hi-lift Jacks first hand and on YouTube. 

I'm quite happy to continue to discuss without churlishness or resorting to calling of names. Both of which are actions that, perhaps, should require moderator response.

Mo

 

 

 

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I’m with Mo here, show respect obviously, but hi-lift aren’t as dangerous as most make out. Properly serviced, they’re useful for lots of things. Not that I use them often for changing springs, but using it as Mo says is not exposing oneself to loads of danger and does make changing out the springs very easy…

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