Removing rear shocks on live axle

[alextangent]

Need to get into the top end of the rear suspension points to paint them. I'm presuming that if I want to remove the rear shocks from my LA that I just jack up the chassis until the diff is at maximum droop? No spring compressors required? I wondered if the axle will foul the chassis bottom rails before that happens.

 

I don't want to remove the shock bolt and find that the spring is still under pressure .

 

Alex McDonald

A loud 1700 SS

[Sheds Moderator]

This is the case with a DeDion. A LA should be easy enough, and you can tell whether the springs are still loaded by giving them a shake when jacked up.

[Graham Sewell]

I would remove the top nuts from the damper before you do anything. Then you can lower the axle safely by lifting the diff under the A-frame, putting axle stands under the chassis and dropping the axle down to a second set of axle stands.

 

After that, it is just the bolt at the bottom - although that also secures the trailing arm so be careful.

 

 

 

Cheers,

 

Graham

---

Low tech luddite - xflow and proud!

[alextangent]

Thanks guys. One more for this weekend. By the time I'm finished, I'll have stripped out just about every part 😳

 

Alex McDonald

A loud 1700 SS

[Julian Thompson]

You mean like mine looks after a session in the garage yesterday?

 

here

 

😬

[Sheds Moderator]

Julian, does your wife mind you stripping down the car in the bathroom?

 

I suppose now the steam room is out you have more space, but still, I mean how many towels does she need to hang up?

[Julian Thompson]

Actually it's probably for another thread, but those tiles on the floor are really excellent. They are from Wickes and the whole floor of the garage cost me £220 plus the cost of the grout and cement (and a couple of days of friendly builder!) for an area of 6m x 6m - very cheap and so much nicer to work on than a cement painted floor.

 

Obviously you need to be a little bit more careful when you try and jack a big heavy car up - I just stick the jack on a bit of old board and it is fine.

 

[DaveMorris]

[hijack]

Julian, don't suppose you have a picture of your chassis just before you removed the front-to-back brake pipe have you. I can't for the life of me remember the routing !

Dave

[/hijack]

 

Alex - agree with what's been said above. Quite a quick job and "Yes" the axle can rest on the chassis rail (nothing holding it up) so you might want a bit of protection

[Julian Thompson]

Yes Dave

 

Please send BM and I'll return the photii

[DaveMorris]

Julian, YHM,

Dave

(e-mail address in profile)

[JACK FLASH]

I' ve just posted a topic about jacking up a Seven (use and type of jacks and axle stands, jacking points, ...).

 

Could you enlighten me about the type of jacks and axle stand you use in the garage and on the road. Please also some recommandations about the best jacking points on the chassis or on the axle (Ford LA).

 

How do you avoid damaging the chassis paint or the paint on the aluminium skin that runs under the side rails ?

 

Jack Flash

[Julian Thompson]

I think a good way might be to have 4 tow hooks on the chassis - one in each corner - and then you can use those to jack it up?

 

Otherwise I guess you've just got to use cardboard and be careful?

[JACK FLASH]

Julian,

 

The idea about those tow hooks is brilliant. You would only need a compact crane that can be manually operated and by means of a set of lifting chains you can pull up the car and put in on axle stands.

 

This would also avoid problems with the slippery floor in your garage and it will be also a healthy solution for the back of a Seven owner. I think that I' ll start the design of this "car crane" immediately since their must be a market opportunity.

 

Jack Flash

[Nigel Riches]

O.K. back on track here now, after the hijack,.................

 

Alex the live axle spring / damper unit is removable in one piece, they are known as "coil overs" as the damper has a plate at top and bottom which retains the spring, in the case of a standard CC spring only under minimal force when fully extended, the axle will not contact the lower chassis rail if the dampers are sound, however as you release the top nuts obviously the axle will rest on the rail, it is then just a straight forward removal of the lower bolts to extract the suspension assembly.

 

Hope this helps.

 

1982. 5 speed, clamshells. B.R.G / Ali. The True Colours.