Front damper brass extender - should this have been fitted before delivery?

[Beenster]

Hi, new Caterham builder here.  I am just tackling the front suspension and have hit a problem already.  I have a 420R kit with Bilstein suspension. The suspension was delivered without the brass extenders fitted, every blog I have read has photos with it already fitted to the dampers.  the v2.0 manual does not show the extender.  Caterham delivered them in the kit but not pre-fitted.

I tried to fit as permanual but the top of the suspension fowls the bolt head of the upper wishbone - so the extender would be great to give me clearance.

I have tried to fit the extender tp the damper but am at risk of rounding the nut on the damper.  Should they have come fitted and I just get a new set sent over or is this a classic undocumented job I need to work out how to do?

[Jonathan Kay]

Private Message sent.

[Wrightpayne]

Have you taken the spring off?

[Tazio]

As Ian, Wrightpayne,says, to put the extender in will require you take all the tension off the spring, so assuming you have adjustable dampers, it will be necessary to undo the platform to take the pressure off the spring, but remember before you do that, measure where the spring platform is so you can put it back in the right place.

[Beenster]

While I was struggling to understand the lack of clearance I did take a look at the other damper. I was able to remove the cuff in order to gain access to the bolt at the top of the damper. I was not able to remove this bolt for fear of rounding it as it was rock solid.

[Wrightpayne]

If the spring is off, clamp the eye of the damper in the protected jaws of a vice. The nut will be loctited so will be a little difficult to crack it undone. The spanner should not slip/round off the nut if you are using the correct size spanner.

[Wrightpayne]

When you say "bolt" do you actually mean the locknut below the eye on the too of the damper? 

[Tazio]

And have you taken the tension off the spring?

[Tazio]

And have you taken the tension off the spring?

[Beenster]

Thanks for the tips, yes I mean the lock nut on the top of the damper. I have removed the tension on the spring in order to gain access to the locknut. I suppose I wasn't expecting to do this job as other blogs make no mention of having to fit the brass extender, which makes me think it should have been done before delivery. Ok, I probably just lack some confidence here (also don't have a desk vice, so I am using workmate bench for vice)

[Tazio]

You really don't need to touch the nut under the shocker mount, just undo the mount itself off the central piston rod

[7 wonders of the world]

Ideally you need a pair of circular clamps to enable you to very firmly grip the damper road in the vice so you can remove the upper mount and fit and secure the extension piece (this is actually steel with a yellow passivate coating)

If you mark the damper road this will cut the seal in operation.

CC usually supply these fitted if your order has widetrack, 

[Dixa1225]

These should have already been fitted. I would contact CC to sort.

[Simon.Rogers]

Heat!  You are likely to need plenty of heat to break down any Loctite on the threads.  Then the end eye will come off.

Shaft clamps will really help but soft jaws of any type should do the trick.

We regularly get these "smokin" in the workshop in order to remove! 

 

[Matthew Willoughby]

Does your car have the "sport suspension pack" which is standard on R spec cars, or the "track suspension pack" which is a £200 option?  The dampers that come with the track suspension pack do not need the extension piece as they are designed to fit wide track cars only.