Help Please

[clarethechef]

Help please.
Pug is ill, he's broken a front suspension spring (shattered). We have a new spring but are struggling to remove the broken one. Does anyone have any good ideas or a solution?
In advance Thank you

[GrandadMonkey]

I assume you have removed the suspension strut from the car? If so, clean away any dirt and mount the strut upright in a vice.

Using spring compressors, compress the coil spring until all tension is relieved from the upper spring seat.

Remove the cap then slacken the upper mounting plate nut while retaining the shock absorber piston with an Allen key. Remove the nut and washer, lift off the mounting plate, bearing, upper spring seat and flat washer.

The coil spring can now be removed.

If you buy Haynes Workshop Manual no. 4613 it is all explained complete with illustrations.

Always use brand new self locking nuts on re-assembly.

[clarethechef]

Thank you.
But how do you disconnect the rod from the tortion bar to the shock absorber? As the tread keeps turning with the nut?

[Capncol]

If you mean the lower ball joint, it is a nut and bolt. If you mean the track rod end then it is a taper fit with a lock nut on.
Assuming the latter, spray thread with plusgas, leave to soak, then, using the biggest mole grips you have, try and clamp the track rod end to the fitting it goes through.
Nut should then come undone as you are forcing the taper deeper into it's mating hole causing it to bind. Failing that , you could hacksaw the nut off.

[GrandadMonkey]

Thank you.
But how do you disconnect the rod from the tortion bar to the shock absorber? As the tread keeps turning with the nut?

I hope Capricol's response has helped you to progress. There are torsion bars on the rear suspension, not the front, hence why we are finding it difficult to understand where you are stuck. If you are still stuck please try to reword your question so that we can understand more precisely.

[clarethechef]

Hi thanks for the response.
yes we are still not having any luck. Sorry its the anti roll bar not tortion bar,as before the bar from the anti roll bar to the shock absorber it fastens on the same way as a steering joint. the nut turns but also the tread.
Thanks. p.s. Pugs an automatic.

[Capncol]

Vertical link right??
It will be one of 2 types. It will either have-

#1 A hex fitting for a spanner just behind the ball joint, so where thread comes through the bracket you would hold spanner on back of bracket, and socket the other side.

#2 In the end of the thread will be a hex hole so you can put an allen key in to hold thread still while undoing nut with spanner.

Remember what I said about soaking with plus gas.
Have you got every thing else off?
Not wishing to sound patronising, but if you are stuck at this point you will struggle with rest of the job.

Have you got all the tools required such as spring compressors?
If you haven't, I would get someone else to do it.
Coil springs can be extremely dangerous to work on. Remember , they have to be strong enough to support the weight of the car and will be under compression even with the strut removed from car. Good luck & come back if this doesn't answer the question.

[GrandadMonkey]

I'm sorry. Perhaps I'm thick. If the joint you are talking about is a taper fit then you need to apply pressure on the taper to increase the friction to stop the taper pin turning as you undo the nut. To do that you may be able to use the weight of the car to help you by putting a pillar jack under the joint and pushing it up as if you were jacking the car up by it. Eventually it should tighten sufficiently to allow you to turn the nut off it.

If that is not the case, and I am therefore talking rubbish, then you may need to use a nut-splitter to get the nut off anyway. Bearing in mind that all self-locking nuts that you disturb on removal must be renewed on re-assembly, you will lose nothing by using the nut-splitter method. To see a nut-splitter in use search for nut splitter on you tube.

e.g. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pij4d4y ... re=related

[Capncol]

I'm sorry. Perhaps I'm thick. If the joint you are talking about is a taper fit then you need to apply pressure on the taper to increase the friction to stop the taper pin turning as you undo the nut. To do that you may be able to use the weight of the car to help you by putting a pillar jack under the joint and pushing it up as if you were jacking the car up by it. Eventually it should tighten sufficiently to allow you to turn the nut off it.

If that is not the case, and I am therefore talking rubbish, then you may need to use a nut-splitter to get the nut off anyway. Bearing in mind that all self-locking nuts that you disturb on removal must be renewed on re-assembly, you will lose nothing by using the nut-splitter method. To see a nut-splitter in use search for nut splitter on you tube.

e.g. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pij4d4y ... re=related

Sounds like they mean the vertical link. They are not on a taper as they only go through a pressed steel bracket see here. You can see there's no taper.

[GrandadMonkey]

Ah, the link rod. I see what you are saying now.

I agree with you, that if they are having trouble with that, I suspect they'll have more trouble further on.

[Capncol]

Did you get it sorted??

[clarethechef]

Hi sorry.
No we havent had time, working at least 12 hours a day, wrong time of the year to be a chef!
Looking at the picture the bottom nut isn't there so will probably end up going to local garage.
Will let you know how we get on in the new year.
Thanks for your help.

[GrandadMonkey]

As Capricol says, if there is no nut there, it should be the other type that you hold with an Allen key.

"In the end of the thread will be a hex hole so you can put an allen key in to hold thread still while undoing nut with spanner"

[clarethechef]

Hi.
Just to let you know Pug is back on the road.
Fixed at last with a lot of brute force and ignorance oh and a nut splitter.
Not bad for a girl.
Thanks for the advice.
Happy New Year.

[GrandadMonkey]

Thank you for feeding back the outcome. I'm glad the nut-splitter idea worked.

Well done!

A Happy New Year to you too.