Front Suspension Rebuild

[vaultsman]

Hi all,

Having rebuilt the rear end over the winter before last, I'm about to pull the front end for a similar exercise as a few of the bushes need replacing anyway.

One job I'm not kitted out for is the removal and refitting of the road springs. The current ride height and springing seems fine, so I could rebuild everything else and leave the springs untouched in their turrets.

Seems a shame to do that though. Has any UK forumite got the Churchill or equivalent spring compressor they'd be willing to loan for beer tokens?

Any tips on the job?

Stan

[cass3958]

Stan I made a spring compressor as I saw an original churchill one for sale at over £200 on EBay. I got some threaded bar that took 17mm nuts but in hindsight a slightly thicker bar with 19mm nuts would have been better. I had two plates cut that sat on the lower wishbone so the release bolts for the bottom plate could be undone and a smaller plate to sit on the top of the spring.I used a double nut on the top and to stop it spinning put a pair of mole grips on the bar at the top. With the rest of the bar protruding from the bottom of the wishbone I screwed up the bottom nuts to take the strain on the spring, undid the lower plate bolts and then slowly released the tension of the spring by winding the lower nuts on the threaded bar. Worked like a teat taking it off. The problem I had was putting the spring back in as once the lower plate is under tension on the spring it is very difficult to line up the lower plate bolt holes. I got around this in the end by getting three lengths of thin round bar which I put through the lower plate and in to the bolt holes in the wishbone so as I wound the spring back up in to place the lower plate lined up nicely with the remaining bolt holes and I managed to get three bolts in and secure before removing the round bar and put the remaining bolts in place.
If you are contemplating this and are not removing the front subframe you do need a lot of room below the spring to get the bar in and wind the spring down. I was lucky as I borrowed a mates garage and two post lift to get the car up high enough. Could not have done this on my drive on axle stands.
Attached are a couple of photos of me removing the spring. Not very good I am afraid but it gives you an idea.

[vaultsman]

Thanks for that, Rob.

Yes, I've seen similar solutions on other Jag forums and the WM does refer to the pilot studs when refitting.

I will be taking the frame out, but I had in mind taking the dampers and springs out whilst the frame was still in the car.....gives a chance of rigging up a safety stop underneath just in case.

I've got some lengths of M12 H/T studding (19mm nuts) but they're only 18" long, and I think I'd need it more like 24". I just thought someone on here may have the pukka tool or equivalent.

Failing that, I'll probably drop just the dampers out first (so I can use the car's weight to get the wishbones near level) before dropping the frame.

Stan

[NigelW]

Hi Stan, the photo shows what I use to remove the springs whilst the subframe is in the car and on axle stands. The threaded road is a bit thin for my likening but it's been in use for quite a few jobs on my car and my brothers Mk2 when he had it. The two 'T' pieces are used to line up the lower plate as in the WM. The only one I know that hs the corect compressor and rents it out is Ken Jenkins. If it's any use to you, you are welcome to borrow the T rods.

[vaultsman]

Many thanks, Nigel.

The hole in the top of the turret is 3/4", so I'll use M16 Grade 8.8 studding and rig up some washers and plates.

I've got the axle stands at their highest setting and, checking with a length of dowel, I can just get a 27" length up the turret with the damper out.

Do you use the T-rods when removing the spring as well? It would slow down the unwinding, but would perhaps be safer?

Very kind of you to offer their loan....the T-rods will be very useful. I'll PM you my address.

Cheers, Stan.

[NigelW]

Yes use the rods on the way down as it keeps everything in line also acts as a second line of defence if the threaded rod lets go. I tend to use a couple of extra nuts on the rod for safety. Use a touch of grease on the rod threads and on the shafts, they don't slow down the unwinding as the plate just moves down them. Use a ratchet ring spanner on the threaded rod nut saves time.

I'll get the T rods in the post to you.

[DevilDog]

Did mine today.....we used this tool: https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools ... BGEALw_wcB

Once we got the spring in, we took a cargo strap and winched the upper and lower wishbones so as to bolt the lower ball joint.

0809181246.jpg (4.58 MiB) Viewed 3830 times

Stan....you stated that you did the rear already. Any advice? Can it be done without the special tools?

Joe

[vaultsman]

Good to see you're well down the road now, Joe.

Yes, I did the rear end about 18 months ago.....I joined in (some way down page 10) on Nigel's thread that's documented in the Archived Forum:

http://www.jagstyperegister.com/forum/v ... ?f=16&t=40

There's a good 7-part article that Alan Slawson compiled for Jaguar World available here:

http://www.ajsengineering.com/Articles% ... Links.html

I (wisely, I think!) left the diff rebuild itself to Alan, so apart from purchasing a pair of safety wiring pliers, I didn't find the need for any special tools in the teardown/reassembly.

Good luck!

Stan

[vaultsman]

The dampers and springs are now out, and without any drama....thankfully.

The hole in the top of the spring turret is 3/4" (after the distance piece is removed) so I used M16 (5/8") Hi-Tensile threaded bar which takes 24mm nuts. Made up some thickish plates to sit in the turret recesses, with 2 nuts on top locked together.

At the bottom I used an old Rover gearbox output flange, that sits snugly in the spring pan recess. The two T-handled guide rods came courtesy of Nigel...thanks again!

I cut the threaded bar to 28" long, which just went in after easing the hub up on the jack, then lowering once it's in. This is with 16" high axle stands under the front jacking tubes. On reflection, 27" would have just sufficed...although I did run 3 extra nuts up on the bar, as some sort of insurance.

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EDIT: Just to say, I measured there's 6.3/4" (172mm) of compression on the spring when fitted. One benefit of using a larger diameter threaded bar is the pitch is a little coarser.....equals less turns to decompress/compress.
Even so, the 2mm pitch of the M16 thread means 86 full turns or, in reality, around 250 1/3-turns.
I don't possess a 24mm (15/16") ratchet spanner....but I might do by the time refitting comes around.

Stan

[cass3958]

Nice one Stan. Your circular disc is the same as mine but I did not know where mine came from. Nice use of pallets as you really need to get the car up high to get the springs out. I agree with the ratchet spanner as I had the same problem.