[shandy92]

hey all,

i did a search and to my surprise not much came up, so i thought i would ask.
just wanting to test fit some 180sx springs in the rear of my swb vit, and just want to find the best way of removing the shock, or mainly the rear spring.

- jack up rear end slightly
- loosen wheel nuts off
- undo bottom shock mount nut
- place jack under diff housing and raise
- remove wheel
- lower jack from under diff housing to remove strain/pressure off spring

then just reverse for putting spring in.

any help/info on doing this would be great, thanks
Mitch

[dezook]

Jack up the rear and put the car on stands then remove the rear wheels. Undo the bottom of the shocks with a jack under the diff and let the jack down slowly get someone too stand on the drum brake on one side. You will see the coil nearly fall out. Swap coils and then swap sides. Jack the diff back up and bolt the shocks back on. No problems

[shandy92]

dezook wrote:

Jack up the rear and put the car on stands then remove the rear wheels. Undo the bottom of the shocks with a jack under the diff and let the jack down slowly get someone too stand on the drum brake on one side. You will see the coil nearly fall out. Swap coils and then swap sides. Jack the diff back up and bolt the shocks back on. No problems

ok cool,

atm i just want to do 1 side as the reason for the test fit is just to get shock lenths. could i do ^^^^^ with just 1 side or is a better way for just 1 side?

cheers for the fast reply, appreciate it.

Mitch

[Bucket]

That's probably the easiest way to do it.

When you push down on the drums the springs will literally just fall out....or at least my stockies did.

[shandy92]

ok cool,

hmmm just thinking about it, im going to be doing this alone. im sure ill be ok. will do it the morning, unless i get some last minute motivation lol.

cheers
Mitch

[Bucket]

It's easy to do it alone.

The way I did it when installing my calmini shocks/springs was:

Jack rear of car up and place on chassis stands.
Remove wheels
Undo shocks with the jack undo the diff and then slowly lower it down but leave the diff just sitting on the top of it.
Then you can pretty much push down on the drum brake and you'll see the spring basically unseat itself (I presume you have stock springs)

Basically what dezook said haha.
Should be able to do it alright on your own. If I can do it, I'm sure any 10yr old can

[shandy92]

Bucket wrote:

It's easy to do it alone.

The way I did it when installing my calmini shocks/springs was:

Jack rear of car up and place on chassis stands.
Remove wheels
Undo shocks with the jack undo the diff and then slowly lower it down but leave the diff just sitting on the top of it.
Then you can pretty much push down on the drum brake and you'll see the spring basically unseat itself (I presume you have stock springs)

Basically what dezook said haha.
Should be able to do it alright on your own. If I can do it, I'm sure any 10yr old can

ok sounds to easy. yeah i do have stock springs in atm, also to get these new spring in, do i just push down on the brake drum again but harder to get the longer springs in?

will i be able to do this for 1 side? as it sounds like i will have to have the other side off the ground?

Mitch

[atari4x4]

you'll want to swap the springs on both sides to check for your shock lenght.

[shandy92]

atari4x4 wrote:

you'll want to swap the springs on both sides to check for your shock lenght.

oh ok, whys that? thanks for telling me. i wouldnt of done it otherwise.

Mitch

[Jester]

cos if you just do one side the lengths will be odd, so your checking wouldnt be flat, but under a little bit of articulation

[Bucket]

shandy92 wrote:

Bucket wrote:

It's easy to do it alone.

The way I did it when installing my calmini shocks/springs was:

Jack rear of car up and place on chassis stands.
Remove wheels
Undo shocks with the jack undo the diff and then slowly lower it down but leave the diff just sitting on the top of it.
Then you can pretty much push down on the drum brake and you'll see the spring basically unseat itself (I presume you have stock springs)

Basically what dezook said haha.
Should be able to do it alright on your own. If I can do it, I'm sure any 10yr old can

ok sounds to easy. yeah i do have stock springs in atm, also to get these new spring in, do i just push down on the brake drum again but harder to get the longer springs in?

will i be able to do this for 1 side? as it sounds like i will have to have the other side off the ground?

Mitch

You should be able to push down on the drum and slide the longer springs in. just make sure they seat correctly.
Do you have spring compressors? Not necessary, but would make it a bit easier on your own.

[shandy92]

Bucket wrote:

shandy92 wrote:

Bucket wrote:

It's easy to do it alone.

The way I did it when installing my calmini shocks/springs was:

Jack rear of car up and place on chassis stands.
Remove wheels
Undo shocks with the jack undo the diff and then slowly lower it down but leave the diff just sitting on the top of it.
Then you can pretty much push down on the drum brake and you'll see the spring basically unseat itself (I presume you have stock springs)

Basically what dezook said haha.
Should be able to do it alright on your own. If I can do it, I'm sure any 10yr old can

ok sounds to easy. yeah i do have stock springs in atm, also to get these new spring in, do i just push down on the brake drum again but harder to get the longer springs in?

will i be able to do this for 1 side? as it sounds like i will have to have the other side off the ground?

Mitch

You should be able to push down on the drum and slide the longer springs in. just make sure they seat correctly.
Do you have spring compressors? Not necessary, but would make it a bit easier on your own.

ok cool, so really when i push down im actually just compressing the spring on the other side, right?
nah i dont i wish i did, might ask a mate, as i think he has one.

thanks jester, that makes sense.

cheers all
Mitch

[atari4x4]

what jester said is right....


if i can get my calmini springs in with no spring compressors you will be fine.

[shandy92]

atari4x4 wrote:

what jester said is right....


if i can get my calmini springs in with no spring compressors you will be fine.

yeah ok cool, just out of interest whats the free standing height of your calmini rears? as these are 370mm

cheers
Mitch

[atari4x4]

no idea... i think bucket posted the height of his coils when new & uninstalled


EDIT:

http://auszookers.com/index.php?name=Fo ... ini#175402

Bucket wrote:

My springs are a tad short of 470mm for the rear. Just measured them

[shandy92]

atari4x4 wrote:

no idea... i think bucket posted the height of his coils when new & uninstalled


EDIT:

http://auszookers.com/index.php?name=Fo ... ini#175402

Bucket wrote:

My springs are a tad short of 470mm for the rear. Just measured them

470mm, they are a really long lol. thanks for that link atari.

mitch

[4x4ish]

370 is a perfect length, my dobinsons i got custom made are 360. id guess your would be a bit softer but would give similar lift. mine give 60mm lift. that means you can put a shock with an open length of up to 560 and it will just stay in. 550 length would be ideal i would guess but best to measure up on your car.

yes definatly do both sides to see the lift.

i did my coils first time ever by my self, easier than i thought.

[shandy92]

4x4ish wrote:

370 is a perfect length, my dobinsons i got custom made are 360. id guess your would be a bit softer but would give similar lift. mine give 60mm lift. that means you can put a shock with an open length of up to 560 and it will just stay in. 550 length would be ideal i would guess but best to measure up on your car.

yes definatly do both sides to see the lift.

i did my coils first time ever by my self, easier than i thought.

ok cool, what shock have u used? will go back to the commo shock lenth thread and see what shocks are good.

yeah thats the kind of lift that im after, i really dont want anything more than 62mm (2.5") as i really really dont want to have fiddle with arms ect. did u have to do anything with 60mm?

Mitch

[4x4ish]

with 60mm at rear i didnt have to do anything else. check the other thread where is listed all the alternate shocks. i haven't tested some out those but what ive been told over the phone my the manufacturers they have a good chance of fitting. from memory vt commo wagon shock is 550 long and camira shock is another at 552 long.

[DarkHorse]

Nitpicking, but 75mm is 3", not 2.5".

[shandy92]

DarkHorse wrote:

Nitpicking, but 75mm is 3", not 2.5".

thanks darkhorse, been edited.