suspension changing nightmare!!

[nickW]

started changing the suspension on my disco this evening, 2 1/2 hours and ive finally got front drivers side off, has anybody actually managed to undo the the nuts at the bottom of the front shocks i tried for ages and ended up cutting the the spring to pieces and then cutting the bottom of the shock off, has anyone got any advise for the other side, ive been soaking it in wd40 nightly since mon night, also the HD spring retainer go at the bottom of the spring don't they, now the 17mm bolts at the bottom of where the spring sits are being a pain in the neck to undo,

anyway i will upate everyone on my progress tomorrow once ive bought some more angle grinder blades!!

any advise would be helpful

[Richie_EB4]

Unfortunatly........thats LR's for ya...........a gas axe and an angle grinder are the best tools for the job  

If the bolts snap on the rear then drill them out and replace with a nut and bolt.

[J B]

take a hacksaw to the front shock, just above the spring seat, you can cut through it with the spring in situe

then lift out the shock/turrett assy

then angle grind whats left of the shock and the two M10 bolt heads, being carefull not to damage the spring seat

it will then all fall apart

then again angle grind the top shock mount from the top of the turrett if it wont undo, thus removing the shock from the turrett

then rebuild using nice new shiny bolts n shocks n springs

good luck

ta jon

[nickW]

thanks, and there was i trying to be careful taking it off trying to save as much as possible,

right tomorrow things wil be with a different approach, thanks for the advise keep it coming

[Budgie]

If you're not re-using the shocks then try using Stilsons (pipe wrench) to hold the shocker with a spanner on the bottom nut. Once the spanner has jammed on the axle mounting then use the stilsons to undo the shocker.  

[Discotel]

Hi Nick, My lift went quite good really, I did shear off a couple of retaining bolts though, I found it much easier to cut the remaing nut off with a grinder and replace them with an M10 nut and bolt. Also I undid the bottom nut no problem with a 19mm spaner...the trick is to hold the front shock with a pair of stillsons (pipe wrench) and get the spanner on the nut, then just turn the shock with the stillsons and off it comes.

The rear shock are easy as you should just be able to undo the nuts with a 19mm spanner. I did mine in this order.

Jack the car up and rest the chassis on axle stands, keep a trolley jack under the rear axle to hold the weight, undo the rear shock bottom nut, then lower the trolley jack, this will let the shock swing free and the spring will pop out, then remove the top shock nut and remove the shock, undo the retaining bolts to remove the spring (cut from underneath if they shear as this will save you drilling them out)..pop in the new spring and fix in place, then put on the shock top mount and jack the axle back up to the car and this will locate the lower mount for you.

Do this to both sides mate and you are sorted,

For the front I used the stillsons to hold and turn the shocks, then just cut off the top nut with a grinder as they are impossible to undo. I removed the turret aswell...Again undo the bottom nuts first and then let the trolley jack down, this will let the shock come free, you might need a bottle jack to push the axle down enough to remove the spring or get some spring clamps.

Trust me mate this works a treat, I did my lift in about 4hrs including shearing off bolts and cutting them off.

Hope this helps, Terry

[Pike]

go to b&q and buy about 10 steel cutting discs and good luck!!!!..........if you bought heavy duty retaining plates for the front from paddocks like I did dont bother trying to re-use the original captive nuts underneath the plates,youll never tighten em down,just drill straight through and use the nyloc nuts supplied............dont bother with wd 40 just cut it all out and start again with all new bolts,nuts etc.

[Range Rover Blues]

Don't bother with the WD40, just get a good spanner on the nuts and a Stilson on the shocker and snap the damn things off, they usually snap on me anyway so don't waste the time taking the nut halfway off first.  Another ploy is to drill into the nut from the front then split it with a cold chisel.

Drilling/grinding/hitting with a big hammer always makes you feel better anyway :D

[gords]

I found that an oil filter removal tool (strap or chain) worked very well. As long as you don't want the shock afterwards, that is!

For the back, most of the nuts were removed using a nut splitter - which saves a lot of time and effort. Remember to clean up the threads before putting a new nut on though (you'll need to buy a supply of new ones, of course!).

[stratie]

 I did my lift in about 4hrs

4 Hours  :shock: i must of spent 4 hours trying to get the rear shocks off, and they aint having none of it  :x
If the rain holds off tomorrow then i'll get the grinder out  :twisted:

[drmike]

As was suggested above.

Nut splitters not necessarily to split the nuts. I find that just tightening them onto nuts with some plus gas eases the grip enough for the nut to come off.

On the front I agree about the chain type oil filter tool it seems very effective.

Without wishing to be smug I've never resorted to a grinder just persisted with simple tools.

Mike

[Xtremeteam]

Discotel wrote:

I did my lift in about 4hrs  
4 Hours  i must of spent 4 hours trying to get the rear shocks off, and they aint having none of it  
If the rain holds off tomorrow then i'll get the grinder out  

ive done 98% of a lift in 4 hours,

rear takes no time atall even on the floor,can do rear springs in 10min each,shocks are included in that time

[Bush Tucker Man]

 I did my lift in about 4hrs

4 Hours  :shock: i must of spent 4 hours trying to get the rear shocks off, and they aint having none of it  :x

When I changed the rear shocks on the Discovery, from unlocking garage, both were swapped & tools put away within 30minutes .
Done on roadside with wheels on

(admittedly though, bog-stock suspension )

[Leigh]

I must have been really lucky, all bolts turned without a problem on mine. Oil filter wrench on the front shocks did the trick in no time  

[nickW]

status report:

right ive done the front, nothing came off easily but its done now and im soaking wet, obviously the front shocks and springs were knackered as a 2" lift kit has raised the front about 4"  :shock:

i think the rear should be easier tomorrow, don't worry i will report back will pics of the final product

now im off to the pub for a well deserved pint!!

[Xtremeteam]

status report:

right ive done the front, nothing came off easily but its done now and im soaking wet, obviously the front shocks and springs were knackered as a 2" lift kit has raised the front about 4"  :shock:

i think the rear should be easier tomorrow, don't worry i will report back will pics of the final product

now im off to the pub for a well deserved pint!!

u did put the correct springs on the right end?

got a disco in at work which a garage has fitted the rear springs to the front & front to the rear & it lifted the front by about 4 inchs

[bobtail4x4]

We did a Disco lift springs and shocks, in the middle of the Billing campsite, took about an hour, however there was a few working on it. :lol:

[nickW]

status report:

right ive done the front, nothing came off easily but its done now and im soaking wet, obviously the front shocks and springs were knackered as a 2" lift kit has raised the front about 4"  :shock:

i think the rear should be easier tomorrow, don't worry i will report back will pics of the final product

now im off to the pub for a well deserved pint!!

u did put the correct springs on the right end?

got a disco in at work which a garage has fitted the rear springs to the front & front to the rear & it lifted the front by about 4 inchs

yes mate you were correct ive only gone and fitted the rear springs to the front, i take that the progressive springs go on the back

comedy disco




front spring



rear spring


i will update this thread later in the week when hopefully i will have the springs the right way round!!!!!

[Xtremeteam]

status report:

right ive done the front, nothing came off easily but its done now and im soaking wet, obviously the front shocks and springs were knackered as a 2" lift kit has raised the front about 4"  :shock:

i think the rear should be easier tomorrow, don't worry i will report back will pics of the final product

now im off to the pub for a well deserved pint!!

u did put the correct springs on the right end?

got a disco in at work which a garage has fitted the rear springs to the front & front to the rear & it lifted the front by about 4 inchs

yes mate you were correct ive only gone and fitted the rear springs to the front, i take that the progressive springs go on the back

comedy disco




front spring



rear spring


i will update this thread later in the week when hopefully i will have the springs the right way round!!!!!

hell yeah im good  :lol:  :lol:  :lol:  :lol:

[Budgie]

At least you know it'll all come apart easier this time!!  :lol:

[davidlandy]

i know of somebody who did that as well !!  easily done!!

it wasnt me btw.

if they are reading this they may own up

[nickW]

heres some pics of the finished result

front


this is what it looked like before the lift when i bought it



and it only took 20 hours in total but it would of been a lot less if i had put the the springs on the correct way round first

anyway so now it has 31's and a 2"lift next is HD front bumper and snorkel


thanks to everyone for their advise and help in this thread