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Post by Hoovie on Aug 6, 2022 18:57:36 GMT
I did a quick search on eBay for "spring compressor tools" and looks like plenty to chose from for £20 or less, so I think at that price, I'll do the spring swap myself (and do both sides as well assuming the first goes to plan)  any recommendations anyone has for a tool set (bearing in mind this is for a one-off job so looking for affordability) Not many jobs on cars would worry me but coil springs alway need the greatest of respect . I was using £600 style equipment so the risk to myself was minimal. Of the cheap DIY ones available, this "two claw" top and bottom limits the risk of the tools slipping round the same side of the spring under tension. www.ebay.co.uk/itm/155011091104that is the style I saw used on the Youtube video and does look a lot safer than the single contact point ones. The guy on the video on multiple occasions made the point about making sure to keep out the line of fire when doing the job! I suppose with coilover style of fitting, there is less chance of the spring 'springing out' as the shock leg is in the way of that happening, so a bit safer as well (in my mind - maaybe that is wrong?) When I did the VW T4, the rear hubs dropped so much when jacked up, didn't need to hardly compress the springs, if at all (and these were standard length ones I fitted, not shortened lowering ones) |
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Post by unclebob on Aug 6, 2022 19:04:00 GMT
Not many jobs on cars would worry me but coil springs alway need the greatest of respect . I was using £600 style equipment so the risk to myself was minimal. Of the cheap DIY ones available, this "two claw" top and bottom limits the risk of the tools slipping round the same side of the spring under tension. www.ebay.co.uk/itm/155011091104that is the style I saw used on the Youtube video and does look a lot safer than the single contact point ones. The guy on the video on multiple occasions made the point about making sure to keep out the line of fire when doing the job! I suppose with coilover style of fitting, there is less chance of the spring 'springing out' as the shock leg is in the way of that happening, so a bit safer as well (in my mind - maaybe that is wrong?) When I did the VW T4, the rear hubs dropped so much when jacked up, didn't need to hardly compress the springs, if at all (and these were standard length ones I fitted, not shortened lowering ones) Agree keeping out the line of fire it total priority 😉 DIY spring clamps slipping around to the same side of the spring is common, leaving the spring looking like a banana ! Bit like defusing a bomb….slow and steady as you take the coil off the shock absorber 👍🏻 |
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Post by charliefarlie on Aug 6, 2022 20:14:15 GMT
Dunno if anyone here remembers the fitting rings on lorry wheels from a while back ? When refitting a Frye two steel rings secured the things in place. When inflating you had to tap them with a hammer gently so they seated together. It was by no means scarce for those rings to fly off and in many cases maimed or sometimes killed the fitters. We used to have a stool to sit the wheels onto and a mushroom shaped steel cage which screwed into the stool to arrest the rings. But that was a right old faff so fitters used to stand to one side while tapping the rings and inflating the tyres …… Trust me they were more than on par with flying suspension leg springs 😳😳😳
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Post by bothwellbuyer on Aug 7, 2022 14:35:43 GMT
Just read through the string.... a broken spring is a MOT failure. And sadly, its a fairly common fault on RAV4s. Especially the 4.1s, so I reckon MOT testers will take a closer look, given its a known RAV4 issue regardless of age. I went through a number of broken springs on mine, and they were only 3 door cars. I vaguely remember doing the front springs on one car. Just a bit of faff but not too difficult. Think I used 2 spring clamps on each spring.
Replace both springs, as said already.
Charliefarlie.......I have a spare wheel for the Bedford Green Goddess - its one I bought from ebay seller, and is as rusty as you could get. Looking at the ?cast ring around the wheel, I would ceetainly not attempt to play around with the wheel. Looks way too dangerous!!
BTW - the Green Goddess is sold - its at Edinburgh Truckfest this weekend with the new owner. I forgot to give him the spare wheel lol...its a ton weight !
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Post by charliefarlie on Aug 7, 2022 16:04:38 GMT
Just read through the string.... a broken spring is a MOT failure. And sadly, its a fairly common fault on RAV4s. Especially the 4.1s, so I reckon MOT testers will take a closer look, given its a known RAV4 issue regardless of age. I went through a number of broken springs on mine, and they were only 3 door cars. I vaguely remember doing the front springs on one car. Just a bit of faff but not too difficult. Think I used 2 spring clamps on each spring. Replace both springs, as said already. Charliefarlie.......I have a spare wheel for the Bedford Green Goddess - its one I bought from ebay seller, and is as rusty as you could get. Looking at the ?cast ring around the wheel, I would ceetainly not attempt to play around with the wheel. Looks way too dangerous!! BTW - the Green Goddess is sold - its at Edinburgh Truckfest this weekend with the new owner. I forgot to give him the spare wheel lol...its a ton weight ! Hoovies car is a Vauxhall Corsa unless I’m mistaken Ian 👍👍 |
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Post by firemac on Aug 7, 2022 16:07:46 GMT
I did a quick search on eBay for "spring compressor tools" and looks like plenty to chose from for £20 or less, so I think at that price, I'll do the spring swap myself (and do both sides as well assuming the first goes to plan) :TU: any recommendations anyone has for a tool set (bearing in mind this is for a one-off job so looking for affordability) I’ve seen a mechanic friend of mine compress a road spring with a couple of nylon ratchet tie-down straps. |
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Post by bothwellbuyer on Aug 7, 2022 22:27:21 GMT
Just read through the string.... a broken spring is a MOT failure. And sadly, its a fairly common fault on RAV4s. Especially the 4.1s, so I reckon MOT testers will take a closer look, given its a known RAV4 issue regardless of age. I went through a number of broken springs on mine, and they were only 3 door cars. I vaguely remember doing the front springs on one car. Just a bit of faff but not too difficult. Think I used 2 spring clamps on each spring. Replace both springs, as said already. Charliefarlie.......I have a spare wheel for the Bedford Green Goddess - its one I bought from ebay seller, and is as rusty as you could get. Looking at the ?cast ring around the wheel, I would ceetainly not attempt to play around with the wheel. Looks way too dangerous!! BTW - the Green Goddess is sold - its at Edinburgh Truckfest this weekend with the new owner. I forgot to give him the spare wheel lol...its a ton weight ! Hoovies car is a Vauxhall Corsa unless I’m mistaken Ian 👍👍 Thanks... still in mourning for the loss/sale of the fire engine ! Concentration is missing. |
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Post by Hoovie on Aug 8, 2022 12:33:07 GMT
Ref spring compressors .... I am thinking of going to a local garage and asking them if they will swap the springs over on the coilover assemblies if I take them over to them along with the new springs. Can be sure they would be done safely and correctly and would save a considerable amount on the labour costs compared to paying them to remove and refit the assemblies as well as swapping the springs.
(garage I am thinking off pressed the replacement wheel bearings into an assembly for me in the past).
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Post by unclebob on Aug 8, 2022 15:00:35 GMT
Ref spring compressors .... I am thinking of going to a local garage and asking them if they will swap the springs over on the coilover assemblies if I take them over to them along with the new springs. Can be sure they would be done safely and correctly and would save a considerable amount on the labour costs compared to paying them to remove and refit the assemblies as well as swapping the springs. (garage I am thinking off pressed the replacement wheel bearings into an assembly for me in the past). Definitely a better option …that way no chance of loosing fingers or head ! 😉😉 |
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Post by charliefarlie on Aug 8, 2022 16:11:59 GMT
Ref spring compressors .... I am thinking of going to a local garage and asking them if they will swap the springs over on the coilover assemblies if I take them over to them along with the new springs. Can be sure they would be done safely and correctly and would save a considerable amount on the labour costs compared to paying them to remove and refit the assemblies as well as swapping the springs. (garage I am thinking off pressed the replacement wheel bearings into an assembly for me in the past). Definitely a better option …they way no chance of loosing fingers or head ! 😉😉 Completely agree 👍👍👍 It’s not a job I would relish doing either 👍👍 |
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Post by Hoovie on Aug 19, 2022 17:46:30 GMT
Definitely a better option …they way no chance of loosing fingers or head ! 😉😉 Completely agree 👍👍👍 It’s not a job I would relish doing either 👍👍 Went to the garage in question today and asked them if they would replace the coils on the two assemblies if I brought them in and how much? Yes they will  . £30 the pair, so that is that sorted. Just need to buy the coils (~£50) and remove the suspension arms to take in. |
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Post by charliefarlie on Aug 19, 2022 18:07:57 GMT
Completely agree 👍👍👍 It’s not a job I would relish doing either 👍👍 Went to the garage in question today and asked them if they would replace the coils on the two assemblies if I brought them in and how much? Yes they will  . £30 the pair, so that is that sorted. Just need to buy the coils (~£50) and remove the suspension arms to take in. Well worth that David just to stay safe…. 👍👍👍 |
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Post by Hoovie on Aug 19, 2022 18:14:25 GMT
Went to the garage in question today and asked them if they would replace the coils on the two assemblies if I brought them in and how much? Yes they will . £30 the pair, so that is that sorted. Just need to buy the coils (~£50) and remove the suspension arms to take in. Well worth that David just to stay safe…. 👍👍👍 Absolutely  |
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Post by unclebob on Aug 20, 2022 13:26:01 GMT
Completely agree 👍👍👍 It’s not a job I would relish doing either 👍👍 Went to the garage in question today and asked them if they would replace the coils on the two assemblies if I brought them in and how much? Yes they will . £30 the pair, so that is that sorted. Just need to buy the coils (~£50) and remove the suspension arms to take in. Sounds like a result David 😎😎 |
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Post by Hoovie on Mar 26, 2023 10:47:18 GMT
just to revisit this thread ....
I never got round to doing anything regarding this as I kind of forgotten TBH as there really were no symptoms of a problem so went out of my mind.
Went for an MOT a week ago and .... yup, you will have already guessed .... Failed on Spring. Now I really didn't have a problem with that and in a way I was pleased as the MOT Tester is doing his job properly and I prefer to know if there are problems that need sorting.
Interestingly they didn't suggest doing both springs and juat gave me a price for the one side. Quote of £130 parts & labour to do the work was ok as well I think so just got it done. (I had planned on a DIY job as mentioned before but TBH it would have been a pain to do and at the price quoted happy to just get it sorted by them).
Overall cost for the day was £460 for the MOT, Coil Replacement, an Air-Con Recharge which I requested and a basic Annual Service, so that was all reasonable enough.
What was a bit annoying is that the next time I went to start the car after the service it wouldn't! took about 8 goes to get going and was ok after that - until the next day when the same thing happened. Checking with garage they thought Engine Coolant sensor and searching internet tended to confirm this thought.
Seems when this sensor fails, the engine thinks it is hot and I guess adapts the fueling? (the symptoms were very much of a fuel starvation nature). Garage quoted £80 to replace. Decided to buy replacement sensor from Motor Factors (£13) and fit myself and it seems to have resolved the issue.
Always suspicious that you get a failure immediately after a garage has worked on the car but I suppose those things jut happen sometimes.
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. £30 the pair, so that is that sorted. Just need to buy the coils (~£50) and remove the suspension arms to take in.