Dunno so much about the meganes but I've heard of people shortening the spring with clamps in situ just enough to move the strut up and out the hub, how safe that is.....is the question
+1 this is what I did to save so much time and effort, once lowering springs are fitted the shocks just barely squeeze in and out on their own though
That's how I did mine. I did use 2 clamps but removed one before I took the pic. Fitted it back the same way. Very quick and easy.
Dunno so much about the meganes but I've heard of people shortening the spring with clamps in situ just enough to move the strut up and out the hub, how safe that is.....is the question
Can't see why it'd be spectacularly dangerous, should the clamps work themself off the spring isn't going anywhere as it's still securely fitted around the strut, just make sure your pinkies are clear of any pinch points. :eek:
A good tip is to drain the gearbox oil. The driveshaft will always pop out slightly. With no oil spillage to worry about you can Manoeuvre the driveshaft /hub assembly to give you plenty more room. Changing these springs is not the nightmare it's made out to be on this forum.
That's a cringeworthy thought that lol. When you removed the shock out the hub did you then slacken the clamps off again then refit them as normal to remove the springs?
Yes I did and don't worry about your fingers you don't put your hands anywhere near the spring you only handle the strut, plus you don't unseat the spring so any gaps will only get bigger if the spring clamp slips.
Sorry but the way you've got these spring clamps is proper dangerous. They shouldn't be round the bottom of the shocker. That could easily slip off. I wouldn't advise anyone to put them on like that, only clamp the spring.
I did this on a 197 on the weekend. First side was a bit of a dick trying to work it out, but second side was easy enough. The spring needs to be clamped pretty tight, and I could only get 1 clamp on it. Lots of hammering and kicking needed
So if it did slip off what would happen? Nothing,it would just slip off and that's it. Not very dangerous at all.
You're clearly very clued up on mechanical workings then aren't you. If that slips off the bottom off the shock with tension on the spring it will be catapulted upwards at a rate of knots as the tension releases and damage something. Or even worse take off your fingers. Use your brain FFS. Imagine that's pointing at your face when you take it out and that slips off..... And you advise people to do it like that, fucking no chance.
The front clamp is hooked under the strut and the rear one is tight up against the chasis so there is no way it would slip off. It wouldn't be catapulted anywhere your talking shit. The clamps get took off long before the strut leaves the car.
So you're saying if it slipped off the bottom of the shocker with tension on the spring it wouldn't go anywhere?? Ok then haha.
It won't slip off. Jack the strut up to shorten it, add clamps, lower jack then release the strut from the hub. Nothing moves at all. Remove clamps, remove strut from the car and refit the clamps on the spring to remove it from the strut.
For arguments sake let's say a clamp did slip off the second clamp would still hold the tension of the spring.
