Front Spring Change

[martin_t]

Hi

Its been a while since I built the Cobra (a long while!) and apart from general maintenance I haven't done much spanner work, so please bare with me!! Since replacing my RV8 with a 350 Ford Stroker and Tremec gearbox, the car has been a bit heavy on the front as you can imagine. The ride height is to low as the springs aren't rated high enough. I have been in touch with Andy Burrows and he is sending me some up-rated springs to fit as a replacement.

My questions are as follow:-

Will it be possible to change the springs without taking the shocks completely off the car (undo at the top maybe but leave the bottom attached?) I have limited space since moving house so the easier it is for me the better!!
Will the spring need compressing or do I just wind the support plate right down to the bottom before I take them off?
Lastly, the Pro Tech shocks have a knurled knob for damper adjustment. How do I know what the setting should be once the new springs are on?

Many thanks

Martin

[Happy Jim]

Yep, that will work.

Jack car up
Remove wheel
Wind spring base all the way down
undo top shock mount
Swing shock out
Prise out top collar and lift spring off.

As for the dampers, I start at the softest and work my way up until it’s too hard....then back off 3 clicks (highly scientific!)

Rgds
Jim

[martin_t]

Perfect!!

Thanks Jim

[Happy Jim]

2nd thoughts, no it won’t

Just nipped out to the garage and checked....no chance, top arms won’t allow enough movement

Soz

Jim

[martin_t]

Must admit I looked at mine and did wonder. Ok they'll have to come off then. Hopefully shouldn't be to difficult!
Thanks Jim

[richard8166]

I replaced my front shocks not that long ago. As I recall, I did "need" spring compressors, as the spring was still under a bit of compression even with the base wound all the way down. I figured it was safer, but there was not much compresssion left, maybe about 1cm...

[aaronjb]

I meant to say something like that - it highly depends on the 'free length' of your spring vs shocks.. on the GAZ shocks Dax supplied for my DeDion the fronts needed no compressors to assemble (just unwind the lower collar, remove the top collars and the spring slides off/on) but the rear needed compressors - or in my case, due to the small diameter of the spring, ratchet straps*, to compress the spring enough to get the top collars on.

*Not recommended, do at your own risk etc, there is a lot of stored energy in a suspension spring!

[martin_t]

Just to round the thread up, I changed the springs today without to much drama. I had to remove the shocks to change the springs and the only 'fiddly' bit was taking the top collar off to remove the springs and then putting it back once the new springs were fitted.
Thanks for all responses

Martin

[TINKA]

Glad to hear you got it all sorted, let us know what you fitted and how it is once you’ve had a chance to go out and drive it a bit.