Author Topic: Suspension springs snapped!!  (Read 6042 times)

Offline streaky

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Suspension springs snapped!!
« on: 24 January 2011, 16:37 »
Guys and gals

I went to get a tyre changed and got told that both my rear springs have snapped!

The car was lowered by the previous owner and I want to put it back to its normal ride height. VW say they don't supply the parts anymore...

Any recommendations on where to get standard springs for a 3 door mk 2 8v and how much it should cost to have them fitted? I've been quoted £300....

Cheers

Offline mk2bal

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Re: Suspension springs snapped!!
« Reply #1 on: 24 January 2011, 16:48 »
300 quid?! They're having a laugh! Unless they're made of gold, or they're charging £150 per hour plus parts.. I'd have thought more like 30 for the springs. I'd get 2 new shocks as well,build em up off the car then swap em straight over yourself. Very easy job, one bolt at bottom and a couple of nuts on top!! You can get 4 new shocks with lowered springs for less than 200 quid, and the ride won't be 2 bad either

Offline The Mighty Elvi

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Re: Suspension springs snapped!!
« Reply #2 on: 24 January 2011, 17:05 »
 :grin: :grin:

Get down to GSF and get some boggo standard shock and springs.  Also get a set of spring compressing clamps.

Rears are held on buy one bolt at the bottom.  Can change them both in 45 minutes,  easy peasy.

Do it yourself.  LEARN.

Get the Haynes book of lies for instructions, or ask here if you are that unsure and we'll walk you through it.

1. Wheel brace.
2. jack.
3. set of spanners.
4. Spring compressing clamps.
5. set of rear shocks
6. set of rear springs.
7. Bricks jamming front wheels and removed wheel under car.

Undo all the bolts on the top mount (in boot) so you free the top of the shock.

iirc the bolts at the bottom are a 15mm for the nut inside the axle and a 17mm for the bolt head.

Put the spanner on the 15mm nut and brace against the inside of the axle, and then turn the 17mm bolt to undo.

Put a bit of weight on the axle - pushing downwards - and wiggle the bolt out.

Then the shock is free.  It may drop downwards through the mounting bracket.

Put your foot on the axle and push down.  Bring the shock back through the brackets an lift it over and down.  Then you can twist the shock out from the wheel well.

Clamp the springs, remove spring plate.

Fit new springs onto new shocks.  Clamp down springs and fit spring plate.  Screw on retaing nut, release sring clamps.

Refit new shocks.  reversal of removal procedure.

« Last Edit: 24 January 2011, 17:14 by The Mighty Elvi »


Offline mr mk2

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Re: Suspension springs snapped!!
« Reply #4 on: 24 January 2011, 17:59 »
if u live near northants u can have the 1s i just took off my mk2 when i put my coilovers on, they'll only end up down the tip anyway and it saves u a bit of cash if u cant afford new 1s

Offline Thom89

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Re: Suspension springs snapped!!
« Reply #5 on: 24 January 2011, 18:35 »
Guys and gals

I went to get a tyre changed and got told that both my rear springs have snapped!

The car was lowered by the previous owner and I want to put it back to its normal ride height. VW say they don't supply the parts anymore...

Any recommendations on where to get standard springs for a 3 door mk 2 8v and how much it should cost to have them fitted? I've been quoted £300....

Cheers

He wants to put the car back to the OE ride height, Parts, labour and VAT, for all four springs, the car could easily tie up 3+ hours on a ramp, the £300 is not as daft as it sounds!
GSF should be able to get some Eibachs springs for you, though most garages don't fit self supplied parts..

Thom
« Last Edit: 24 January 2011, 18:41 by thom89 »

Offline The Mighty Elvi

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Re: Suspension springs snapped!!
« Reply #6 on: 24 January 2011, 21:12 »
Thats news to me.  All the garages I've used have been happy to use parts I've supplied.


Offline Thom89

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Re: Suspension springs snapped!!
« Reply #7 on: 24 January 2011, 21:37 »
Thats news to me.  All the garages I've used have been happy to use parts I've supplied.



Car stripped on the ramp, owner supplies wrong parts (happens all the time, got it cheap off ebay mate!)  what do you do then? leave it on the ramp while you have another 4 or 5 jobs to do waiting outside, or put it back together so you can get it off the ramp, then charge an hours labour for doing nothing! on a car that still cant be driven.... just not worth the grief

Thom

Offline The Mighty Elvi

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Re: Suspension springs snapped!!
« Reply #8 on: 24 January 2011, 21:59 »
Well within that senario I agree.  But I have always supplied brand new parts - typically from GSF - where they would get them from anyway.  I've just saved them the phone call.


Offline dan_apps

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Re: Suspension springs snapped!!
« Reply #9 on: 24 January 2011, 22:25 »

Thats news to me.  All the garages I've used have been happy to use parts I've supplied.


what happened to this part? :lipsrsealed: :grin:



Do it yourself.  LEARN.