ke70dave Posted March 24, 2011 Report Posted March 24, 2011 just thought i would see if anyone had any ideas on how i should tackle this. ive picked up a set of JIC coilovers for the s15. second hand unfortunately, but they look in very good condition overall....and they were cheap (traded some other parts for them) and i cannot for the life of me move the base on one of the rears!! for those unfamiliar with them they look like these (this is just a google image NOT MY ACTUAL ITEMS) http://i46.tinypic.com/2yye97b.jpg the one closest is a Rear coilover, you can see the base is threaded onto the shock body. the majority of coilvoers do not have the base adjustment, but these do and you can get more height out of them (which is what i want) and mine is stuck good!!! problem is the guy before me had them set very low, and they need to be moved up to make it a reasonable height. other wise i could possibly just run them as they are...the other 3 spin fine, but the last one does not. things i have tried: -copious amounts of WD40 -this "locktite freaze and release" stuff -a spanner on the spherical bush end, an a good wack with a hammer (combined with a dodgy strap wrench attempting to hold the shock still) -my housemates muscles (i have none) things i am yet to try: -this stuff called "PB blaster", everyone on the net seems to recomend it, also "kroil" is another product that gets mentioned alot. both difficult to get, need to get them from specialist places (not repco or supercheap auto) -putting the shock in a vice and trying to turn it off (don't have a vice at my house, might get to parents house tonight), its a soft vice (not metal faces), but i prolly can't put to much pressure on it without damaging the thread. -HEAT! (I'm gonna pick up a heat gun from parents house tonight....) the main drama is it is very difficult to hold the threaded section of the coilover in order to get a decent amount of force onto the base. my last option is just to take it somewhere (maybe a shock reco joint) and say "fix this"!!! i am hoping the heat works, but there is a sticker on the shock that specifically sais "do not heat" so its a last resort type thing... any suggestions are welcome!! as this has been going on for 2 weeks now, and i miss my turbo and aircon:( Quote
LittleRedSpirit Posted March 24, 2011 Report Posted March 24, 2011 (edited) I don't suppose you actually have a big C spanner, the tool designed for the job? You can borrow mine if need be. If you feel its just stuck and not cross threaded or damaged so as it will be unusable, I would go ahead and fit them then use the car to anchor them, then do it on the car. Just like how an axle is easier to get out of a diff while the housing is still in the car. use the car to hold it in place while you crank on it. Edited March 24, 2011 by LittleRedSpirit Quote
ke70dave Posted March 24, 2011 Author Report Posted March 24, 2011 (edited) well you see in that photo. the locking nut is a "C spanner" style. but the locking nut is not the problem, that came off easy. and spins up the thread all fine. the base of the coilover has no notches or places to put the C spanner. it is supposed to spin freely, and you use the locking nut to hold it still. this is a photo of my actual shockies (Well not mine mine, but a photo of mine): http://springrates.com/catalog/components/com_virtuemart/shop_image/product/JIC_Magic_FLT_FA_4a294d30a9a13.jpg right hand ones are the rears, that red ring is the locking not, only ~5mm thick, that locks it together. where as the yellow/gold bottom/base section is threaded onto the bottom. has no provision for C spanner on it. just a smooth body with a thread on the inside. edit: no good in the car (i tried that, as i had them all in, and then tried to adjust...and found the problem), as the shock absorber just spins, and you cannot grab hold of the threaded section, there is nothing to grab hold of! Edited March 24, 2011 by ke70dave Quote
LittleRedSpirit Posted March 25, 2011 Report Posted March 25, 2011 Might need to heat the ring and cool the threaded tube, then try again. Quote
philbey Posted March 25, 2011 Report Posted March 25, 2011 (edited) I've had great success in the past with an old piece of bike tyre tube and a very large pair of multigrips that dad has lying around. Wrap the threaded section with the rubber and grab it nice and hard in the multigrips, should be able to swing on that. You may get there with some mild heat if these are steel, get a MAPP Gas torch and lightly heat the bottom section for 30 seconds, even 100-200 degrees will be fine, just enough to relax the outer thread on the inner. You know the deal with heating steel Dave, the danger comes from tempering it and making it brittle. if you're not getting a phase change then there should be minimal risk. EDIT- looky here, I found a pic of my tyre tube trick for undoing the top nut on KE10 struts. Straight outta the FAQ Edited March 25, 2011 by philbey Quote
ke70dave Posted March 25, 2011 Author Report Posted March 25, 2011 (edited) I'm fairly sure everything is aluminium (the outside definately is, i think the thread is too) i should get out the magnet to confirm. dad has a massive pipe wrench which combined with a bit of rubber/rag will be able to get a good grip on the threaded section, and I'm not sure what temp his heat gun is, its not bad though, hoping its enough! i intend on grabbing the threaded section where in a section where i am not likely to use (somewhere in the middle....) currently it is sitting at home wallowing in WD40, so hopefully it helps... Edited March 25, 2011 by ke70dave Quote
ke70dave Posted March 25, 2011 Author Report Posted March 25, 2011 good news everyone! had some success tonight. damanged it a bit though, still useable. vice + dad + stilsens + 1m steel tube on end of stilsens + heat (to the point of untouchable) = the ability to turn the coilover 1/4 of a turn at a time. it never became loose. it is bloody tight. all the threads that come out of the base are full of rust. ended up turning it just enough to get the height i desire. but it was a fight all the way. actually damaged the casing of the bush/spherical bush, it had a nice shoulder that i fit a 3/4" spanner around to hold it still. started to round quite badly!!!! still usable though. so, a rollaclub top tip. if you have coilovers, tomorrow buy some grease, and pull them appart!!! and apply copius amounts of grease, and reassemble... Quote
Jono.C Posted March 25, 2011 Report Posted March 25, 2011 Couldn't you have taken it into a suspension place to ask their opinion/ help to get it moving? Quote
Redwarf Posted March 25, 2011 Report Posted March 25, 2011 (edited) The greatest stuff I've ever come across for moving ceased stuff is called "mouse milk". I have unscrewed the inscrutable with that. Edited March 25, 2011 by Redwarf Quote
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.