Can Not Get Shock Absorber Back In - Fitted New Spring - HELP

[Satch99]

Hi - just in the middle of changing over my standard springs to 40mm lower springs, all was going so well.
Started with the fronts, and got the shock absorber out, took the old spring off, got the new spring on and buttoned the shock absorber back up.

Trouble is now that i can not for the life of me get the shock absorber back in place.

Ive been trying for around 2 hours and now thinking to myself surely something must be wrong (unless im just crap)

It just seems like it is tool long, ive managed to get the top end through the gap and but the nut on at the top (under the bonnet)

But the bottom end will not swing into place to line up with the bolt holes at all, i must have tried a hundred scenarios to get it to line up but hitting a brick wall.

I compressed the springs really well before putting the shock absorber back together, and unless im missing something it seems fine and solid, and put back together correctly.

Has anybody ever experienced this before? And if so how did you overcome the problem. Or if i am just being a spanner, is there a specific way to get it back in that i have not come across?

Not that it would help but here is a pic of my put back together shock absorber (excuse the pink radio)

Also, not sure if this would ever change, but from head to toe it measures 60 inches.

Could it be that the actual shock absorber has extended when the old spring came out and is not compressing again? i dunno just a thought.

 

[JamesBryan]

Have you got both sides jacked up?

The anti roll bar will be holding the lower arm up, you'll need to get someone to put some weight on the arm so you can get a bolt in.

 

[Satch99]

Have you got both sides jacked up?

The anti roll bar will be holding the lower arm up, you'll need to get someone to put some weight on the arm so you can get a bolt in.

Hmm, nope I only have 1 side jacked up. Is that the reason?

Had to pack gear away now but will jack up the other side tomorrow aswell & see if that helps.

Thanks

 

[Daniel]

Have you pulled the piston all the way out on the shock??

 

[JamesBryan]

If you only have one side jacked up, you'll be fighting the tension of the anti roll bar.

 

[MicKPM]

As above, you pillock, you need the front end completely off the ground to save the ARB from pushing the side you're working on up.

 

[Budgie]

Get someone to put a bar on the wishbone and put a foot on it. Hub will lever down and you can slot one of the bolts in.

 

[Daniel]

Get someone to put a bar on the wishbone and put a foot on it. Hub will lever down and you can slot one of the bolts in.

Or just jack up the other side??

 

[Rob669]

To be fair, the first time I did this I had only one side jacked up supported on an axle stand. It took me nine hours of fighting the force of the anti roll bar to get the two bolts in and my arms were pumped! I should of done my research - see the Fubar series of guides in the Guides section.
You have to jack it up off the ground both sides at the front and support it on axle stands. It is still quite difficult working on your own to get the two bolts back in, I find it easier to try to put the top bolt of the two in first and use a large screw driver in the lower one (also remember to put the bolts through the right way - the nuts go on the rear side, and check you haven't damaged the CV boot). Are you doing the rear springs? If you are the same approach applies, jack it up both sides and use axle stands on the rear sills, also remove the sock absorber base bolt. Also, you need a torque wrench to tighten up the two nuts to 180 nm.

 

[Satch99]

Just want to say thank you everybody - i finally got it back in. Had to jack up the other side as menioned above, was still a ball ache trying to get it in on my own, so had to get the stepson ready with a bolt as i put weight on the hub to lower it and line up with the bolt hole.

On with the other side & then the rears. I do not have a torque wrench though, is it really neccesary? I will buy one if so. I'd rather spend the money and get it right than worry it could come apart while driving.

Again, thanks - im no mchanic, but love to give things a try - suspension is something ive never done before.

 

[Budgie]

Only nuts I really worry about torque with is with cambelt tensioners etc, or with bearings.

Suspension ones. Use common sense, you don't want them coming loose, but equally, no need to be hanging off a 6ft bar.

 

[GrahamS]

If you're changing the rear springs then I wouldn't worry about torquing up the bolts. Just do them tight enough but not too tight. If you want to have some piece of mind pop a dab of loctite 243 on the lower shock bolt. No need to take either of the wheels off.

 

[STEVE.M]

If you're changing the rear springs then I wouldn't worry about torquing up the bolts. Just do them tight enough but not too tight. If you want to have some piece of mind pop a dab of loctite 243 on the lower shock bolt. No need to take either of the wheels off.

I`m more in favour of a dab of copperslip,so it comes apart when it needs to in the future.
Tight as your wheelnuts will do.

 

[GrahamS]

I`m more in favour of a dab of copperslip,so it comes apart when it needs to in the future.
Tight as your wheelnuts will do.

So am I Steve! When I first started I always found loctite gave me the piece of mind to give more complex jobs a go but now I very rarely use the stuff.

 

[Satch99]

Thanks again. I need to replace one of the nut & bolts which hold the S/A to the hub as it wasnt moving with the impact gun either, so had to cut it off. Called Renault about 7 or 8 times, the phone just rings, and they say the parts section are busy, then i finally get through to them, the can't even help me as they need the VIN number (which i dont have to hand)

So does anybody have a spare one, or know where i can get it other than Renault?

 

[Rob669]

Oh, I'm not sure. I was always trained that no torque wrench means you don't do the job. You can buy one from Halfords (their Advanced range are pretty good) and with one of their trader cards (it's easy to get one of these) I think I paid about £40 for the high torque one and a bit less for the lower torque version.

 

[STEVE.M]

Thanks again. I need to replace one of the nut & bolts which hold the S/A to the hub as it wasnt moving with the impact gun either, so had to cut it off. Called Renault about 7 or 8 times, the phone just rings, and they say the parts section are busy, then i finally get through to them, the can't even help me as they need the VIN number (which i dont have to hand)

So does anybody have a spare one, or know where i can get it other than Renault?

If you need the nut & bolt for the front shock,I have a couple.
A cheap £108 impact gun is never going to undo these bolts,a decent £30 breaker bar is a much better investment.

 

[Satch99]

If you need the nut & bolt for the front shock,I have a couple.
A cheap £108 impact gun is never going to undo these bolts,a decent £30 breaker bar is a much better investment.

Cheers, i managed to find a set of 4 on ebay for £11 delivered so bought them and now im all sorted, front and rears, The bolts were a pure B**tard, my impact wrench worked on the fronts, but used the trust breaker bar on the rears. All sorted though.

Cheers.