Homer Posted August 30, 2008 Share Posted August 30, 2008 Couple of questions: 1) The suspension looks very rusty and can see some damage to the alu seats(?) already, any tricks on getting these unfrozen? 2) Does anyone know where to get these? I've tried a few outlets but none stocked the adjustable ones Chris Wilson recommended in some old posts. Ta Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamieP Posted August 30, 2008 Share Posted August 30, 2008 Ive got a pair of Tein C spanners you can borrow mate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homer Posted August 30, 2008 Author Share Posted August 30, 2008 Ive got a pair of Tein C spanners you can borrow mate. Spot on, thanks mate Are you still in Beaconsfield? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swampy442 Posted August 30, 2008 Share Posted August 30, 2008 Yup me too. If the adjusters are corroded only brute force and ignorance or maybe a bit of heat will shift them. Dissimilar metal corrosion there. I tried to order new locking collars from Tein UK but they never got back to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gaz1 Posted August 30, 2008 Share Posted August 30, 2008 these http://www.camskill.co.uk/products.php?plid=m3b647s586p2685&rs=gb wd40 and the search button my friend:p Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamieP Posted August 30, 2008 Share Posted August 30, 2008 Spot on, thanks mate Are you still in Beaconsfield? Yea still in beaconsfield:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homer Posted August 30, 2008 Author Share Posted August 30, 2008 Yup me too. If the adjusters are corroded only brute force and ignorance or maybe a bit of heat will shift them. Dissimilar metal corrosion there. I tried to order new locking collars from Tein UK but they never got back to me. Yeah, mine look corroded too. I'll give it a try but am a bit worried about snapping the collar (not seat as mentioned earlier!) these http://www.camskill.co.uk/products.php?plid=m3b647s586p2685&rs=gb wd40 and the search button my friend:p Thanks Gaz, nice price. I searched, honestly guv Yea still in beaconsfield:) Appreicate the offer Jamie, but will buy some as I didn't realise Tein ones were available Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lockys96 Posted August 30, 2008 Share Posted August 30, 2008 id watch out and make sure they are well oiled, i had a set of old tein ha coilovers on my supra, and wanted to raise the height. as soon as i turnt the it, it completly sheard off Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homer Posted August 30, 2008 Author Share Posted August 30, 2008 id watch out and make sure they are well oiled, i had a set of old tein ha coilovers on my supra, and wanted to raise the height. as soon as i turnt the it, it completly sheard off Thats what worries me mate They're Tein HA's on this one too, Nic said they are probably VERY old... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamieP Posted August 30, 2008 Share Posted August 30, 2008 No worries bud. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveR Posted August 30, 2008 Share Posted August 30, 2008 Lots and lots of proper penetrating oil, not WD40. Plugas or equivalent. If they are the same as mine, the bottom, lone adjustable ring thingy is the ride height, the upper two that sit together are for the preload, and "aren't to be touched"! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hermit Posted August 30, 2008 Share Posted August 30, 2008 Is that square hole on the ones Camskill have got a 3/8 drive? Mine don't have that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dandan Posted August 30, 2008 Share Posted August 30, 2008 The chances are they'll be shagged if they've been on there any real length of time. Mine looked ok but were corroded on the thread interface - I guess there's some galvanic corrosion between the steel and the aluminium. One of mine had a hairline crack that ran axially like the sort you'd see on a pressure vessel or a split sausage under the grill! In my case the crack was a good indicator of internal pressue ............corrosion products building up in thread and "blowing" the spring seat open due to the extra material. I bought four new spring seats and four new locking rings from Paul Whiffin and a new set of C spanners and replaced the whole lot as I didn't want to take any chances. You're welcome to the spanners but I wouldn't bet my house on being able to budge the rings - depends how old they are...If I remember rightly they're not expensive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swampy442 Posted August 30, 2008 Share Posted August 30, 2008 Mine have a 3/8th hole as well Jon... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveR Posted August 30, 2008 Share Posted August 30, 2008 When I had my geo done the chap their said treat them as disposable items anyway as they shrink over time and will seize/crack. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homer Posted August 30, 2008 Author Share Posted August 30, 2008 If they are the same as mine, the bottom, lone adjustable ring thingy is the ride height, the upper two that sit together are for the preload, and "aren't to be touched"! It's only the bottom ones I want to adjust. The car used to be a lot heavier so now looks like a monster truck The chances are they'll be shagged if they've been on there any real length of time. Mine looked ok but were corroded on the thread interface - I guess there's some galvanic corrosion between the steel and the aluminium. One of mine had a hairline crack that ran axially like the sort you'd see on a pressure vessel or a split sausage under the grill! In my case the crack was a good indicator of internal pressue ............corrosion products building up in thread and "blowing" the spring seat open due to the extra material. I bought four new spring seats and four new locking rings from Paul Whiffin and a new set of C spanners and replaced the whole lot as I didn't want to take any chances. You're welcome to the spanners but I wouldn't bet my house on being able to budge the rings - depends how old they are...If I remember rightly they're not expensive. Thanks Dan, excellent advice You are probably right, they 'look' corroded and I don't fancy my chances of shifting them, but am considering giving it a go. I'll contact Paul and see if he has replacements available. If they're sensible it should hopefully be a cheaper than replacing them! General question - did everyone that had problems with them compress the springs before trying to adjust? I'd have assumed so, but just checking... Without compressing them I'd be putting an enormous strain on the collar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveR Posted August 30, 2008 Share Posted August 30, 2008 Didn't need to on mine, brute force (Bignum's) & ignorance (mine) moved them. Oh, and gallons of penetrating oil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swampy442 Posted August 30, 2008 Share Posted August 30, 2008 So whats the life on them then? If youre like me and never adjust them, when should I change the collars? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dandan Posted August 30, 2008 Share Posted August 30, 2008 General question - did everyone that had problems with them compress the springs before trying to adjust? I'd have assumed so, but just checking... I stripped the lot and took the springs off altogether as I knew I was going to be replacing the ali rings....the aluminimum rings might as well have been welded on for all the chance I had of budging them! 4" grinder and a cold chisel did the trick, then wire brushing (lots of) and then lots of copper grease and the newbies flew on a treat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveR Posted August 30, 2008 Share Posted August 30, 2008 So whats the life on them then? If youre like me and never adjust them, when should I change the collars? I think it depends on (off the top of my head): - were they copper greased when last adjusted? - do you drive the car much in the wet - do you drive the car much in the winter (salt) - is the car kept inside/outside (more temp changes/extremes if kept outside??) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dandan Posted August 30, 2008 Share Posted August 30, 2008 Well greased would be the key to longer life. In my case the corrosion was internal between the aluminium and steel, it wasn't from general corrosion from any wet weather or salt. That certainly would not help though Mine are Tein HA's by the way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hermit Posted August 30, 2008 Share Posted August 30, 2008 Mine have a 3/8th hole as well Jon... Cheers. That would've been useful when I was trying to free them up a while ago, had to resort to other means... thankfully they weren't seized that time, just f' tight, but sod's law says they will be next time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homer Posted August 30, 2008 Author Share Posted August 30, 2008 I stripped the lot and took the springs off altogether as I knew I was going to be replacing the ali rings....the aluminimum rings might as well have been welded on for all the chance I had of budging them! 4" grinder and a cold chisel did the trick, then wire brushing (lots of) and then lots of copper grease and the newbies flew on a treat. Right, so considering the cars past (rather hard) life, I'll assume they're seized on like everything else so far Cheers for the input Dan PM is sent to Paul, hopefully he can quote me happy when he's back from hols! Edit - Just realised they are Tein HR, not HA, but doubt this makes any difference Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hermit Posted August 30, 2008 Share Posted August 30, 2008 General question - did everyone that had problems with them compress the springs before trying to adjust? I'd have assumed so, but just checking... Without compressing them I'd be putting an enormous strain on the collar. I'm not sure that would make a huge difference, there's not much force there once they're just hanging edit: in other words, I don't bother compressing them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homer Posted August 30, 2008 Author Share Posted August 30, 2008 I'm not sure that would make a huge difference, there's not much force there once they're just hanging edit: in other words, I don't bother compressing them If they're still on the car (i.e. top mount still connected and bottom end still on the suspension) they still exert a huge force on the collar, was just curious if any of the problematic ones hadn't been compressed, but dandan blew that idea out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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