How to improperly install an e36 rear spring

Kinja'd!!! "Santiago of Escuderia Boricua" (sdiglesias)
05/21/2016 at 19:39 • Filed to: Ralle36

Kinja'd!!!0 Kinja'd!!! 23
Kinja'd!!!

many loops of safety wire

Kinja'd!!! Kinja'd!!!

Seat it with the jack and compress it, then cut the wires


DISCUSSION (23)


Kinja'd!!! DrJohannVegas > Santiago of Escuderia Boricua
05/21/2016 at 19:45

Kinja'd!!!3

That high-pitched noise you hear is me nervously whining as I scrolled through the photos.


Kinja'd!!! TheHondaBro > Santiago of Escuderia Boricua
05/21/2016 at 19:48

Kinja'd!!!0

Oh good, I’ve always wanted to know.


Kinja'd!!! Blondude > Santiago of Escuderia Boricua
05/21/2016 at 19:50

Kinja'd!!!1

Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck that


Kinja'd!!! TheHondaBro > DrJohannVegas
05/21/2016 at 19:52

Kinja'd!!!1

Or my teapot.


Kinja'd!!! Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero > Santiago of Escuderia Boricua
05/21/2016 at 19:53

Kinja'd!!!0

You mean you didn’t cut the wires without compressing it for science?


Kinja'd!!! Santiago of Escuderia Boricua > DrJohannVegas
05/21/2016 at 20:05

Kinja'd!!!0

This makes four successful times actually


Kinja'd!!! Santiago of Escuderia Boricua > Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero
05/21/2016 at 20:06

Kinja'd!!!0

I was wearing safety glasses. It did uncompress some when I cut them. Nbd


Kinja'd!!! 4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 > Santiago of Escuderia Boricua
05/21/2016 at 20:07

Kinja'd!!!3

I’ve seen galvanised wire stop a cow moving at full chat so, provided the wires are terminated correctly, there’s actually plenty of strength there.

Those wires are not terminated correctly, and the only thing stopping those springs from decompressing is the ductile strength of the wire (not a lot), and the friction of the multiple strands against the coil.


Kinja'd!!! Berang > Santiago of Escuderia Boricua
05/21/2016 at 20:09

Kinja'd!!!0

What’s the proper way, because I don’t see how one could fit a spring compressor in there when the spring’s in place.


Kinja'd!!! Santiago of Escuderia Boricua > 4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30
05/21/2016 at 20:10

Kinja'd!!!0

Exactly. The capstone friction is pretty significant with that much wire. Trust me, I’m an engineer


Kinja'd!!! Funktheduck > TheHondaBro
05/21/2016 at 20:10

Kinja'd!!!0

I thought you were the tea pot


Kinja'd!!! 4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 > Santiago of Escuderia Boricua
05/21/2016 at 20:11

Kinja'd!!!1

So you worked it out?


Kinja'd!!! Funktheduck > Santiago of Escuderia Boricua
05/21/2016 at 20:13

Kinja'd!!!0

Why the wire to begin with? Couldn’t you just drop the suspension, put in springs, and then jack the arm back up?

How do you get the wire out? Doesn't the spring rest on some rubber absorber or something?


Kinja'd!!! Santiago of Escuderia Boricua > Funktheduck
05/21/2016 at 20:17

Kinja'd!!!0

If I drop the trailing arm, I need to get it aligned again


Kinja'd!!! Santiago of Escuderia Boricua > Berang
05/21/2016 at 20:18

Kinja'd!!!1

The proper way is to drop the trailing arm... fuck that shit


Kinja'd!!! Santiago of Escuderia Boricua > 4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30
05/21/2016 at 20:19

Kinja'd!!!1

I estimated and added a safety factor


Kinja'd!!! Funktheduck > Santiago of Escuderia Boricua
05/21/2016 at 20:23

Kinja'd!!!0

Ah. Well, I'm glad it worked out. Springs freak me out after I learned how dangerous they can be.


Kinja'd!!! DasWauto > Santiago of Escuderia Boricua
05/21/2016 at 20:33

Kinja'd!!!1

I take it you couldn’t get the spring in with the compressors installed? Would removing the shock, or at least undoing the lower mount not give you enough droop to get the spring in/out? On my car doing that gave me that extra bit of space to allow the springs to come out and go in without loosening any of the trailing/lateral arms.


Kinja'd!!! SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman > Santiago of Escuderia Boricua
05/21/2016 at 21:57

Kinja'd!!!0

No, it’s not....you can remove and install even a stock spring by simply unbolting the shock.... There’s enough droop to squeeze in and out the spring without even needing a spring compressor


Kinja'd!!! GUYMANDUDE > Berang
05/21/2016 at 22:41

Kinja'd!!!0

Remove the shock and Release the ebrake and the spring has enough room to get it in and out. You don’t have to compress it. The ebrake will hold the arm up after the shock is released.


Kinja'd!!! Santiago of Escuderia Boricua > SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman
05/22/2016 at 00:55

Kinja'd!!!0

Not in my experience. The half shaft will bind before the spring goes in. I think my springs are bigger than the m3 though


Kinja'd!!! Santiago of Escuderia Boricua > GUYMANDUDE
05/22/2016 at 00:56

Kinja'd!!!0

I no longer have the cable ebrake, but in my experience the half shaft doesn’t allow enough angle


Kinja'd!!! GUYMANDUDE > Santiago of Escuderia Boricua
05/22/2016 at 11:12

Kinja'd!!!0

That is strange.

First time I tried to change rear springs on my e36 I removed the shock but it wouldn’t sag enough. Turned out to be the ebrake. Derp.

With the ebrake off and the shock removed there is lots of room.