It was only a matter of time.

[S4_dan]

N/S/R spring has finally snapped. The O/S was replaced a few years ago by the P.O.

Personally I always replace in pairs.

So, now I know how it will look once I've fitted my eibach pro-kit. Just a shame I'll be doing outside in the cold!

Poll;

How many of the top pinch bolts will snap?!

A) Just the N/S.

B) Just the O/S.

C) Both, just for fun!

 

[vr6gordy]

You don't have to undo the pinch bolt to swop spring just take off caliper then undo the hub nut remove the lower ball joints undo the steering trackrod undo the 3 bolts that hold it in place at the top and remove drive shaft from hub then it all comes out

 

[mattyb6]

If doing it outside by my self is do it like Gordy said
It's not difficult, just heavy by yourself

As for the rear, I found them more awkward, had to loosen the arb, caliper off, nearly took the hub off, then loads of weight on the bottom arm lol

 

[Jimmy TDI]

It's best to lower the subframe an inch, or so when doing the rears to give yourself that bit more room to get the springs out. You will have to get an alignment done anyway after suspension work so it won't cause any issues.

 

[ruffrida]

Sack that, get a fat friend stand on the hub, soon pops out lol. As for the fronts, easy as! undo ya bottom bolt, get ya fat friend on the hub again (i didnt need this as all did was push hard down,but i do weigh over 16st) pull the strut to one side, undo the 3 bolts at the top, which will drop the strut down, now undo the 2bolts on the other end of the arms, no need go any where near the nasty pinch bolt. Outside, 3hrs tops. Rebuild the same way, job done.

 

[vr6gordy]

Want a hand to help ??

 

[desertstorm]

As above you don't need to remove the pinch bolt but whats all this about removing the calipers and driveshafts etc.
The Passat B5.5 is very similar and I have removed front springs and shockers several times quite easily.
You need to jack the car up both sides so both wheels are in the air.
On the side you are removing the spring / shocker from remove the ARB link, this should come off easily because the ARB is not under tension, If you don't have both sides jacked up the ARB will be under a load of force and it's difficult/ impossible to remove the bolts.
you will then be able to push the suspension down a lot further than normal to enable you to manouvre the strut out.
This link might prove helpful.

http://www.audizine.com/forum/showthread.php/114492-B6-B7-A4-Suspension-Removal-and-Install

Unfortunately looks like I am outside tomorrow changing a broken front spring on a 2004 Focus that belongs to one of the wifes friends. Hopefully only an hours job though as the You Tube video I looked at seems to be pretty straight forward.

Karl.

 

[ruffrida]

Want a hand to help ??

If I wasn't bk at work tomoz i would be glad to lol

 

[S4_dan]

Thanks for the replies guys. I was just going to cut the O/S/R spring out lol. The other side I think will pull out once car is jacked up.

Good point about the fronts, removing the full lot.

Vr6gordy, thanks for the offer. I'm not sure when I'll get round to doing it. All I know is it will have to be outside due to no garage. Joys.

 

[S4_dan]

If I wasn't bk at work tomoz i would be glad to lol

Lol, are you not 'up north' from Helmsley?!

 

[vr6gordy]

Let me know when your going to do it

 

[vr6gordy]

We could fix it at mine on the drive

 

[S4_dan]

It's Minus 3 here. ****** chilly outside. Won't be doing it today.

 

[desertstorm]

Just plucking up the courage to go out and change the spring on this Focus.

It's only -1 at the moment so positively balmy.

 

[BakPak]

Stuff that mate too cold. 5 degrees and rising rapidly is what you want.

 

[ruffrida]

Oooooo no thanks lol

 

[spartacus 68]

Been there, done it. I've had to shift snow before to get a place to sit down!

 

[desertstorm]

Well small job turned into a bigger job. Just over a week ago when I last saw the Focus and diagnosed a broken spring it only had one. In the week since the other one had broken, I only find out when I went out to start changing the one that was broken so then had to locate another one locally so I could get this thing off the drive today.
Fortunately as it seems these are a very common failure my local autoparts place had 1 in stock.
So took about 2.5 hours in total including getting the new spring to change them both.
I did say to replace both but the owner said they didn't want to spend the money and do just the one. Because they have been driving it around with only one good spring taking all the weight that broke as well.
Not too bad a job and it wasn't that cold as it wasn't windy, I have replaced brake pipes in the snow many years ago so this wasn't too bad.

 

[ruffrida]

Well small job turned into a bigger job. Just over a week ago when I last saw the Focus and diagnosed a broken spring it only had one. In the week since the other one had broken, I only find out when I went out to start changing the one that was broken so then had to locate another one locally so I could get this thing off the drive today.
Fortunately as it seems these are a very common failure my local autoparts place had 1 in stock.
So took about 2.5 hours in total including getting the new spring to change them both.
I did say to replace both but the owner said they didn't want to spend the money and do just the one. Because they have been driving it around with only one good spring taking all the weight that broke as well.
Not too bad a job and it wasn't that cold as it wasn't windy, I have replaced brake pipes in the snow many years ago so this wasn't too bad.
View attachment 47044

Nice quality ford parts as usual lol. Fair play to ya

 

[BakPak]

Scrap it. In fact sod it, scrap all Fords.

 

[desertstorm]

As I always say Ford = Fix Or Repair Daily . It belongs to one of the wifes Friends.
But it's actually not that bad a car for what it cost. She wanted a cheap run about so I found this 2004 car for £950. And she hasn't had any other issues with it other than the rear wiper motor has died.
She was looking to buy a Peugeot 206 which would have been a lot worse.
All cars have issues and with the Focus it seems one of them is the springs braking.
Well at least it was cheap to fix the first spring I bought off Fleabay, A KYB item that was £18.50 delivered.
And it wasn't that hard to do really, not like the stupid pinchbolt that VAG use on the Passats A4's A6's etc that can take hours to remove sometimes.

Karl.

 

[S4_dan]

Spur of the moment idea to to try fix my car. Wife is going shopping so have some peace for an hour.

Right, snapped spring almost pulled straight out. It's out now.

New spring won't go in the same way! lol. I've tried standing on the hub but can only get 1/2 inch drop on it.

Will removing the ARB link allow a further drop? Or do I have to undo the sub frame bolt which is bl@@dy tight! Even with my 2 1/2 ft breaker bar it won't budge!

Help. lol.

Dan

P.S. I'm only doing the rears today. The fronts I'll do at a Garage in Thirsk with all the tools lol

 

[ruffrida]

Unfortunately mate it will be the tight one for the sub frame that would need undoing!!

 

[desertstorm]

Removing the ARB link should allow the suspension to drop further. If you have only one side of the car jacked up the ARB will be under tension you really need both wheels unloaded then it isn't an issue.
When I installed the rear springs on my Audi the biggest issue I had was the rear springs, probably a slightly different setup I had to use spring compressors and ratchet straps to compress the spring and then ended up using the original car scissors jack to push the suspension down whilst I manoeuvred the spring in.

 

[S4_dan]

Got one side done. Removed the bottom shock bolt, removed the ARB bracket and used a 5ft pole to lever down onto the hub. Managed to squeeze the spring in. Job done.

However, went to the O/S and one ARB bracket bolt snapped so needs drilling out now. But as this spring is intact, levering down on the hub isn't enough to remove this spring so tomorrow I will be cutting it.

Will have to drill the snapped bolt at the garage I think next week sometime.

The car does have both wheels in the air and on axle stands.

 

[vr6gordy]

You need someone to press the break pedal as you undo the hub bolt comes out dead easy

 

[S4_dan]

You need someone to press the break pedal as you undo the hub bolt comes out dead easy

Is this for the fronts?

 

[vr6gordy]

Is this for the fronts?

Yeah

 

[vr6gordy]

For the rears aren't you using spring claps dead easy with them

 

[S4_dan]

For the rears aren't you using spring claps dead easy with them

My spring clamps wont fit. The threaded bar is too long and catches on the lower arm.

It's far too cold to go out there now. :-(

Will be lunch time as I need to get it finished. We have a shared drive, hence fixing it on the patio, much to the wifes' annoyance.

Still, it's a nice morning.... (rubbish phone camera picture!)

 

[S4_dan]

It's done!

Next is to do the fronts but that will wait until next year! Oh, and wash the car too! haha

Oh, and drill out that snapped bolt on the RARB bracket.

 

[vr6gordy]

Theres a special spring clamp you need to use so that it fits I was lucky my mate has one

 

[S4_dan]

Settled a bit now. Still needs a good wash though.

Can't wait to do the fronts! Not doing the B5 perches though. I think it'll look even enough with the prokit.

 

[ruffrida]

Settled a bit now. Still needs a good wash though.

Can't wait to do the fronts! Not doing the B5 perches though. I think it'll look even enough with the prokit.

Yeh thats what everyone thinks, till they do them, then they have to do it twice. It will look loads better, trust me