jon928se

I'ld do a poll but my Rennlist skills haven't got that far.

I've no aversion to -

Unbolting the upper A arm from the body and splitting the top ball joint
or
Removing the lower A arm - remove completely or leave the ball joint connected and undo the lower A arm mounts body and swing it out of the way
or
Some ingenious way no one has discovered yet ?

Reason I ask

I need to swap the Front struts whole from the SE to the GT.
Remove (obviously) the front struts from the GT, salvage the top spring perch and stuff above that that goes up into the body, deploy new Eibachs and Bilsteins and fix onto the SE. Time is against me for a variety of reasons (all good)

So I'ld appreciate your views

Just finished swapping the rears - It's definitely quicker to remove the brake rotor and caliper so you can line up all the holes the big pin has to go through. But it isn't impossible to just pull the pin towards the rear.

69gaugeman

I was going to say oxy accetalene torch and hammer, but that might not be the answer you are looking for.

offcenter impact at north of 150km/h would work as well.








sorry it has been a long time since I did it and it was only during dismantle of my 82

AO

If the engine is out, then removing the upper A-arm is the fastest. Otherwise, removing the lower control arm and slidin it through the upper A is the preferred method. I can have it apart in about 30 minutes. Full swap in about 1 hour for each side. Getting the upper ball-joint to release is always the challange for me.

Gary Knox

Jon,
I agree with Andrew. Pretty quick to drop the shock/spring package through the upper A arm. Two people to hold and lift makes it easier. This is the way Earl Gillstrom and I have done it for the past few years.

Hope all is well for you in Sydney. Come see us!!!

Gary Knox
West Chester, PA USA

jpitman2

With S4 and later there is enough room to readily drop the shock/spring assy through the top arm, with bottom arm detached from body, with minimal danger to front end adjustment. Can be done on earlier cars, but its more work - BTDT.
jp 83 Euro S AT 51k

PorKen

I used a spring compressor on my '81, which made it pretty easy.

david928

I agree with some of the previous posters. On my '87, I found the easiest way to remove the front shocks was to disconnect the two sides of the lower A arm, leaving the ball joint connected. The spring/shock can then be lowered through the upper A arm (using a corkscrew motion).

Rob Edwards

Ken-

Looking at your pictures, are you saying that you can compress the hell out of the spring in situ, unbolt the shock top and bottom, and remove the shock WITHOUT UNBOLTING the LCA? I can't tell from the photo whether the lower control arm is bolted in or not. From the lower left image, it look like the bottom of the shock will pass aft of the LCA. If this is possible without unbolting the LCA, it looks like once the shock was out, the spring would just pull out sideways, as the upper A-arm is drooping out of the way.

My guess is this is too good to be true.


BTW, who makes green shocks? the knurling around the base looks like Boges (?)

FlyingDog

Yes, you can remove the shock without removing either arm, but it requires spring compressors that aren't tall. Green shocks are early, non-adjustable height Bilsteins.

Porken, Where did you get those spring compressors?!?!?!

Rob Edwards

The spring compressor looks like a Harbor Freight special that I had for a few years and then threw out because it was too big to use on any of my BMW springs

Even if you were going to do this once, the compressors probably cheaper than an alignment after dropping the A-arms.....

Ed MD

I use this method, and its quick and simple and non-threatening. Ed
https://rennlist.com/forums/928-forum/273754-easier-way-for-front-strut-removal-on-85-a.html

Tampa 928s

Go to this link I have a ton of pictures on the rebuild including the front shocks.

http://picasaweb.google.com/tampapix...ey=z6fubA6HPxk

PorKen

Yes, just unbolt the shock. It takes a bit of wiggling, but it comes out. I had it down to like 15mins, as I had to R&R the springs a few times.

The compressor is a 'Branick', which I got from a used tool store. You could probably rent a professional one like it. It's a bit sturdier, and the arms are smaller than the Harbor Freight that looks like it.


thread

jon928se

Thanks for all the replies - even if there is no real consensus

Having asked the question last night when tired and having imbibed, I of course have now realised that I also have 3 out of 4 wheels worth of upper A arm bushes to change at the same time (Did one previously) so for three wheels at least there is no option.

I do seem to recall not having many issues refitting the upper A arm (the one with the new bushes) with the X member in place but with no airpump fitted. Don't know wether the alternator will get in the way on the other side. I guess I'll find out on Sunday.

jon928se

A quick update

Did one of each today assistd by Xlot.

The "pivot the lower A arm out of the way" method was definitely the quicker method even allowing for the fact the suspension on that wheel had all been apart 2 or 3 months and about 6 miles ago so was all clean.

removing the upper a arm (on the right hand side) took a bit longer becuase we couldn't quite get a socket and breaker bar on the rear mounting nut without removing the AC compressor. may have been possible by just loosening the belt and swinging the compressor in but we chose to remove it anyway as it needs to be replaced.

Now I have two three wheeled 928s.