Guest bluetom Posted September 24, 2006 Share Posted September 24, 2006 I'm just in the progress of changing the springs in my '73 cortina. I've done the rear springs, that was pretty easy. But am struggling to figure out the easiest was to do the front springs. I've read the manual and it basically says i have to take the whole suspension assembly apart. I'm not so keen on dismantling it just cos i don't want to screw up the ball joint etc. at either end of the wheel hub. Any tricks would be great cheers Oh i'm also struglling to get the compressiors to fit between the wishbones, have been using steel wire to wire them compressed instead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thminiman Posted September 24, 2006 Share Posted September 24, 2006 i dont have any experience with cortina's but if it has a macpherson strut they easiest way to do it is take the whole assemply out, it shouldnt require undoing any ball joints. then it will be alot easy to get the spring compressors on as youll be able to do it on a bench rather than under a gaurd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bluetom Posted September 24, 2006 Share Posted September 24, 2006 unfortunity they're double wishbone, so alot more complex. ( i think) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thminiman Posted September 24, 2006 Share Posted September 24, 2006 ahh, i see, that would be my bad for not reading the question properly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corrupt Posted September 24, 2006 Share Posted September 24, 2006 yeh, you have to undo one of the ball joints, i usually choose the lower one, not hard to do at all, i havent compressed the springs ever either. 1. take out the shock 2. undo the two swaybar? nuts on the bottom wishbone 3.remove split pin from ball joint and undo nut half way. 4. whack the wishbone/balljoint with a hammer until it flings down and sits on the half undone nut. 5. put a jack under the wishbone 6. undo nut fully 7.lower the jack down fully 8. get a nice screwdriver and hammer and wedge the spring off the lip its caught on 9. spring should fling down and stop on the ground depending on how high the cars jacked up, pull it out etc ive never put standard springs back into a cortina, would imagine it'd be a bitch as compressors dont fit between the wishbones etc. lowered springs dont need compressing to get them in, and putting them in is the reverse order. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bluetom Posted September 24, 2006 Share Posted September 24, 2006 I am putting lowering springs in so hopefulling won't need to compress. so the ball joint doesn't actually have to come undone? just the bolt attaching it to the wheel hub? Easy to put back together? This may be a little far off but you wouldn't happen to, by any chance, have a spare sway bar with fittings etc. lying around. Keen to buy one, as mine doesn't have one so rolls like you would never believe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corrupt Posted September 24, 2006 Share Posted September 24, 2006 yeh, balljoints easy to put back in. if you asked me a few months ago i would have had one, threw it away when i was sorting thought the stuff that id never need as a spare lol. when your doing it some things like to be bitches eg, putting the top shock bolt back in, freeing the ball joint from the stub axle, and reanligning the 2 swaybar bolt holes. just gotta be handy with a hammer and a largish screw driver and itll be sweet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bluetom Posted September 24, 2006 Share Posted September 24, 2006 cheers, replaced the shocks about 5 months ago. Yeah the top bolt can be a fair bit of a bitch. If you do know anyone with a spare could you let me know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
- i5oogt - Posted September 25, 2006 Share Posted September 25, 2006 you will probably just have to use a trolley jack to push the wishbone/spring back into place, i just did the bottom arm bushes on my mk5 and that is the easiest way by far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bluetom Posted September 25, 2006 Share Posted September 25, 2006 so basically just use the jack to compress it back up? thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
- i5oogt - Posted September 25, 2006 Share Posted September 25, 2006 correct. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2FKNLO Posted September 26, 2006 Share Posted September 26, 2006 good luck with lining the 2 swaybar bolt holes up when your putting it back together... can be a cunter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bluetom Posted September 26, 2006 Share Posted September 26, 2006 are you taking about the sway bar bolts or the tie bar bolts. 'cos don't have a sway bar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corrupt Posted September 27, 2006 Share Posted September 27, 2006 think its called the tie bar then ay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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