Gold FFM Mightymetro 275 Posted February 17, 2020 Gold FFM Report Share Posted February 17, 2020 Does anyone have a recommendation for a front spring compressor for the esprit. When I removed mine the local garage struggled to find anything that would go between the coils as they are so close together and after having everything refurbished I don’t want anyone wrecking them with heavy hands thanks all Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Gold FFM Escape 812 Posted February 17, 2020 Gold FFM Report Share Posted February 17, 2020 I find the easiest way to compress the springs to fit the dampers is in the press. Mount everything upside down, so you can fit the top nut to the damper once you've compressed the spring. Do make sure the spring is straight and stable, so it doesn't go flying off! Filip 1 Quote I have made many mistakes in my life. Buying a multiple Lotus is not one of them. Link to post Share on other sites
snowrx 184 Posted February 17, 2020 Report Share Posted February 17, 2020 I bit the bullet and bought one of these, and it worked well on my '85 TE fronts. You still need to work the perches in between the coils a bit, but feels much more secure when compressed than my old two piece tool. I was quite pleased to later use it on my WRX struts, much faster. https://www.ebay.com/itm/MacPherson-Interchangable-Fork-Strut-Coil-Spring-Compressor-Extractor-Tool-Kit/401965411887?hash=item5d97016e2f:g:ZboAAOSwZEdd1QWC Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Paul Coleman 517 Posted February 17, 2020 Report Share Posted February 17, 2020 What about a motorcycle spring compressor? Quote Lotus Esprit [meaning] a 1:1 scale Airfix kit with a propensity to catch fire Link to post Share on other sites
andydclements 790 Posted February 17, 2020 Report Share Posted February 17, 2020 2 hours ago, snowrx said: I bit the bullet and bought one of these, and it worked well on my '85 TE fronts. You still need to work the perches in between the coils a bit, but feels much more secure when compressed than my old two piece tool. I was quite pleased to later use it on my WRX struts, much faster. https://www.ebay.com/itm/MacPherson-Interchangable-Fork-Strut-Coil-Spring-Compressor-Extractor-Tool-Kit/401965411887?hash=item5d97016e2f:g:ZboAAOSwZEdd1QWC I've had one of those kits, ever since I was fitting front springs into the Turbo Esprit's setup. I had the spring in the vice (not clamped as such, just the jaws set lightly around the spring to hold things from slipping too easily. I had a pair of the counter-threaded type, one slipped, that unsettled things and the other slipped, they both let go, the spring went from the vice, to the far end of the garage and came back to where I was standing. At that point, I decided the fork type was the way to go. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sparky 2,863 Posted February 17, 2020 Report Share Posted February 17, 2020 Yup, ^^^ that's exactly what I use. Quote British Fart to Florida, Nude to New York, Dunce to Denmark, Numpty to Newfoundland. And Shitfaced Silly Sod to Sweden. Link to post Share on other sites
Gold FFM Mightymetro 275 Posted February 17, 2020 Author Gold FFM Report Share Posted February 17, 2020 Just ordered a kit. Thanks all 👍🏻 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Gold FFM Mightymetro 275 Posted February 21, 2020 Author Gold FFM Report Share Posted February 21, 2020 Kit arrived and all good. I ordered the one with rubber protectors on to save damaging the paint on the springs 👍🏻 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sparky 2,863 Posted February 21, 2020 Report Share Posted February 21, 2020 Those protectors might be just enough to make life difficult on a front assembly! Quote British Fart to Florida, Nude to New York, Dunce to Denmark, Numpty to Newfoundland. And Shitfaced Silly Sod to Sweden. Link to post Share on other sites
Gold FFM Mightymetro 275 Posted February 21, 2020 Author Gold FFM Report Share Posted February 21, 2020 Got one on but not sure if I’ve tightened the top but correctly. The manual just says to Nip it but as it’s a nylon it always has some resistance and when I nip it the top bush is nearly flat. The old ones were this flat but I didn’t know if this was over time Quote Link to post Share on other sites
sailorbob 266 Posted February 21, 2020 Report Share Posted February 21, 2020 That looks like far too much compression on the rubber bushes. What dampers are you using? Some require a spacer tube. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Giniw 295 Posted February 21, 2020 Report Share Posted February 21, 2020 (edited) As there is a little bit of what looks like a blue cover on the damper stem I wouldn't be surprised it's a LOTAC set? Anyway I hesitated the same when I did it on my car and in the end nobody really knows for sure apparently. What I understand is that the spacer tube should touch both the bottom and upper washers anyway, and that is what it looks like when it is the case (=bush very squashed) 6 hours ago, Sparky said: Those protectors might be just enough to make life difficult on a front assembly! Indeed, I have the same spring compressor and the yellow parts are plastic. I ended up using some gaffer tape. Edited February 21, 2020 by Giniw Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Gold FFM Mightymetro 275 Posted February 21, 2020 Author Gold FFM Report Share Posted February 21, 2020 I’m not sure what you mean by the spacer tube as nothing is supplied like that ? Your right about the plastic covers. Got it built up, can’t get them out 🙈 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Giniw 295 Posted February 21, 2020 Report Share Posted February 21, 2020 (edited) 5 minutes ago, Mightymetro said: I’m not sure what you mean by the spacer tube as nothing is supplied like that ? There should be a tube which is meant to be installed as a sleeve between the stem and the bushes Similar to the red thing I drew there: https://www.thelotusforums.com/forums/topic/25978-bilstein-shocks/?page=2&tab=comments#comment-766425 Edited February 21, 2020 by Giniw Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Gold FFM Mightymetro 275 Posted February 21, 2020 Author Gold FFM Report Share Posted February 21, 2020 Mmmm, definitely no spacer tunes on neither the old standard shocks or these new Lotac ones 🤔. Can’t see them on the parts diagram either. My understanding was that the bevelled cups locate between each side of the top mount and join in the middle I can’t see what the tube would do ? Ignore that, it’s because Bilstein already fitted it in one of the bushes rather than supplying it seperately Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Giniw 295 Posted February 21, 2020 Report Share Posted February 21, 2020 (edited) This is very strange as my LOTAC set (S4s) did have a spacer tube included for each damper?! (both front and rear) see https://www.thelotusforums.com/forums/topic/25978-bilstein-shocks/?tab=comments#comment-764243 https://www.thelotusforums.com/forums/topic/25978-bilstein-shocks/?tab=comments#comment-764242 (⚠️ the washers arrangement is wrong on these photos) (As for the part diagram it's from the original system anyway so unfortunately it doesn't help.) Edited February 21, 2020 by Giniw Quote Link to post Share on other sites
sailorbob 266 Posted February 21, 2020 Report Share Posted February 21, 2020 I cannot remember if my OE dampers had a spacer, possibly not. They probably did not have the piston rod machined as much as the Bilstein dampers. The spacer limits the compression of the rubber bushes. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Gold FFM Mightymetro 275 Posted February 21, 2020 Author Gold FFM Report Share Posted February 21, 2020 Those pictures are with the spacer fitted Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Giniw 295 Posted February 21, 2020 Report Share Posted February 21, 2020 2 minutes ago, Mightymetro said: Those pictures are with the spacer fitted So you do have a spacer? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Giniw 295 Posted February 21, 2020 Report Share Posted February 21, 2020 3 hours ago, sailorbob said: I cannot remember if my OE dampers had a spacer, possibly not. I am not 100% sure but still pretty confident there were actually two tubes joining in the middle on the original ones from the 90s (one for each bush). But I would have to check. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Gold FFM Mightymetro 275 Posted February 21, 2020 Author Gold FFM Report Share Posted February 21, 2020 Sorted it (phew) Bilstein fitted the spacer tube to the bottom bush but what I’ve realised is that is was all the way into the bush so when I put them both together the top bush only had about 2mm of the spacer tube inside so just squished everywhere as there was no support. Pushed it further in so it’s about 10mm inside the bottom bush and now it’s about 10mm in the top bush and the squish is much better and can feel a definite nip 👍🏻 thanks for all your help and here’s a picture of them compared to the ones I’ve just removed from my 35,000 mile v8 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
sailorbob 266 Posted February 21, 2020 Report Share Posted February 21, 2020 I would have expected the spacer tube to even its position out between the two rubber bushes (it might well of done this itself once the suspension got a few miles on it). Did you tighten the piston rod nut with or without the spring compressed? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Giniw 295 Posted February 21, 2020 Report Share Posted February 21, 2020 30 minutes ago, sailorbob said: I would have expected the spacer tube to even its position out between the two rubber bushes As it was apparently already assembled by Bilstein (or whoever packed it — mine was all in separated parts) it is probably mounted dry, so, as @Mightymetro said, I suspect it was so offset toward the bottom bush that the top one was already too squashed to allow the spacer to slide up? @Mightymetro > Now the spacer is in contact with both the top and bottom washers, do you confirm it looks as squashed as mine? (like on the photos on the other thread I linked) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Gold FFM Mightymetro 275 Posted February 22, 2020 Author Gold FFM Report Share Posted February 22, 2020 9 hours ago, sailorbob said: I would have expected the spacer tube to even its position out between the two rubber bushes (it might well of done this itself once the suspension got a few miles on it). Did you tighten the piston rod nut with or without the spring compressed? Tightened it up with the springs compressed 8 hours ago, Giniw said: As it was apparently already assembled by Bilstein (or whoever packed it — mine was all in separated parts) it is probably mounted dry, so, as @Mightymetro said, I suspect it was so offset toward the bottom bush that the top one was already too squashed to allow the spacer to slide up? @Mightymetro > Now the spacer is in contact with both the top and bottom washers, do you confirm it looks as squashed as mine? (like on the photos on the other thread I linked) Yes it looks like yours in The picture on the other thread 👍🏻 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Giniw 295 Posted February 22, 2020 Report Share Posted February 22, 2020 (edited) Thanks! For your info, my Esprit is still on its wheels so it should be OK for yours as well! By the way, when you install the rear dampers on the car (assuming you haven't done it already) you might struggle a bit because, being gas dampers, the new shocks won't stay pushed as the old ones. In a nutshell you need to push the #65 stud as pictured on the parts manual (see picture on the linked thread), insert the top end of the shock in the upper cup, then slide the #65 stud back in the bottom hole of the shock. The problem is the stud is often seized, and the alloy hub carrier is fragile. So you really don't want to use too much force to slide the stud (FYI the stud itself is in a steel sleeve, #66 on the drawing). It's all being discussed on the following thread from the post I link to the end of the thread (and maybe elsewhere of course): Edited February 22, 2020 by Giniw Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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