Rear Shock absorbers

[cactusman]

Hello experts....I am sure this question has been answered before. I have scoured the site but no luck ...

So...can I change the shocks at the rear without dropping out the irs?

Is it (a) impossible. (b) possible in theory but you would be mad to try or (c) practical provided you make sure of x,y,z....

Thoughts and advice welcome as it is on the winter projects list...

[mgcjag]

Yes....not difficult....instructions in the service manual......however if the top bolts have been put in the wrong way around u probably wont get them out......bolts should go in from the inside....with the nuts on the outside of the cage.......to get a spanner on the nut ive taped a spanner to a piece of flat bar.... Steve

[PhilP]

Hi
As Steve has said it is a straight forward job as long as the top bolts have been fitted the correct way. The only awkward part for me was getting a spring compressor to fit the small springs, I did manage to modify my existing spring compressor but they are no good for anything else now . The reason I have brought this up is that I’m sure that somebody is going to tell us a simple way of getting the spring off or were to get the correct spring compressor from.

Phil

[cactusman]

Many thanks Steve and Phil. The IRS was removed three years back to fix diff oil leaks by a jag specialist so I'd be hopeful the got the bolts the right way around....I shall peer underneath and have a look....now for spring compressors as a Christmas present

[1954Etype]

Julian,

We have the correct, hydraulic tool to compress springs. You are welcome to come over to use it.

Angus

[Heuer]

I use a local motorcycle repair shop as they have spring compressors to deal with small diameter springs. Places like Kwik-fit cannot do the job as their spring compressors are designed for normal (large) car springs.

[cactusman]

Hi Angus....Thanks for the very generous offer....I might well be over....probably not till post Xmas though..

All the best....J

[Bob.]

If you have a pair of rear discs and a couple of lengths of studding you can make a spring compressor very easily, the centre hole in the disc is the perfect size and it makes a far safer tool than trying to use tools made for larger diameter springs.

[ALAN COCHRANE]

Julian

Don't worry about the bolts if they are fitted the wrong way. A Dremel or similar will sort it out in short order. Remove the nut and cut off the exposed bolt shank flush to the frame. The resultant reduction in length will allow you to tap the remains of the bolt through the mounting eye.
The lower mounts are on a common shaft and this can be tapped out after one or both of the fixing nuts are removed. I didn't realise this at first and made a lot of unnecessary work for myself.
I used longer top bolts when refitting. This allowed a 1" long spacer to be fitted between the nut and the IRS cage, which in turn allowed much better access to the nut in the future.

Cheers

Alan

[Mark Gordon]

Hi
The only awkward part for me was getting a spring compressor to fit the small springs, I did manage to modify my existing spring compressor but they are no good for anything else now . The reason I have brought this up is that I’m sure that somebody is going to tell us a simple way of getting the spring off or were to get the correct spring compressor from.

Phil

How did you modify your spring compressor, Phil? I have a set that I bought just for this job on the E Type and don't mind modifying it because I don't plan on using it on any other car. Photos would be helpful.

[andrewh]

If you have a pair of rear discs and a couple of lengths of studding you can make a spring compressor very easily, the centre hole in the disc is the perfect size and it makes a far safer tool than trying to use tools made for larger diameter springs.

This is how I do it but to be honest, it takes quite a time . I would like a better piece of kit. I wonder which one you have Angus, one of the hydraulic tools sold by the Sealeys of this world? I also see the that Ken Jenkins sells a special tool which looks very good indeed. Not on his website but in his ads in the JEC magazine. Much easier than the studding and discs, as they have to be taken down equally or else the hole in the disc doesn't line up with the collets very well.

[1954Etype]

Andrew, mine was made specifically to do E type rear springs only. The shock assy sits in a frame and a bottle jack compresses the spring in order to draw the colletts out.

[andrewh]

Ah, ok sounds a good bit of kit. I may think about making something. I built my first IRS on the 3.8 with the spacers that were specced on the early cars only to find that it sat too high with the new rear springs, so had to take them all apart again. Takes a while!

[PhilP]

Hi Mark

Sorry I’ve leant them out to a friend to work on his bike but all I did was grind the heads down so that they fitted the tight curve of the spring better there is still plenty of metal left on them for the strength. If I’d seen the two discs and the threaded bar first I’d had done that great idea and for nothing apart from a bit of threaded bar. If I lived close enough to Angus I’d take him up on the offer who knows what else you could learn while your there

Phil

[cactusman]

Once again thank you all for your advice and information on ingenious spring compression tools. Hopefully the information will also be of use to others too....am now feeling much more confident that a winter job can be ticked off....

[cactusman]

Final update. I removed the old spring/shock units without any major issues - the bolts were the correct way around Thy were knackered....and I mean knackered. Fitted complete new spring/Boge shock units and replaced the front ones too along with the anti roll bar bushes etc. What an amazing transformation. It has made me realise that the reat shocks have been shot ever since I bought the car five years back. No more wallowing in corners. Feels completely different to drive - so much more directionally precise and sharp....a completely different car in fact - and MUCH better...Thanks all for your advice. My only cock up along the way was to fit the rears without popping the sleeves into the top of the dampers where they bolt to the IRS . Having assembled everything I came into the kitchen to see a small bag with "rear shock absorber sleeves" written on it! So they all had to come off again to fit them!!! Twas worth it though...