ms3 rear spring question, part needed!

[~JoJo~]

so now that I have my 2nd baby coming, I've decided to remove the coilovers and put the car back to stock. My buddy helped me put the front shock and spring on, but we are having some problem with the rear.

First, we couldn't figure out the size of the Allen Ranch needed to take off the rear spring housing.

Second, when the shop installed the coilovers, they threw away the rubber piece that sit between the rear spring and the rear spring housing. Without the piece, the spring will rub metal to metal with the spring housing. We checked with dealer and they said they don't make just the rubber piece, and will have to buy the whole assembly. Does anybody have this rubber piece for sale, or know where I can get it?

 

[~JoJo~]

bumpie bump.

 

[enganear]

Can you just slide a piece of heater hose or Tygon tubing over the spring? Don't get locked into a missing part, just address the need of the application.
-enganear

 

[r00k]

I think you should try to find a rubber piece off some random shock at the junkyard.

Are you going to sell your coilovers? If so...let me know. Thanks!

 

[~JoJo~]

thanks enganear I'll head over to home depot and maybe I can find something. Can anybody tell me the correct size for of allen wrentch I need to remove the rear spring housing? It's like the size of my finger.

R00k I will sell my coilover but I already promised bmman93 to sell to him, but if it doesn't work out I'll send you a PM.

 

[TheMAN]

you're not talking about the donut that sits on top of the spring are you?

 

[~JoJo~]

no, the donut that sit below the spring, not the top. Basically the piece that hold the spring in place.

 

[r00k]

R00k I will sell my coilover but I already promised bmman93 to sell to him, but if it doesn't work out I'll send you a PM.

Tight! Let me know!

 

[~JoJo~]

you got it!

Man, why is it so hard to find a 12mm or 14mm allen wrench set? We also couldn't rent spring compressor so we couldn't work on the car today....sad..

 

[winniep]

you got it!

Man, why is it so hard to find a 12mm or 14mm allen wrench set? We also couldn't rent spring compressor so we couldn't work on the car today....sad..

You can just buy a spring compressor set from autozone for like $30......... That is where I got mine yesterday

 

[~JoJo~]

yeha I know. If I can't rent them, i might just have to do that. I do have a friend who has it so I'll just drive a bit further to get it from him if I have to.

 

[xbox4414]

I don't mean to thread jack but do I need 2 different types of spring compressors to do the front and back?

http://www.autozone.com/in_our_stores/loan_a_tool/steering_suspension/strut_spring_tool.htm
http://www.autozone.com/in_our_stores/loan_a_tool/steering_suspension/spring_compressor.htm

Do I use both or one of them?

 

[jp4130]

You can do the backs without a compresion tool. All you need is the one for the front struts.

 

[xbox4414]

^ Would that one be the one in the first link? I have never done any spring or strut work, but the install looks so simple and I really wanna do it myself.

 

[jp4130]

Yes the first one, The "strut" tool.

 

[jbiird317]

sorta the same thing happened to me when installign the protege springs, except that i lost the top rubber piece. Don't just get any random piece from a junkyard because the spring will not seat right in the strut assembly because it will be already indented to the old spring pattern. If you can find one that will match the indentation of the stock springs you should be able to use it, but if not the spring will clunk around inside the assembly and probably blow your strut. My advice would be to find the correct piece or start with a brand new piece of rubber and make your own fresh indentation.

 

[~JoJo~]

sorta the same thing happened to me when installign the protege springs, except that i lost the top rubber piece. Don't just get any random piece from a junkyard because the spring will not seat right in the strut assembly because it will be already indented to the old spring pattern. If you can find one that will match the indentation of the stock springs you should be able to use it, but if not the spring will clunk around inside the assembly and probably blow your strut. My advice would be to find the correct piece or start with a brand new piece of rubber and make your own fresh indentation.

yeah we went to homedepot yesterday, got a piece of thin but strong rubber mat (the kind they use as mat for fish pond) and a couple feet of vaccum hose. We'll wrap the hose around the housing, then glue a couple layers of the rubber mat to the bottom. Hopefully that will solve the problem.

BTW, the speed3 (and I think regular 3 too) has the strut and spring separetely so I think it's sitting a bit different than the protege.

 

[~JoJo~]

thank you bmman93 for the payment. The removal was finally completed yesterday. Now the car is riding stock suspension and I never thought I'd like it but I am glad it's back to stock.