dna23
Member
Registered: 1st Nov 04
Location: Northamptonshire
User status: Offline
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Bit confused at the moment, i'm a true believer in doing work on your car yourself and not paying someone do to it, unless it is that the job is to hard/time consuming or out of my depth... I also feel that theres no point having a go at a job just to be left with a bodged attempt and then having to pay someone to fix it and re-do it...
Anyway baring that in mind i recently received my FK 60/40 springs and dampers and was all set to have a go myself until i realised it will take a day bearing in mind it will be my first time and there is quite a bit of work involved which i could potential f*** up, and to be honest i don't want to muff something up as important as suspension especially if it ruins what i just spent alot of my hard earnt money on!
so the question is, how hard is it really and am i likely to knacker anything up by having a go myself with the haynes manual .etc or am i far much better off paying someone who knows exactly what there doing to do it?
thoughts and comments appreciated 
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JJ
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Registered: 20th Apr 00
Location: Northern Ireland
User status: Offline
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Easy if u know what ur doin, if not, get someone who knows what they r up to and watch, then give em 50 quid and u will then know how its done 
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Mistamist
Member
Registered: 16th Jul 03
Location: Gillingham, Kent
User status: Offline
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DIY tis a piece of piss.
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Tom J
Organiser: South Wales
Premium Member
Registered: 8th Sep 03
Location: Bridgend
User status: Offline
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i did mine myself for first time on my own, with just haynes and modifying book. as long as you have got the tools, you shouldnt have a problem, u might need a few extension bars to get some of the tight bolts off 
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Joff
Member
Registered: 17th Oct 00
Location: Cambridgeshire
User status: Offline
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Having the correct tools/facilities is the main deciding factor.
With the car under cover, plenty of access and the tools to carry out the job, there's not much you can't do at home.
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Matt.H
Member
Registered: 12th Mar 03
User status: Offline
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Definitely have ago ureself.
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PaulW
Member
Registered: 26th Jan 03
Location: Atherton, Greater Manchester
User status: Offline
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I've got everything except a breaker bar & spring compressors...
but still gona be doing this myself when the time comes in a few days!
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Mark Petty
Member
Registered: 26th Jul 01
Location: Bournemouth Drives: Suzuki gsf600
User status: Offline
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I did mine myself some bits were a bitch but worked out fine in the end
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broster
Premium Member
Registered: 6th Dec 02
Location: Drives: E39
User status: Offline
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easy as pie to do springs and dampers
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Rileysport
Member
Registered: 18th Jun 04
Location: West Yorkshire
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by PaulW
I've got everything except a breaker bar & spring compressors...
but still gona be doing this myself when the time comes in a few days!
await post, loose spring took half my face off.... can't figure out why 
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Red_SXi
Member
Registered: 23rd Sep 02
Location: Dunstable Drives: 52 Plate BMW 3 M Sport Coupe
User status: Offline
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Yeh its pretty easy to do yourself, if you wanted me to come up to northampton and watch over you / tell you what to do i'd be more than happy
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Joff
Member
Registered: 17th Oct 00
Location: Cambridgeshire
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by Red_SXi
If you wanted me to come up to northampton and watch you shower i'd be more than happy
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Corsa E-Tec
Member
Registered: 4th Feb 04
Location: Stevenage Drives: Leon Cupra
User status: Offline
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do it yourself, i was qouted from £80-£140 to do it.
i spent £24.99 on a power wrench from argos, borrowed some spring compressors, and used a mate and did the job in 2 hours or so, bearing in mind it was our first time. no manuals either.
crack on with it, you'll enjoy it!
[Edited on 15-03-2005 by Corsa E-Tec]
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Gregor
Member
Registered: 28th Nov 03
Location: Paisley, Renfrewshire
User status: Offline
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Is it really required to get all bolts to the exact torque setting , or can you just tighten them up ?
Thats the only thing Im not so sure of .
Cheers
Gregor
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dna23
Member
Registered: 1st Nov 04
Location: Northamptonshire
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by Red_SXi
Yeh its pretty easy to do yourself, if you wanted me to come up to northampton and watch over you / tell you what to do i'd be more than happy
thanks for the kind offer mate, may take you up on it actually u sure u'd be alrite to do that? i live in a place called towcester... dunno if you'd know where that is? i was thinking of doing them this friday as i have the day off and now have most of the tools (only one i aint got is the angle measurer but i'm pretty sure i can get away with that using a protractor .etc) one more thing though, will i need to make modifications to the rear brake pressure regulator
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Siberia
Member
Registered: 9th Oct 03
Location: Leprechaun Land Drives : Zafira GSI
User status: Offline
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angle measurer? protractor?
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dna23
Member
Registered: 1st Nov 04
Location: Northamptonshire
User status: Offline
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When screwing on the strut-to-hub bolt u do it in 3 stages...
1. tightne both to 50Nm holding the bold head with a spanner
2. tighten them both more, to 90Nm
3. turn both nuts through 45 to 60 degrees  thats what u need it for but i suppose its fairly easy to judge it or use a piece of card and protractor
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Siberia
Member
Registered: 9th Oct 03
Location: Leprechaun Land Drives : Zafira GSI
User status: Offline
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ahh... your mean and angle gauge? fook that crap just swing out of the spanner till its tight......
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PaulW
Member
Registered: 26th Jan 03
Location: Atherton, Greater Manchester
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by SRi-Co
quote:
Originally posted by PaulW
I've got everything except a breaker bar & spring compressors...
but still gona be doing this myself when the time comes in a few days!
await post, loose spring took half my face off.... can't figure out why
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Gregor
Member
Registered: 28th Nov 03
Location: Paisley, Renfrewshire
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by Siberia
ahh... your mean and angle gauge? fook that crap just swing out of the spanner till its tight......
So its safe just to tighten it all up ? :s
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dna23
Member
Registered: 1st Nov 04
Location: Northamptonshire
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by escortgti.com
quote:
Originally posted by Siberia
ahh... your mean and angle gauge? fook that crap just swing out of the spanner till its tight......
So its safe just to tighten it all up ? :s
not recommended mate really.... i'd invest in a torque wrench or borrow one... it comes in use for most things on a car if ure into the DIY approach
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Siberia
Member
Registered: 9th Oct 03
Location: Leprechaun Land Drives : Zafira GSI
User status: Offline
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ive had my suspension out about 20 times and didnt use a torque wrench or angle gauge....
the haynes also says you should replace the bolts if you disturb them... havent done this either....
dont seem to have any problems....
i used to use a torque wrench one time though
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dna23
Member
Registered: 1st Nov 04
Location: Northamptonshire
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by Siberia
ive had my suspension out about 20 times and didnt use a torque wrench or angle gauge....
the haynes also says you should replace the bolts if you disturb them... havent done this either....
dont seem to have any problems....
i used to use a torque wrench one time though
agreed i think its more of a cover our own backs thing u know....
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Gregor
Member
Registered: 28th Nov 03
Location: Paisley, Renfrewshire
User status: Offline
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Ive got a torque wrench .
Pretty complicated to use
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