Hi folks, need a new coil spring fitted on my mk6 2003 fiesta, just wondering how to go about it? ive heard the bolt from shock to hub can be a bit of a bugger? a quick step by step guide is what im looking for, thanks

1. Jack up & Wheel off

2. Remove upper droplink nut (17mm iirc) and pop drop link out of strut

3. Remove brake hose bracket (Sliding clip iirc)

4. Remove pinch bolt (16mm iirc, plenty of Plusgas can help)

5. Tap the hub downwards (can use a hub spreader to aid)

6. Remove 3 top mount nuts (13mm) while holding the shock then take it away from the car

Ideally mount the strut in a vice...

7. Compress the spring with a set of compressors

8. Undo the top mount nut (21mm iirc) with a swan neck spanner & allen key to counterhold, or buzz it off with an impact gun

9. Remove top mount, remove old spring

10. Fit new spring and everything else in reverse, remembering to torque everything to spec.  

1 hour ago, TomsFocus said:

1. Jack up & Wheel off

2. Remove upper droplink nut (17mm iirc) and pop drop link out of strut

3. Remove brake hose bracket (Sliding clip iirc)

4. Remove pinch bolt (16mm iirc, plenty of Plusgas can help)

5. Tap the hub downwards (can use a hub spreader to aid)

6. Remove 3 top mount nuts (13mm) while holding the shock then take it away from the car

Ideally mount the strut in a vice...

7. Compress the spring with a set of compressors

8. Undo the top mount nut (21mm iirc) with a swan neck spanner & allen key to counterhold, or buzz it off with an impact gun

9. Remove top mount, remove old spring

10. Fit new spring and everything else in reverse, remembering to torque everything to spec.  

Genius Tom! thank you

A bit of heat helps the pinch bolt, I’ve never failed to remove one yet and I’ve done dozens of them. A good fitting 6 point/hex socket is a must. 

On 9/4/2019 at 4:48 PM, stef123 said:

A bit of heat helps the pinch bolt, I’ve never failed to remove one yet and I’ve done dozens of them. A good fitting 6 point/hex socket is a must. 

Out of interest stef, If you have a stuck bolt, (pinch bolt onto strut for example) where abouts would you heat? the bolt head itself? the end of the bolt through the strut? or the area around the bolt?

2 hours ago, Martin-Fiesta-MK6-1.4 said:

Out of interest stef, If you have a stuck bolt, (pinch bolt onto strut for example) where abouts would you heat? the bolt head itself? the end of the bolt through the strut? or the area around the bolt?

A good question, I apply heat around the threaded area and also the area where the shank of the bolt goes into the knuckle. Depending on the situation, sometimes rust will grip the shank of the bolt, other times it’ll bind the thread. 

 

15 minutes ago, stef123 said:

A good question, I apply heat around the threaded area and also the area where the shank of the bolt goes into the knuckle. Depending on the situation, sometimes rust will grip the shank of the bolt, other times it’ll bind the thread. 

 

So the emphasis is applying heat to the surrounding areas of the stuck bolt and not the bolt itself?

52 minutes ago, Martin-Fiesta-MK6-1.4 said:

So the emphasis is applying heat to the surrounding areas of the stuck bolt and not the bolt itself?

Yes, you are looking to try and expand the metal around it to crack the corrosion loose.