I need to change my front springs as one has snapped and the other doesn't look in the best of shapes. Is this a fairly easy job? It's an 03 reg 1.4l. I'm going to be changing the drop links at the same time.

Thanks

I had a look in my Haynes manual and it looks pretty straightforward - it's difficulty rating is only 3/5 spanners.

You should get yourself a spring compressor tool if you don't already have one, so you can compress the springs in a controlled manner to get them in and out. You should take lots of care doing this though, as the energy stored up in a compressed car spring can quite easily kill.

I have managed to get the shock out which was quite easy. The hard bit is getting the mount off now to take the spring off.

On 3/29/2016 at 5:14 PM, Sergeantcookie said:

I have managed to get the shock out which was quite easy. The hard bit is getting the mount off now to take the spring off.

The garage I took it to couldn't get it off, it was fixed solid. They tried for an hour, so they said! Resulted in me having completely new front suspension, so beware that!

I think I've read that Ford dealers have a specialist tool for this, but I've not had that confirmed, or seen one for general sale.

My mrs car went in the garage yesterday so I was cheeky and asked them if they could remove it of which they did. Spent 6 hours today trying to put the new spring on and turns out it was for a mondeo. No wonder I couldn't compress it anywhere near enough to get it in. Getting it replaced for hopefully the correct one on monday and spend next saturday trying to put it all back together.

I had a look in my Haynes manual and it looks pretty straightforward - it's difficulty rating is only 3/5 spanners.

You should get yourself a spring compressor tool if you don't already have one, so you can compress the springs in a controlled manner to get them in and out. You should take lots of care doing this though, as the energy stored up in a compressed car spring can quite easily kill.

In the manual does it mention anything about having to take the hub off?

2 hours ago, Sergeantcookie said:

In the manual does it mention anything about having to take the hub off?

I'll be able to have a look for you later this evening

Thanks

No you dont, just undo the pinch bolt at bottom of strut then tap the hub down leaving the strut still attatched at the top, then undo the 3 nuts and remove.

Basically the same as what Ian said - Haynes says "Unscrew and remove the strut-to-hub pinch-bolt (noting that it is fitted from in front), then tap the hub downwards to free it from the base of the strut..."

I removed the shock and am putting the new spring on but it seems difficult to compress it enough in order to sit it back in place? I will be giving it another try tomorrow

Compressing springs with cheap compressors takes ages, I tend to ask a local garage to do it for me for a fiver these days lol.  Takes away the potential of a spring through the face as well!!  

Its not the time that's the issue, it's compressing them enough. Now I have been supplied with the correct spring I am hoping all goes well tomorrow and i can get it all back together so i can get the other side done

Make sure the shock shaft is full extended, sometimes they drop down without you realising. 

Its more the problem getting it back on to the car, compressing it enough to get it back in the hub

You don't need to compress them to get the strut back on the car. 

How would you get everything back together without compressing?

I have done it now. Moved on to the other side.

Easy, the same way you got it off the car without compressing it lol.

You have to push it up a good 2 inches + in order to get it in the hub for it then to drop down

A bar levering the lower arm down does the trick normaly

So your saying that the only time I need to use the compressors is to put the spring on prior to putting the top mount on?

yep

I just cant see how it's possible to then put it all back in place

Ignore that last comment. Just had to take it off again to adjust and you are right. It went back in no probs without compressors :)

goid to hear its all sorted now.