Well my springs have arrived and so weather and time permitting I will be dropping The Bitch 35mm this weekend. Pretty straight forward job, but before I start, any advice, potential pitfalls or other that its worth me knowing before I start? I have a decent set of compressers for the springs and all tools of course.
Also, seen in the shop a set of lowering "clamps" ! they appear to help lower a car by squeezing and clampig standard springs down to a shorter length, not seen these before, do they work???, they dont look safe but they couldnt be sold without the relevant safety passes. Not that I need them of course but just curious. If they work, tis a cheap way to lower/elevate a car, as they can do both. In halfrauds next to springs.
My brother had those type clamps on his Calibra. Because the extra coils are still there, the amount of compression is severely reduced so there's next to no downward travel and a very very hard ride.
Those clamps are cr@p, I know a few people that have had them and its like driving with no suspension, plus the car bounces all over the place.
I'm getting my springs done next week, my guy in the know is doing them (with my help). We are taking it to his mate's workshop to use an air gun thing, because apparently the centre nut on struts can be a real pain if not taken off quickly enough.
Good luck
Matt
PS, I after watching the 1st set of pads and disc changed on my car, with just a little guidance, I changed the 2nd. (Are you proud of me It's quite easy when you know how ). I've just had to order another set of disc's for the rear as they were rather knackered when we looked to change the pads. So I will be doing them next week when doing springs.
Matt
Quietly modding!
What's that coming over the hill? Is it a Mazda? Is it a Mazda
Please hang on to the old springs (front) i may need them if i find that one of mine has failed. I don't want to lower mine, just keep it rolling along in standard trim.
PROBLEMO!!!!!! Hit thumb with 5lb lump hammer today at work!!! Nasty business, 2 hours in casualty, x-rays, stitches and a couple jabs later im home and will live apparently. TuT, will it stop me???? NAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
Whats the damage??? you know what a sausage looks like when its splits during cooking????? thats pretty close. I didnt even swear
firstly i would like to say OUCH!!!!!!!!!!! now i have got that out of the way i would like to add a little gem of info i have picked up in my years of ' do it first.... learn the pitfalls later....'!!!!
If the car has travelled a reasonable amount of mileage on the current shocks then they will have worn more in some places than others. so when you lower it using only new springs it causes the shocks to wear out very quickly. Not too sure on the science behind this etc, just that a friend who used to work on rally cars told me. #don't know if it applies to all types of shocks etc, but thought it was worth a mention.
p.s i have tried those lowerin g clamps...... ok if your springs are like those on a normal family car - but i agree ona spring like those on the 6, its bad news!!!!
Will hold em for you Rich no probs. As for the shock info, thanks Wacky, I agree the science would be good tho, I used to work on hydraulic rams etc ( which is essentailly what a shock is, kinda) , now if they operate over a short stroke over a long period of time, the rod seals wear the rod at one point more than the rest, this causes fluid leaks and failure. So, if you lower a car, surely the seal set will now settle on a DIFFERENT point on the rod which should have suffered less wear so lateral thinking would suggest the opposite that they would last a longer as the seals are now sealing on a less worn area? Now I have a feeling someone is coming along shortly to counter that argument ...lol.
I would have thought the seals would wear first....
the reason they wear out quicker is because of the stiffer springs, they just have to work harder, and so it is best to replace them at the same time.
However, they will still work ok, just not as good as uprated ones.
John
"A bus station is where a bus stops; a train station is where a train stops; on my desk I have a work station." Cardomain pageUK626Club UK & Ireland Member of the Year 2004, 2006 and 2007
I feel for you. I did the same many, many years ago as a sprog, about the only time in my life I nearly fainted.
No stiches, factory nurse just leaned it, puffed some yellow stuff on it and bandaged it. IIRC I went back every day for about a week but within a couple of days you could see the skin knitting back together. Magic stuff that yellow powder, still don't know what it was.
Talking of healing skin. I remember my dad telling me that decades ago they used to wrap a fresh spider's web over split skin and that used to hep it knit together again.
Hmm god what a silly idea, these clamps are excerting a permenant force on a spring that is not tempered for that kind of force, uprated springs are exactly that uprated due to the coil configuration and the way the metal has been tempered to take more duress.
They should be shot for selling stuff like that,it has to be like driving with a set of spring clamps on the springs now that would be fun NOT!!
Andy
hmm that was good .
to err is human (now does that mean owing a soarer i have erred )
Well, intended on doing the spings today, and started it, then a bunch of unforeseen circumstances arose from work and I only managed to get ONE DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
yes I have at present just one corner lowered, that one rear corner looks dam good tho.
Henning, I got the PI springs bud, the reason I opted for these is that i wanted a similar softish ride to standard but with the looks and lower centre of gravity of a 35mm drop. tHey were £111 inc VAT and delivery from motorsport world.
Now I have managed to fit the OTHER rear spring today so now the entire back end is lowered, i again was intending on finishing the job but was stopped by 3 lower strut bolts SIEZED SOLID!!!!! on the front end. Was I stressed or what, I even finished work a little early to get it all finished as it is taking ages, now it looks like one wheel a day FFS. Bought a nut splitter today, its my only hope really, gponna have to trash the nuts and replace them, I even had the infamous 5lb lump hammer ( the one that put me in casualty) on the case and she couldnt even break the seal, had my blow torch on them, still no joy. Getting a bit miffed now. Guess how much Mazda want for replacement nuts........................£2.75 EACH!!!! for a 17mm nut FFS. Was almost temted today to pay quick fit £60 or so for the last tweo and let them struggle.
Tut well i can see how shes gonna look as the back end is dropped, and them arches are dissapearing fast, rides real nice too, almost feels no different from standard only less roll etc.
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It's quite easy when you know how 
). I've just had to order another set of disc's for the rear as they were rather knackered when we looked to change the pads. So I will be doing them next week when doing springs.
