Can't remove Hotchkis lowering springs
06-11-2017, 06:04 PM
#1
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Can't remove Hotchkis lowering springs About 7 years ago I put Hotchkis lowering springs on all 4 corners (obviously) of my 2000 WS6. Drivers side strut went out and I removed the assembly. Tried to compress the spring with Autozone spring compressor and the tool started to buckle. The coils are wound tight on the springs which makes it very hard to get the tool in between the coils. I loosened it and removed the tool. I took it to several shops and none could remove it. Couldn't even get their tool on it because of the coils. What now? Any help is greatly appreciated.
06-11-2017, 10:46 PM
#2
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You might try removing wheel, supporting the lower a-arm with a jack, then take a sawzall and cut shock shaft, let spring raise the car the last bit of extension it may have. Then just remove the shock as you normally would. I f shock is already off, reinstall shock on bottom and fit into upper area to keep from flying up, and cut shaft. Then jack up chassis and lower the lower a-arm and it should just fall into two pieces.
06-12-2017, 01:26 PM
#3
My car had the same springs when I bought it and I was able to get the springs compressed with the compressors that I have. I had to pry the coils apart a bit, but they worked.
They look like this:
They look like this:
06-12-2017, 03:30 PM
#5
on my 2002 ss with the factory bilstein level 1 - eibach springs?
those i had to get from amazon $19 "BETOOLL Auto 15“ Coil Spring Compressor Strut Remover Installer Tool". disassemble that tool to fit just one of the fingers on each end in to the spring then compress a little bit to then fit the autozone OEM 27036 strut compressor tool in. so i basically had 4 compressor tools on mine to then cut the mount off because it was rusted on.
the betool 15" compressor was ok, I'd be weary using it on any kind of lowering spring is gonna be double the spring rate around 500+ lbs/inch ? especially just one finger on each end of the tool, i was not able to use both fingers because the angle of the coil. I wish it had one finger on each end, then it would have been much better.
those i had to get from amazon $19 "BETOOLL Auto 15“ Coil Spring Compressor Strut Remover Installer Tool". disassemble that tool to fit just one of the fingers on each end in to the spring then compress a little bit to then fit the autozone OEM 27036 strut compressor tool in. so i basically had 4 compressor tools on mine to then cut the mount off because it was rusted on.
the betool 15" compressor was ok, I'd be weary using it on any kind of lowering spring is gonna be double the spring rate around 500+ lbs/inch ? especially just one finger on each end of the tool, i was not able to use both fingers because the angle of the coil. I wish it had one finger on each end, then it would have been much better.
