Front springs on a Gold

[manifold]

So how did you capture the spring?

Did you house it in an old hydrogas housing sphere, or did you weld on a top hat?

[Rich]

I welded on a top hat, had a wobble after I remembered I needed to cut a hole in the 100mm disc.... after I'd welded it on. Axminster hole saws are good bits of kit!

The rear of mine is still hydro, I've got some Protech coilovers coming so I will be all-spring at some point once I've summed up the enthusiasm to drop the rear subframe..

[manifold]

Wont ever be dropping my subframe ever again.....unless I smash it!

So does your top hat have a retainer area step, for keeping the spring in? Yes you will need the hole cut out, for the stub to push up through on depression. In practice though I dont think it interferes that much, if at all.

Another thing I have noted is to try and avoid lowering the suspension too much. On a road car suspension is supposed to have reasonable travel to do its job. If its too low it effectively means it has no travel before if bottoms out.....causing a hard ride. With the Ti arms, which have a build in elasticity greater than steel, it seems assist the spring effect.

[Rich]

The top hat itself doesn't need a retainer as there's nowhere for the spring to go, the spring is only just slightly less in diameter than the 100mm hole formed in the top of the tower and with the retaining plate mounted back on the spring is pretty much captured.

[manifold]

you might be right. A bit of belts and braces I thought to keep it away from the cover, which is light weight steel. `on the flip side of the coin, the retainer step was the cause of difficulties getting the spring in with the locking nut on....as it was hard to push the spring in position. leaving the step off probably fixes that.

[Rich]

After the effort required getting them in I don't think they will be trying to make a sideways break for freedom. I greased the tops of the springs which made life a little easier.

[manifold]

lol. I did the same, along with a dance around the garden with a very large crowbar......Then the penny dropped.

Put them in by

a. taking the rebound buffer out.
b. taking out the upper arm pin.....put everything in position and then the pin just slides in.

[Rich]

I managed with just the rebound buffer out, and a mallet

[Hans Efde]

Very inspirational all this! My engine is coming out after the MOT and then it's time to see if I can do a quick fix to get these things in after all.

[manifold]

Would be a shame not to use them Hans. it's a quick win.