Rear dampers

[wgrainge]

Thanks to everyone who replied regarding the welds on my rear A-arms.
Very helpful advice as usual.

After owning my S4 Elan for 17 years, I'm finally changing the rear
dampers for the first time. The manual however seems a little short
on related information. Do the pieces shown in this photo simply
unthread, allowing the damper to be pulled out? I've applied a lot of
force to them, but so far they won't budge. I'm reluctant to continue
until I'm certain about what I'm doing.

http://www.ucalgary.ca/~wjgraing/b/elan/strut.jpg

Also, anyone know of a spring compressor that would work well for my
FRONT springs? I've visited several shops in my area and they all
shake their heads and won't touch them.

Thanks.

Will Grainger
1970 Elan S4
1979 Esprit

[tvacc]

Although I no longer have an Elan....at least not a early Elan...I was
intimatly familiar with the dampers..all the way around, in every way...in
every fashion...and

It has been years since I have done this..so anybody...feel free to chime
in...

As far as the front spring compresser...there is no easy answer there..Lotus
had a shop tool that was basically a small Aframe that had a hole in the
middle part of the "A" that was the exact diameter of the top of the
shock...so you put that in a press..with the shock..and then compress the
spring..I made one up out of sewer pipe and 2X4's....I then put it in a big
vice and with a 8 foot 2x4...and leverage...collasped the darn thing.

When my courage gave out...as I had visions of the spring and shock shooting
across the room, ending up in my chest......I started to ply the local
muffler shop with "tips" every time I got something done. They had a
hydralic or air spring compressor mounted on the wall, and I knew someday it
would come in handy. I made a slotted plate out of 1/4 steel, slightly
wider than the spring... and went to the muffler shop..and offered them $20
to take them apart

They put the plate through the spring with shock piston rod going through
the slot..they then used the arms on the compresser to compress the
plate(as well as the spring) and pull the keeper...on the second shock..the
damn thing slipped and nearly took off the guys finger...blood all over the
place...

but the $20 was more incentive than I thought...the guy went back at it with
out even putting on a bandaid.....They then put the new shocks on ..no
problem with the second go around.

As far as the rear dampers...they just unscrew at the top...a very
small..less than 1/4...place to put a vice grips...or what ever, is visable
at the top...

You can then pull out the guts..if someone else has fitted Konis...or
Spax..it will come out a 1 cylinder insert type unit. If they are
original..then it comes out in pieces...oil..springs..valves...etc... You
will have drop the suspension and undo one rotoflex (as I recall) to get
shock tower past the wheel well far enough to pull out, or put in the shock
insert......

The threads on the top of the shock tower(where you unscrewto get at the
innards) are very very fine..be care ful not to cross thread them...that is
also why it is hard to get them loose..they get gummed up very easily.


Tony Vaccaro
93 Caterham
91 Elan
and a few older Elans back when I wanted to work on cars more than drive
them.





Original Message:

After owning my S4 Elan for 17 years, I'm finally changing the rear
dampers for the first time. The manual however seems a little short
on related information. Do the pieces shown in this photo simply
unthread, allowing the damper to be pulled out? I've applied a lot of
force to them, but so far they won't budge. I'm reluctant to continue
until I'm certain about what I'm doing.

http://www.ucalgary.ca/~wjgraing/b/elan/strut.jpg

Also, anyone know of a spring compressor that would work well for my
FRONT springs? I've visited several shops in my area and they all
shake their heads and won't touch them.

Thanks.

Will Grainger
1970 Elan S4
1979 Esprit


________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

[gjz30075]

--- In lotuselan@y..., ***@***.***e:




You are correct. The piece shown in your photo does indeed unscrew
however it'll probably take a pipe wrench to do it. There is usually
a peaning done on the top of the tube to keep it from coming loose.
The threads are very fine so be certain they are clean when threading
in the new plug that is usually supplied with the new dampers.

Greg.....recently did the job.
72 Sprint

[Rob_LaMoreaux]

I had a motorcycle shop do mine, and they had a difficult time with them. Their compressor would compress 3 inches a swing of the lever, so they had to do it in two steps.

I bought a spring compressor designed for them last year which should make it easier. It has a tube that goes over the spring, then two bolts are threaded in to hold the spring. Then there are two long threaded rods that go to a 1/2" thick plate that has a hole for the bottom of the damper. Crank the nuts down on the rods to compress the spring and you can put the retaineron.

Rob LaMoreaux
Ann Arbor, MI USA
(734)-971-5583
***@***.***
Too many Hobbies.... Too Little Time
1969 Lotus Elan....It's not a restoration, it's a never-ending
adventure.

[paulatim2869]

Rob- You said that you bought a spring compressor....Where or more
importantly, what brand. I have my Plus 2 fronts apart and would appreciate
the info.

Tim McKay
1969 +2
50/1601

[Arno Church]

This sounds suspisciously like something easy to make yourself for very little money
Arno


I bought a spring compressor designed for them last year which should make it easier. It has a tube that goes over the spring, then two bolts are threaded in to hold the spring. Then there are two long threaded rods that go to a 1/2" thick plate that has a hole for the bottom of the damper. Crank the nuts down on the rods to compress the spring and you can put the retainer on.

[kstrutt1]

I did just that several years ago for My +2, 2 lengths of 12mm
studding, and some scrap steel flat using a MIG welder.
I made it such that it grips each spring seat and the spring is
enclosed so it can not escape. It worked really well, the only problem
being that it takes a bit of time to wind up and down.
If any one close to Chelmsford Essex UK wishes to borrow it they are
welcome.

Kevin +2S130.


--- In lotuselan@y..., "Arno Church" <stuckect@i...> wrote:


two bolts are threaded in to hold the spring. Then there are two long
threaded rods that go to a 1/2" thick plate that has a hole for the
bottom of the damper. Crank the nuts down on the rods to compress the
spring and you can put the retainer on.

[Rob_LaMoreaux]

I believe this was a make it yourself tool. I bought it for $75 from a
gentleman in Chicago area who was selling his Lotus stuff (posted to this
or Lotus-Cars list). It is a steel tube big enough to go over the spring
(2.5" id x 4 or 5 inch long). On the tube are weled two smaller tubes that
threaded rod goes through, and two threaded bosses for bolts to go in to
hold the spring. On the other end is the 1/2" plate with a hole for the
damper tube.

It's something that someone with a drill press, a welder and a source for
the metal could throw together in an hour (1/2 hour if they're good, 15
minutes if they are really good).

I am willing to loan it to anyone in the Michigan area. Outside that
shipping might not make it worthwhile.

Rob LaMoreaux
Ann Arbor, MI 48108-1273
Home: 734-971-5583
Work: 734-822-9696
Fax: 734-973-1103
Home email: ***@***.***
Work email: ***@***.***
Too many Hobbies.... Too Little Time
1969 Lotus Elan....It's not a restoration, it's a never-ending adventure.

[s2lola]

Rob,

FWIW, I'd hesitate to lend it to anyone. The potential for personal injury
is huge on something like this (a coiled spring inproperly captured can maim
and even kill on occaision - there's a lot of energy stored there). Heaven
forbid that the tool broke and caused an injury while on loan. I admire
your kindness, but you might be better off offering to do the service for
people rather than chance it with someone hurting themselves.

Just a thought,

cheers,

Bill Tebbutt
Tebbutt's Chainsaw and Knife-Throwing Equipment Rentals, Inc.


-----Original Message-----
From: Robert D. LaMoreaux [mailto:***@***.***
Sent: Monday, September 24, 2001 5:32 PM
To: 'INTERNET:***@***.***';
'internet:***@***.***'
Subject: RE: [LotusElan.net] Re: Rear dampers





I believe this was a make it yourself tool. I bought it for $75 from a
gentleman in Chicago area who was selling his Lotus stuff (posted to this
or Lotus-Cars list). It is a steel tube big enough to go over the spring
(2.5" id x 4 or 5 inch long). On the tube are weled two smaller tubes that
threaded rod goes through, and two threaded bosses for bolts to go in to
hold the spring. On the other end is the 1/2" plate with a hole for the
damper tube.

It's something that someone with a drill press, a welder and a source for
the metal could throw together in an hour (1/2 hour if they're good, 15
minutes if they are really good).

I am willing to loan it to anyone in the Michigan area. Outside that
shipping might not make it worthwhile.

Rob LaMoreaux
Ann Arbor, MI 48108-1273
Home: 734-971-5583
Work: 734-822-9696
Fax: 734-973-1103
Home email: ***@***.***
Work email: ***@***.***
Too many Hobbies.... Too Little Time
1969 Lotus Elan....It's not a restoration, it's a never-ending adventure.








reserved.







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[gjz30075]

--- In lotuselan@y..., "Robert D. LaMoreaux" <Rob_LaMoreaux@c...>
wrote:











Rob,
AHAH! So you're the guy who bought it :> ! I called the same
gentleman shortly after you did and discovered it was sold. A fair
buy, methinks, considering lack of welding skills and the time and
money for someone else to do the disassembly/reassembly. I paid a
shop $40 for their disassembly, my adjustment recommendations on my
Konis, then reassembly and then discover my adjustments need
adjusting. ARGGHH! I wasn't about to pay another $40 to readjust my
adjustments.

Greg
72 Sprint.....little too stiff in the front.

[jivers]

Will,

Sorry for the delayed response. I have put together a spring
compressor which I have successfully used on my front Spax coil overs
several times. The compressor does not require welding. I have a
picture posted on my web site, but when I went to check the path to
include in my response, I discovered that sites.netscape.net is
experiencing some kind of significant problem that prevents access
for at least five days now. When I get my web site back up, I will
post a notice. In the mean time, a verbal description: Buy a bearing
separator (I am not sure of sizing, but mine will easily accomodate
4" diameter). The bearing separator has two threaded screws that are
used to force a tapered lip under the bearing. The tapered lip can be
inserted between the coils. The bearing separator also has a threaded
hole on each side, into which threaded rod can be screwed, leaving
the rod parallel to the shock tube. A 1/4" steel plate with a hole
large enough to slip over the sway bar mounting stud and rest on the
bottom of the shock and two additional holes appropriately spaced to
slide over the threaded rods is installed at the bottom and nuts
threaded onto the rods. By tightening the nuts, the spring can be
compressed enough to release the keeper. I am always nervous when
using such a tool, so I place it on the garage floor, with the top of
the shock pointing out the open door and myself strategically placed
to the side out of the line of fire. I have used this on stock
springs and 180 lb/in with no problem. Hope this helps.

Jeff Ivers
67 S3 FHC

--- In lotuselan@y..., ***@***.***e:

[Rob_LaMoreaux]

That was one reason I went for the externally adjustable Spax dampers for the front. I do plan on putting slightly stiffer springs on the car so afterwatching the motorcycle shop fight with the spring I got the spring tool. The motorcycle shop only charged me something like $10.

Rob LaMoreaux
Ann Arbor, MI USA
(734)-971-5583
***@***.***
Too many Hobbies.... Too Little Time
1969 Lotus Elan....It's not a restoration, it's a never-ending
adventure.

[jivers]

Will,

My web site is now back up and features a picture and dimensions of
the spring compressor I use. My web site is at
http://pages.prodigy.net/jivers. Follow the links to the "1967 Elan"
page and then to "tools". Hope this helps.

Jeff Ivers
67 S3 FHC

--- In lotuselan@y..., ***@***.***e:

[Trond Aulund]

I`am about to start restoring my -64 S2 and I will study the material
you have laid out carefully. Thank you for getting it all together like
that!

Thanks,

Trond Aulund
Oslo, Norway

-----Opprinnelig melding-----
Fra: ***@***.***P:***@***.***
Sendt: 27. september 2001 16:56
Til: ***@***.***
Emne: [LotusElan.net] Re: Rear dampers

Will,

My web site is now back up and features a picture and dimensions of
the spring compressor I use. My web site is at
http://pages.prodigy.net/jivers. Follow the links to the "1967 Elan"
page and then to "tools". Hope this helps.

Jeff Ivers
67 S3 FHC

--- In lotuselan@y..., ***@***.***e:









reserved.

[Howie97630]

Jeff,

thanks for posting your page, good information. Just getting into restoring my S2, and
your tools section was a reminder of what I needed back when I had my original S3. My
knuckles, and much older back, will be thanking you in the near future.

Doug Troutman
65 S2