Aeon Spring / Lotocones etc

[vincereynard]

Richard.
These are the Risers or Raisers. Alloy spacers that fit onto the top of the damper and bring the Aeon bump / spring into action earlier.

If you convert to the smaller springs with an adjustable platform it is easy to assemble the entire unit: upright, springs, spring hat, damper, bump stop (bump rubber spring), lotocone, damper top nut, etc. on the bench. Then connect the entire assembled upright unit to the A-arm, jack up to position the Lotocone and bolt it in place. Done. No fishing the rod through the lotocone.

I don't want to go down the small spring track yet. Firstly because I have a pair of NOS big springs and secondly I'm trying to return it to nearer standard by taking off the Spyder double wishbone bits.
Converting it to adjustable Big Springs would be a distinct bonus! As I suspected, and you have confirmed, it makes it a lot easier. Are the threaded sleeves available?

I did the same as billwill, installed lotocones first then guided the damper up through the lotocone with a strong bit of wire. I used stock springs, and did have to compress them when installing them - because there is so little space to work (mine is a baby elan)

It sounds like you did not use a guide wire, passed through the hole in the top of the damper, twisted to hold it, them passed up through the lotocone and kept taught while jacking up the suspension so that the top of the damper rod passes cleanly through the lotocone.

How do you get at the top nut? I'm not adverse to a bit of interior body surgery if it is possible to get at the strut top from inside.

[billwill]

>How do you get at the top nut? I'm not adverse to a bit of interior body surgery if it is possible to get at the strut top from inside.

It took me a while to work out what you were asking here

Earlier I mentioned that I removed the rear window for safety. Getting at the top damper nuts is then just a matter of removing the parcel shelf. Easier on an open-top Elan.

~~~~~~

In retrospect I think mine are older Koni dampers and I seem to recall that the top part of the damper rod thread has edges milled away and the split pin hole then drilled at right angled to the two milled flats. This mean that with a suitable thin wire the rod can be pulled up through the lotocone then the castellated nut slid down the wire and the flats enable the wire to stay in place, pulling, until the castellated nut is screwed down. Once it grips the rod in the lotocone cone it can be tightened without the rod turning. (I think).

The flats on the rod are used to turn the rod when adjusting the damper. You can see similar flats on SENC's first photo on the first page of this topic and you can just imagine how you can put the nut on without first removing the pull wire.

[vincereynard]

Earlier I mentioned that I removed the rear window for safety. Getting at the top damper nuts is then just a matter of removing the parcel shelf. Easier on an open-top Elan.

What about on a +2?

[billwill]

Earlier I mentioned that I removed the rear window for safety. Getting at the top damper nuts is then just a matter of removing the parcel shelf. Easier on an open-top Elan.

What about on a +2?

I don't know enough about a +2 to answer that. Removing the window is more difficult? (glued in? )
But I presume the parcel shelf is much the same as in the two-seater?

[SENC]

I did not remove my rear glass, though I did consider it as I was struggling to loosen the nuts because it is quite a tight space back there. If removing the glass is an option for you, a few curses can likely be avoided, but it is doable by just removing the parcel shelf. Get the nut loosened before removing the rear wheels and rear a-arms, otherwise the entire rod can twist (particularly if the spring caps have been rounded and lost their "D". Reinstalling, as Bill suggested, once the wire and damper rod are pulled up through the lotocone, the nut can easily be slid down the wire and onto the rod and started. Reinstall the rest of the suspension and get it back on its wheels and full weight and you can snug the nuts and insert the split pin with ease.

[alan.barker]

I suggest you tape something to the Back Window just in case the Spanner
Alan

[JonB]

Was just about to say that, Alan.

@Vince, I removed one nut from PP's driver side rear shock absorber with the window in situ. Took ages to get the split pin out. I was trying to see if it was loose - recall that PP is clonky over the bumps. Anyway, it wasn't loose at all, but I could not get the split pin back in so I left it as-is (against the advice of several members). At least, for now.

Anyway - protect the glass somehow. It's really easy to whack it with a ratchet.

[alan.barker]

Jon,
on my 1973 +2S130 there was also a clonk on the nearside rear.
It was the Special "C" Spanner Nut that holds the Insert into the Chapman Strut Tube that needed tightening . After tightening you need to Centre Pop the Tube to stop it coming undone .
With the rear Wheel off and the Suspension hanging down you can just get a Metal Drift between the Spring Coils .
Put Drift in one of the Slots and tighten with a Hammer (careful not to hit the Rear Wing )
Alan

[vincereynard]

Thanks for the suggestions.
As I'm replacing the Spyder set up with original struts I won't have the problem of taking the old out.

At the moment talk of replacing is a bit academic as I cannot get the hub off. It is seriously tight!

Hots of heat, a big bar and nothing!

[Craven]

Sure it can?t be! but it looks like you are trying to do it up, not undo counter clockwise.

[alan.barker]

I see you have attached the Brake Disk to hold in Vice.
That puts a lot of twist on the Driveshaft Ears
Are you using a sjsportscars Extractor.
1. I prefer to undo the Hut for the Driveshaft 1 turn and leave in place.
2. Put a packing piece then screw on original Spinner and tighten to pull Hub off.
3. Shocking the Spinner and several heat cycles always works for me.
Good luck
Alan

[vincereynard]

Sure it can?t be! but it looks like you are trying to do it up, not undo counter clockwise.

I am. The hub removal tool is in place.

I see you have attached the Brake Disk to hold in Vice.
That puts a lot of twist on the Driveshaft Ears
Are you using a sjsportscars Extractor.
1. I prefer to undo the Hut for the Driveshaft 1 turn and leave in place.
2. Put a packing piece then screw on original Spinner and tighten to pull Hub off.
3. Shocking the Spinner and several heat cycles always works for me.
Good luck Alan

It's an old disk supplied by a member. I don't see an alternative way to hold it to be honest.
It is a similar tool to the SJS one. I've considered drilling holes around the middle of the tool body so I can pop in some sort of locking bar. But, as it's not mine ...............

The nut is still in place. I've ground the nyloc bit off and undone it so it is flush with the shaft thread.
As it happens I've also been lent a spare pair of spinners so method 2 is a possibility. Would that not put even more twist torque on the ears?

There is no rush so drastic methods are not required .......yet.

[Craven]

Alan?s suggestion of shock tactics is a good one, with manual three leg pullers the method was to tighten up then shock the central screw with a mallet. The head of the screw was designed for this purpose. Spinner method does just that.

[vincereynard]

I've tried a 3 legged puller.

I thought the problem with those was that there was a danger of distorting the hub?

[Craven]

It was just an example of how a shock wave is used to apply extra force on a straight pull, not a way to get an Elan knock on hub off.