Rubber suspension springs replacement

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j Beeton
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Rubber suspension springs replacement

Post by j Beeton »

So i,ve decided to change the rubber suspension springs on my Moke. The rear ones took less than an hour to complete so a result there. I have left the best till last however :x - the front ones!!.
I made a start on Boxing day and gave up after a couple of hours as it all started to get very fiddly. I have a compression tool so that bit is easy, getting the cones out no problem however trying to get the rubber springs out is impossible!!! From what I can see this will require the top suspension arm to be removed . Am I correct here and or is there a secret technique for extracting these parts??
I cannot see how the nearside top arm can be removed without the radiator coming out and that will be a nighmare as the lower bolts are impossible to reach , any advise please as the thought of removing the rad !! :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry:

cheers James
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Dean
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Re: Rubber suspension springs replacement

Post by Dean »

Hi James,
Yes, the top arm has to come out but I don't think the radiator should get in your way. Having suitable tools to get into those tight spaces is the trick here.
On the top arm, I get to the smaller bolts/nuts and from under the wheelarch and the larger nut from the front of the car using a couple of extension bars. Do you have a removable grille?
Dean
j Beeton
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Re: Rubber suspension springs replacement

Post by j Beeton »

Hi Thanks,

No the car is a 1965 moke so has a fixed grill and the rad is not held in by a single bolt at the bottom like later minis are... it has the early two bolts to subframe mount type lower bracket :evil:
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Dean
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Re: Rubber suspension springs replacement

Post by Dean »

j Beeton wrote:Hi Thanks,

No the car is a 1965 moke so has a fixed grill and the rad is not held in by a single bolt at the bottom like later minis are... it has the early two bolts to subframe mount type lower bracket :evil:
My Moke has the same rad bracket as you (I think all the Aussies did) but a removable grille. If I recall, you don't actually need to undo the front pivot shaft nut to remove the arm, just the small thust plate nuts/bolts. It's the back shaft nut that has to come off to allow the shaft to slide foward and that's accessed from under the car/wheelarch (as are the thrust plate nuts/bolts).
Dean
Nigel(no top)Sykes
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Re: Rubber suspension springs replacement

Post by Nigel(no top)Sykes »

Deans right, it can be done from under the wheelarch, it's fiddly, but what job isn't on these cars? So long as the trumpet comes off the rubber doughnut you'll be fine
Come on summer
j Beeton
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Re: Rubber suspension springs replacement

Post by j Beeton »

Hi Dean, Nigel ,

thanks for replies/ help, but i still cannot see how the thrust plate bolts can be reached from the wheel arch as the rear one is hidden by the pivot arm nut through a narrow gap between the inner wing panel and the bulkhead and the radiator is so close ?? or am i misunderstanding( not unusual!!) :? .... regards James
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Wally2
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Re: Rubber suspension springs replacement

Post by Wally2 »

Hi James,
Have you seen the Weeler Dealers episode on the Moke. I know its a later Moke but they seem to be able to get the rubber spring out without removing the top arm.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqrDgZ14qxk
You need a crow bar though!
Chris
Chris
WEEMOKE
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j Beeton
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Re: Rubber suspension springs replacement

Post by j Beeton »

Hi Chris, thanks for reminding me of this episode, I have watched a million times and totally forgot about it! Ed does get the old one out with a crowbar , so maybe the opening is a little wider, however he does not put a rubber spring back in . Maybe it can be done like this but I suspect some paint loss whilst doing this . I will give it a try with a rubber crowbar :D :D ...
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gravynme
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Re: Rubber suspension springs replacement

Post by gravynme »

If you look under the radius arm you will see a small rubber wedge, this is the top bump stop, held in by a set screw, if you remove this you will find the arm goes down further, just enough to get the doughnut out on its side. (Number 26)Image
You can just see its location dead center on this diagramImage
j Beeton
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Re: Rubber suspension springs replacement

Post by j Beeton »

Hi thanks, yes I removed that before I took the weight of the front suspension, but even the little difference this adds it is still impossible to remove the suspension unit :( .. I will try the pry bar method and see if I can do it with minimum paint damage. :? When I rebuilt the subframe and suspension it was all out of the car so fitting was easy as the upper arms were fitted after the suspension spring and trumpet so I had complete access to the upper arm fixings .

Regards James
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spider
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Re: Rubber suspension springs replacement

Post by spider »

Still struggling on with this?

The top arm has to come out. You might be able to butcher the old ones out without removing the arm, but to do this, the subframe tower get swelled out out, they usually come back, but make no mistake, it's a bodge. And you won't get a new Rubber Cone back in, well, none that's worth fitting.

The Thrust Plate Bolts on the RH side can be gotten to from above, those under the radiator, I use a 1/4" Drive 7/16" Socket on lots of extensions and come in through the grill. Bit of a fiddle, but not a hard job.
Old Mokers never die, they just smell that way.
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Doug G
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Re: Rubber suspension springs replacement

Post by Doug G »

Can you post some pictures?
Having a moking good time!
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grantourer
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Re: Rubber suspension springs replacement

Post by grantourer »

spider wrote:Still struggling on with this?

The top arm has to come out. You might be able to butcher the old ones out without removing the arm, but to do this, the subframe tower get swelled out out, they usually come back, but make no mistake, it's a bodge. And you won't get a new Rubber Cone back in, well, none that's worth fitting.

The Thrust Plate Bolts on the RH side can be gotten to from above, those under the radiator, I use a 1/4" Drive 7/16" Socket on lots of extensions and come in through the grill. Bit of a fiddle, but not a hard job.
Just replaced all my front suspension, new upper arm shaft, bearings, knuckles and Rubber Springs. And as Spider says. A but of a fiddle, but it all worked out fine. I just took my time, and had no trouble.
Regards, Graham & Judith
1981 Aussie Moke
1989 Portuguese Moke
1979 Clubman Estate
j Beeton
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Re: Rubber suspension springs replacement

Post by j Beeton »

Need to get this done now, spent an hour in garage today trying to figure out access to the near side thrust bolts without the impossible task of removing the rad, I cannot se that it is possible...so an option is to remove the ally trumpet and fit Hi lo,s as that way I can adjust the height at the front so it is level!! Not ideal but without bending the inner wing I see no other way. As the car has no removable grill- great design!!! It is impossible to get to the required bolts from the front.... :evil: :evil: :o :(
j Beeton
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Re: Rubber suspension springs replacement

Post by j Beeton »

So finally fitted the new front suspension cones, and the near side was a pain.... Had to remove the radiator first before I could access the top arm thrust washer retaining plate bolts and remove the top arm bearing.. Drivers side was easier as the top arm fittings re accessible through the engine bay... Anyway now sorted and car is level... :D :D .. Hope never to have to do this job again!!!!?....
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