4200 ride height adjustment - slight problem

[davidhowson]

4200 ride height adjustment - slight problem (Now sorted!)

Before anyone says it, I'm old enough to have know better

But, I decided to have a go at adjusting the ride height on my car. Sounded quite easy from the various posts I have read (mainly on the US forum) so I bought the required C-Spanner and a new can of WD40.
I started at the front knowing that access to the spring is most limited there, but with some time and effort both fronts were lowered 20 turns which should be about 1 1/4" drop. I have an 02 which had silly high ride height to start with so this shouldn't be too much I thought.

So far so good. Went to rear off side next. 30 minutes and 17 turns lower as suggested over the pond.

Rear nearside. Ah, wont budge. More WD40. Nope. Compress spring with special compressor. Nope. The lock nut moved with very little effort so I know the thread's OK. Tried hitting C-Spanner, nope. Really got mad with it. Nope. Tried a cup of tea. Nope. Tried swearing at it, hitting it and myself several times, very hard. Still won't budge.

So in summary - I now have a car with three lowered corners and one not. Broke two teeth oiff the ring nut trying. Several cuts and bruises, but full swear box for the holidays.

Any thoughts why, or is this the ultimate sod's law in practice? Could it have locktight on it?

I'm planning to take the whole rear strut off the car and try to wrestle with it on the bench where I should be able to compress the spring more fully. If it still won't budge I'm thinking of cutting it off and buying a new adjuster nut.

-David-

 

[GransportFan1]

Hi David, you probably dont remember me form Maserati Forum, i sent you a few PM's on there about how nice i thought your 4200 was in yellow. Hope you are well


Adam

 

[urbanmaser]

Thats the spirit David........just a shame the England squad never shared your never give up attitude........Perhaps Dr Loz can help you

 

[ENZ525]

Hi David,
As you say, this must be sod's law in practice...
can't see why 3 corners should be moving ok and one not.
Sorry I can't really offer a better explanation,
Regards,
Enzo.

 

[Torenno Performance]

Before anyone says it, I'm old enough to have know better

But, I decided to have a go at adjusting the ride height on my car. Sounded quite easy from the various posts I have read (mainly on the US forum) so I bought the required C-Spanner and a new can of WD40.
I started at the front knowing that access to the spring is most limited there, but with some time and effort both fronts were lowered 20 turns which should be about 1 1/4" drop. I have an 02 which had silly high ride height to start with so this shouldn't be too much I thought.

So far so good. Went to rear off side next. 30 minutes and 17 turns lower as suggested over the pond.

Rear nearside. Ah, wont budge. More WD40. Nope. Compress spring with special compressor. Nope. The lock nut moved with very little effort so I know the thread's OK. Tried hitting C-Spanner, nope. Really got mad with it. Nope. Tried a cup of tea. Nope. Tried swearing at it, hitting it and myself several times, very hard. Still won't budge.

So in summary - I now have a car with three lowered corners and one not. Broke two teeth oiff the ring nut trying. Several cuts and bruises, but full swear box for the holidays.

Any thoughts why, or is this the ultimate sod's law in practice? Could it have locktight on it?

I'm planning to take the whole rear strut off the car and try to wrestle with it on the bench where I should be able to compress the spring more fully. If it still won't budge I'm thinking of cutting it off and buying a new adjuster nut.

-David-

David,

You could try drowning it in WD40 and leave it overnight and see if it penetrates a little and makes it easier.

or you can try what i did with the metal valves caps, they got siezed in winter and just wouldnt come off, so the only option was to heat them up.

Thanks

Noor

 

[davidhowson]

Thanks for the quick replies, nice to have some moral support!
I've tried a little heat but I didn't want to fry the contents of the damper, so probably didn't really give it enough.
I've tried turning the nut in both directions and it just will not budge. I'm going to have do something quickly coz apart from looking a bit odd from the rear (the car that is) I'm not sure what it'll handle like.
Adam - Hi, yes I remember you....the car doesn't look quite so good at the moment!!
-David-

 

[nigw]

Loktite shouldn't prevent you undoing it....it's more designed to avoid loosening by vibration. I'd take the strut to your friendly local garage and ask them to do it.

 

[GransportFan1]

Thanks for the quick replies, nice to have some moral support!
I've tried a little heat but I didn't want to fry the contents of the damper, so probably didn't really give it enough.
I've tried turning the nut in both directions and it just will not budge. I'm going to have do something quickly coz apart from looking a bit odd from the rear (the car that is) I'm not sure what it'll handle like.
Adam - Hi, yes I remember you....the car doesn't look quite so good at the moment!!
-David-

why doesn't it look so good, is it because you tried to lower it?

 

[safrane]

David, Dont forget the 4 wheel alignment after you have finished...fingers crossed for you.

 

[davidhowson]

Adam - In a word, yes. One of those jobs I wished I had never started! I really can't face putting the thre lowered corners back up again. But other than a lop-sided car, it's great!
Peter - I'm all set up ready at one of my dealerships in Shrewsbury who has all the gear to do 4-wheel-alignment. It's the going in there on Monday to own up to what i've done...still they're getting used to me doing daft things with my cars after all these years.
Thanks
David

 

[Tiburon44]

David,
Bravo to you for giving it a try......Atleast now your effort and info will help others on the forum, and if attempted maybe see if it is a one off, or regular occurance. Thanks for your input, it'll definately help as I prepare to lower my 4200 a bit too.

Jason

 

[davidhowson]

I've had one of my engineers look at this today and he's tried a few things all to no avail; so it wasn't me being a weed.

Going to plan B now.

-David-

 

[Torenno Performance]

Whats Plan B?

 

[lozcb]

I've had one of my engineers look at this today and he's tried a few things all to no avail; so it wasn't me being a weed.

Going to plan B now.

-David-

Sorry David been off the radar for a bit , Like Noor , i suggest is some serious fast heat , but before you try it , go to your local plumbers merchants or a decent tool shop and buy 2 or 3 asbestos blankets and tie them with wire around the strut as protection , then apply your serious fast heat , a good gas blow lamp should be adequate, but directed at the ring and not the main strut , be ready and prepared to turn off the heat and undo the ring a quickly as possible, one or two attempts should do it , allowing the centre strut to cool before trying the 2nd attempt as you know its all about expansion rates so the strut needs to be cool before you start the 2nd attempt


regards loz

 

[davidhowson]

Thanks for the reply Loz, we tried heat this afternoon, maybe not quite as serious as you are suggesting though. It got the WD40 bubbling so it was warmer than you would like to put your hand on! You're spot on with the expansion rates and would get a result in the end.
Didn't actually have a plan B until I located a spare adjuster nut so plan B is to compress the spring and then carefully cut into the adjuster nut on the strut to a point where we can split it and remove it.
I gather that by disconnecting the ARB and the lower ball joint I can remove the lower strut mounting and remove the lock nut and then put the new adjuster nut on up to the correct (and level) ride height followed by the lock nut. Eb=ven if the thread is damaged under the existing adjuster nut, it really doesn't matter coz I'm not going that high again.
Sounds simples don't it?
Any draw backs to that one??
Regards
David

 

[davidhowson]

Right, back on track with this little project.
Thanks to David Askew, I found a very reasonably priced new adjuster nut and one of my engineers took the whole damper unit off the car, compressed the spring and very carefully cut a V in the old nut then a sharp tap and off it came.
Interestingly, there was no visible clues as to why this was so stuck.
Refitted the spring, new nut and back on the car, 2 hours total.
I'm going to let the car "settle" in her new position then do a fine adjustment to the ride height so everything is level. After that she's back to my engineer again for a full 4-wheel set up to FD's spec and see how that feels.
Have to say that now she hasn't got one buttock in the air, she sits so much better on the road.
When I get to do the adjustment, I will get some pictures together and post up here should anyone feel brave enough to follow in my footsteps (or should that be wheeltracks?)
I guess the moral of the story is to check that all four adjuster nuts are free to move before reseting the height in any one corner!
Thanks for your support guys, it's at moments like this when you need to know you're right behind me (probably wetting yourselves laughing) but there all the same!!
-David-

 

[alfamaserman]

Nobody's laughing David. I'm sure your exploits will prove invaluable to others. It certainly put me off doing anything similar!

 

[ENZ525]

Not Laughing at all David,
have been very interested in this,
may have a go at the QP at some point,
Regards,
Enzo.

 

[goatherder]

Well done David - Ever thought of opening up your own garage!?

I'd never attempt this but would pay for someone else to do it!

 

[safrane]

Maybe we should rent a garage for a weekend and do all these DIY tasks as a group...Sat Nav up-grades, pads etc...