| Author | Message | ||
     Jason McCombs (Jasonmc) Member Username: Jasonmc Post Number: 71 Registered: 06-2003 |
hey guys i sent my cover to the shop and as i suspected the factory shocks are toast. he gave me a price of $825 to replace only the shocks with Bilsteins. I have read the Dweb tech section how to and also the 4x4wire how to. it looks straight forward enough but i haven't done it before. I figure i can replace the shocks and the springs at the same time for less than i would pay to have the shocks put on, and then i will have learned something to boot. So I'm wondering if anyone who has done this before is local to me and would be willing to help me do the install. I'll supply beer and food and tools and my share of the cussing. i live in Oakland, CA. I don't have a time frame set. I can live with the crapped out spongy shocks for a while. Please just let me know if there's anyone out there intrested, in helping a willing newbie learn a thing or two. | ||
| Eric Olsen (Eric_olsen) New Member Username: Eric_olsen Post Number: 33 Registered: 02-2003 |
I did mine by myself, nothing to it. I say read through the archives and go for it. Why don't you go with the OME HD's and get some lift out of it at the same time | ||
| Jason McCombs (Jasonmc) Member Username: Jasonmc Post Number: 72 Registered: 06-2003 |
Eric- when you changed your shocks and springs did you use the bottle jack method to get the springs out or did you get a spring compressor? anybody got any tips on that? | ||
| Eric Olsen (Eric_olsen) New Member Username: Eric_olsen Post Number: 34 Registered: 02-2003 |
I used a spring compressor, rented it for like $8. The install front and rear only took me 1 full day. | ||
| Jason Lord (Ronan) Member Username: Ronan Post Number: 97 Registered: 10-2002 |
Jason - I used a spring and strut compressor that I rented at Canadian Tire. I jacked up the frame just behind the tire and used the bottle jack under the axle as support (don't jack up the axle or you will lose clearance). Undo the shock upper and lower bolts (bit of a pain on the passenger side upper shock mount because the bolt will not easily fit out but just loosen up the shock seat to lift the shock a bit to allow room to pull out the bolt - you will see what I mean). Apply the spring compressors and tighten them down until you have enough compression to slide the upper end out from its rubber support. Pull it and the shock out together. Simply reverse the whole procedure to put back in. Make sure when you fit the new spring that you put the 'pigtail' of the spring onto its correct place in the seat or they wont fit properly (found that one out the hard way). Check out the tech section of the expedition exchange website for details. I was able to do this without dropping the panhard rod or sway bar. Jay | ||
| Frank Rafka (Mongosd2) Member Username: Mongosd2 Post Number: 64 Registered: 02-2003 |
here's another trick, use a set of car ramps. place them at opposite wheels, drive up. this will compress one side of the truck. put a jack stand under the frame, take your bottle jack under the axle. remove tire, lower bottle jack. you should be able to drop the axle low enough for the spring to drop right out. this trick worked both on a d-90 and my d2. watch the brake lines on a d2, you'll need to release thrm from the retainers... | ||
| Jason Lord (Ronan) Member Username: Ronan Post Number: 98 Registered: 10-2002 |
Nice one Frank. How many monkeys did it take for you to come up with that one LOL. Jay | ||
| Jared Schnelle (Jared) Member Username: Jared Post Number: 154 Registered: 09-2002 |
I am currently in the process of doing this. Today has been hell. At first I used my spring compressor, and it was taking forever. Finally I gave up and used the "bottle jack" idea, and it took me maybe 10 minutes versus 2 hours. All I do is take my 3ton floor jack, lift up the body to a pretty good height, remove the bump stop from the side I'm working on., place the bottle jack in there(may have to force the axle down some), and then jack it till your spring comes out. Hardest part is getting the retainer off of the bottom. I had to quit for the day because the passenger side retainer nuts are (shitty nylock by the way), but they're rounded, and I need to cut them off. Good luck, we both need it. | ||
| Jason McCombs (Jasonmc) Member Username: Jasonmc Post Number: 73 Registered: 06-2003 |
does the stock bottle jack from my D1 have enough elevation gain to extract the springs? | ||
| Jared Schnelle (Jared) Member Username: Jared Post Number: 155 Registered: 09-2002 |
Yep I have another bottle jack that I bought, around the same size, but not leaky like the LR one. | ||
| David Seger (Croakus) New Member Username: Croakus Post Number: 25 Registered: 06-2003 |
Okay, I'm about to install new springs and shocks on my D2. I've got a 22" floor jack, the stock bottle jack and another 16" floor jack. Not to mention stands. I was planning to: 1) Jack up the vehicle and put the stands under the frame. 2) Put another jack under the axel. 3) Remove tire. 4) Lower axel until the spring comes out. 5) Repeat three more times. Am I totally off on this? I've never heard of putting the bottle jack in between the axel and frame. Am I going to need a spring compressor? | ||
| Frank Rafka (Mongosd2) Member Username: Mongosd2 Post Number: 66 Registered: 02-2003 |
Jay...only a couple... frank | ||
| James P Groom (Jpg) New Member Username: Jpg Post Number: 7 Registered: 06-2003 |
I just replaced the rear shocks on my DII with bilsein's, the fronts are still on order. The only glitch was the right side brackets were not spaced wide enough for the new shocks, I bent them outward approx 1/8" and coated with oil in order to cram the shocks in. The left side however had been bent inward to fit the stocks, just straightening them out allowed the bilsteins to slide right in. I hope the front's will be easier next weekend. Next project will be the brake pads. Jim Groom | ||
| Chris Whybrew (Dcwhybrew) Member Username: Dcwhybrew Post Number: 54 Registered: 05-2003 |
Jason, for what its worth, I noticed in your original post that you stated you weren't in a hurry to change your shocks. Eventhough you have some time, I wouldn't wait too long. When I bought my D1 my shocks apparently were toast and I drove on them for a while. I thought the rough ride was from my tires being out of balance and I found out that riding for a while on bad shocks messed up my tires. I had my tires balanced 2x before it was figured out that my shocks were bad. Just my experience. | ||
| Jason McCombs (Jasonmc) Member Username: Jasonmc Post Number: 74 Registered: 06-2003 |
Chris, thanls for that tidbit, I'll try and be more sparing on how much i drive the rover 'til i get em fixed. | ||
| Joe M. (Little_joe) Member Username: Little_joe Post Number: 132 Registered: 11-2002 |
The bottle jack method between the axle and frame takes just a few minutes, and IMHO is easier and safer than the spring compressor. I tried the spring compressor on the rear of my D1 and it was a PITA due to space limitations. Broke out the bottle jack, did each spring in a few minutes max. Soak all of your nuts and bolts with PowerBlaster for a day or two before doing this work. Even here in the rustbelt, I had no problems getting anything off. http://www.4x4wire.com/rover/disco/tech/ome/ joe | ||
| Jared Schnelle (Jared) Member Username: Jared Post Number: 156 Registered: 09-2002 |
Joe, I appreciate that site, that's where I learned about the bottle jack idea. Funny thing too, I put in the OME HD springs and OME shocks, and yesterday I ordered the same exact tires as you have. The Goodyear Wrangler MTR (245/75/16). Now, if only my disco was as sweet of a color as yours. | ||
| John Lee (Johnlee) Dweb Lounge Member Username: Johnlee Post Number: 227 Registered: 03-2003 |
David, "I was planning to: 1) Jack up the vehicle and put the stands under the frame. 2) Put another jack under the axel. 3) Remove tire. 4) Lower axel until the spring comes out. 5) Repeat three more times." That might work. Although I think you'll have trouble getting the axle to articulate enough for you to remove the spring. This is not a problem if you have a spring compressor but if you don't have a compressor you'll have a bear of a time changing out the springs because the D2's axles don't want to articulate. You can undo the outer radius arm bolt to free up the axle and let it articulate like so: http://www.expeditionexchange.com/disco2frontcoils/DCP_1098.jpg You can see in that pic that with the outer radius arm bolt removed, the axle is free to articulate. You'll also have to remove the rear brake caliper if you don't have spring compressors. Removing the rear calipers is very easy. Just use a 13mm 12-point socket to undo the two caliper bolts. "I've never heard of putting the bottle jack in between the axel and frame. Am I going to need a spring compressor?" We have compressors here at the shop, but I usually don't use them unless absolutely necessary because they make me nervous. I usually prefer to undo the sway bars and one of the radius arm bolts, which will free up the axle enough that you can stuff in the springs without using a compressor. But there is no doubt that the compressor really speeds up the job. If you have spring compressors and an impact wrench to compress and decompress the springs, changing out the springs can be done very quickly. You might also invest in some ratcheting combination wrenches like the lower wrench in this pic: http://www.expeditionexchange.com/snap-on/DSC05888.jpg It's very handy to have the 13mm and 18mm sizes handy if you own a D2. The 13mm will come in handy for the front lower shock mounting. Turning these bolts with an open-ended wrench can become tedious. Many D2's also require the front shock towers to be loosened to remove the upper shock mounting bolt. Loosening the 13mm shock tower bolts with an open-ended wrench is a nightmare. The 18mm wrench will fit the swaybars and front upper shock mounting bolts. The swaybar fasteners are very difficult to undo with a ratchet. The front upper shock mounting bolts are impossible to undo with a ratchet and very hard to do with an open-ended wrench. The rear shocks' mounting bolts are more accessible, but are still very nicely handled with the 18mm ratcheting combination wrench. The 13mm and 18mm ratcheting combination wrenches are a very worthwhile addition to any D2 owner's tool kit. These aren't that expensive either. Even the Matco ones are about $30 apiece, and the Craftsman ones are still nice and substantially cheaper. | ||
| Joe M. (Little_joe) Member Username: Little_joe Post Number: 133 Registered: 11-2002 |
"Funny thing too, I put in the OME HD springs and OME shocks, and yesterday I ordered the same exact tires as you have. The Goodyear Wrangler MTR (245/75/16)." So how did your install go? A Dwebber hooked me up with these tires off a new Jeep Rubicon - had under a hundred miles on them and the price was too good to pass up. I run the 33x12.50 MTR's on my Toy too, they are awesome offroad and on IMHO. "Now, if only my disco was as sweet of a color as yours." Thanks. When I bought it, I didn't realize Willow Green was a coveted color by some folks. I wanted a white one, but "settled" for this one.  joe | ||
| David Seger (Croakus) New Member Username: Croakus Post Number: 26 Registered: 06-2003 |
Thanks, John. BTW, I bought my springs and shocks from you guys. Ho was really helpfull in picking out the right hardware. | ||
| Jason McCombs (Jasonmc) Member Username: Jasonmc Post Number: 78 Registered: 06-2003 |
John, can you help recommend a set up of shocks and springs for me? I have a 96 D1 comletely stock. I want to use it for some light off road use. Im thinking light trails, and 2 track forestry roads, and maybe some unimproved desert type roads. I have no intention of getting a winch bumber or anything like that. It will also be my daily driver. we also want to use it on backroad mountain roads to take our telescope out for star viewing. so with that info what shock and spring set up would you suggest? | ||
| John Lee (Johnlee) Dweb Lounge Member Username: Johnlee Post Number: 235 Registered: 03-2003 |
Jason, if you go offroad at all, you should have a winch. | ||
| Jason McCombs (Jasonmc) Member Username: Jasonmc Post Number: 79 Registered: 06-2003 |
John, in order to have a winch i need a new front bumber right? | ||
| John Lee (Johnlee) Dweb Lounge Member Username: Johnlee Post Number: 236 Registered: 03-2003 |
Not necessarily. | ||
| Jason McCombs (Jasonmc) Member Username: Jasonmc Post Number: 80 Registered: 06-2003 |
ok well how could i fit a winch to my rover? i have the LR grille guard on the front. would i have to fit an a bar or something? help me out here John. yer' holding back man. | ||
| John Lee (Johnlee) Dweb Lounge Member Username: Johnlee Post Number: 238 Registered: 03-2003 |
Hmmm. Is it just me or was there some attitude in that last post? | ||
| Jason McCombs (Jasonmc) Member Username: Jasonmc Post Number: 81 Registered: 06-2003 |
no, not attitude just some humour. sorry man, tone is difficult to convey in a text post. but seriously how could i fit a winch on my stock rover? | ||
| One_Bad_Metro (Koby) Senior Member Username: Koby Post Number: 443 Registered: 02-2002 |
You could purchase a Land Rover Genuine winch tray | ||
| Jason McCombs (Jasonmc) Member Username: Jasonmc Post Number: 82 Registered: 06-2003 |
ok, I'll look that up. Forgive any dumb obvious questions i may ask on here. I am a newbie and am trying to soak this stuff up like a big ole sponge. | ||
| Rob Davison (Nosivad_bor) Dweb Lounge Member Username: Nosivad_bor Post Number: 664 Registered: 02-2003 |
my opinion a winch isn't in the stars for Jason. Depending on how light your offroading is you might just need a mild lift OME 2" and better tires. the winch adds all sorts of weight to the front of the car effecting gas milage and steering feel. it also adds a lot of $ to the mix. easlily another $1000 because ifeel if ytou are buiying a winch do it right or dont do it at all. once you find yourself getting stuck then consider the winch. i know one i had my winch that it was a tool i found very usefull around the house. now i am winchles again and feel very vulnerable because i can't recover myself. i have not gone offroad since i sold my truck that had the winch but i am making plans to get another soon. | ||
| Mike Rupp (Mike_rupp) Member Username: Mike_rupp Post Number: 228 Registered: 02-2002 |
I think the winch is the most important modification for an offroad vehicle. It seems, though, that a lot of people opt for the sexy, luxury mods first (lights, racks that are never used, super-high lifts, drop kits, etc). Those are the same people that rely on others to winch them out when they get stuck. | ||
| John Lee (Johnlee) Dweb Lounge Member Username: Johnlee Post Number: 239 Registered: 03-2003 |
Agreed. Get the winch, solid recovery points front and rear, some tow straps, shackles, gloves, auxiliary fuel containers, etc. before you get the sex toys. There's nothing wrong with sex toys, but get the real deal stuff first. | ||
| Rob Davison (Nosivad_bor) Dweb Lounge Member Username: Nosivad_bor Post Number: 667 Registered: 02-2003 |
what if his light offroading is fire roads and such? i used to offorad my trooper, so i thought, never needed a winch. then i got thdisco and went into some rought terrain and realized what i was doing in the trooper was hardly offroad. in fact it was always on a road that was just not paved. i'd like to hear a little more about jasons wheeling before i tell him to spend 2 grand on suspension and winch. frankly i suspect a stock disco is perfect for him, no OME or anything. rd | ||
| Jason McCombs (Jasonmc) Member Username: Jasonmc Post Number: 83 Registered: 06-2003 |
yeah, for the time being i dont see myself doing too much "offroading" I do understand the usefulnes of the winch for situations like, "my ass is stuck and now what the hell am i gonna do." I am not writing it off completely, i wanna get comfortable with the rover and learn enough about it mechanically so I'm not a complete rover ignorant dumbass before i get myself into a winch situation. so i plan to keep my trails on the light side for a while. winch or not to winch aside.. to get back to the original post. i would still like some decent suggestions on a replacement supsension system. My orgiinal stockys are all leaking and almost useless. I think everyone gets the idea of what type of use im looking at for now. But in the same respect i dont want to completely limit myself for possible future offroad usage. so any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I'd like to thank everyone for taking the time to help a newbie like me out. A lot of times i have found that when you wanna learn something new and you appeal to enthusiasts for their knowledge and advice that they are often reticent and just plain annoyed by stupid questions by newcommers. I have not got that feeling at all from all the folks on Discoweb. Everyone has been generous and helpfull wth their time and knowledge. It has made me feel a lot more comfortable with my recent disco purchase. You know how 99.99 percent of all people tell you to NEVER even think about buying a Landrover and that they will be a nightmare, etc.. and basically scare the hell out of you and keep you from buying one. I too had that fear pre-purchase, but thanks to the folks on discoweb i ovecame that and anytime i have had a question or a concern since then Discoweb folks have not yet failed to help me answer my questions or belay my concerns. I know that's a little bit warm and fuzzy for a tech board post, but i just wanted to take the time and say Thanks. | ||
| Mike Rupp (Mike_rupp) Member Username: Mike_rupp Post Number: 229 Registered: 02-2002 |
Not to beat a dead horse, but the OME system through Expedition Exchange is a very safe bet. The one thing that you have to evaluate is spring rates. Is there any chance in the next couple years of adding a new bumper and winch? If so, get the Heavy duty springs. If there's no chance, possibly look to the Medium Duty. | ||
| Jared Schnelle (Jared) Member Username: Jared Post Number: 157 Registered: 09-2002 |
Joe M. My install went very well once I read your tips about the bottle jack. I had a spring compressor on one of the springs, and it was going nowhere fast. The longest part of the whole install, was removing the lock nuts on the shock retainer on the rear shocks. On one, the nut was so stripped I had to take a cutting wheel, and cut off the spring(uncompressed of course), then cut the bolt off. I put the Wrangler MTRs on today, and I couldnt be happier. I took it out to a few little bumps and hills and it seems to run 5x better, no kidding. The ride is firm, but it doesnt bounce. I'm happy to say the least. I purchased the OME springs/shocks/stabalizer from Nathan, and I got the MTRs from discount tire. All 4 tires, plus warranty and tax ran me about 700 dollars even. | ||
| Jason McCombs (Jasonmc) Member Username: Jasonmc Post Number: 84 Registered: 06-2003 |
Jared, Who is Nathan? I take it he is an OME, distributer does he have a web site? if so what's the link? | ||
| Andrew Maier (Newman) Member Username: Newman Post Number: 64 Registered: 04-2003 |
I'm not Jared, but www.discountrovers.com is Nathan. He's great to work with and will take care of you... | ||
| Jared Schnelle (Jared) Member Username: Jared Post Number: 158 Registered: 09-2002 |
Exactly what Andrew said. Nathan rocks. | ||
| Jason McCombs (Jasonmc) Member Username: Jasonmc Post Number: 85 Registered: 06-2003 |
Is the Discount rovers web site down? i can't get it to load. |
