Rear springs on a Q4

[wrinx]

How the hell do you get them off?

I've undone the little bottom screw, bottom of the shock absorber, anti-rollbar and even undone the driveshaft (well, it popped out!) but the arm still hasn't dropped enough to remove the spring without compressors, is that right?

Also, how do I get the right hand side shock out/ Can't reach from inside and the access hole isn't playing either :cry::cry::cry:

wrinx

[wrinx]

Looks like the driveshaft may be broken....will check it properly tomorrow :(

wrinx

[Steve Webb]

Broken driveshaft? Weird, never heard of one of them go before, I think everyone even those running big numbers is still using the oem driveshafts. The weak link is usually the gearbox.

[AlfaJack]

Broken driveshaft? Weird, never heard of one of them go before, I think everyone even those running big numbers is still using the oem driveshafts. The weak link is usually the gearbox.

Think he has just split the shaft from the cup. The spline has just slipped off under the pressure, although I thought the clip would prevent this.

I have never heard of a broken Q4 gearbox though, is it common on the 350-400 bhp cars?

[wrinx]

Yes, just split the shaft :roll:

Will knock it back in today and tackle the shocker :(

No-one done their own shocks and springs???

wrinx

[mindus]

Regarding the spring - I used a leverage to press it slightly and it poped out (as I couldn't find another way... after I've undone bottom of the shock absorber and anti-rollbar, same as you did).
It was much more easy with the second spring as I strapped with the car not lifted and only then lifted the car.

[wrinx]

There's no way mine would have popped out just using a lever....I had to compress the spring AND use a lever. Getting it back in was a nightmare.

Easiest way (which I did on one side as I had to repair a CV boot) was to undo the driveshaft, then the arm dropped lower than needed :D

wrinx

[markgq4]

too late i know.
but i had to compress springs and use lever to get them out and the same even with the shorter ones to go back in.

[wrinx]

Thanks....not just me then ;)

wrinx

[Trazor]

Apologies for bringing up an old thread, but I have the same problems.

I compress the spring using a springcompressor, and try to push the "arm" down so I can get the spring out. Is this the right way? Cause it wont come out.

If I try to compress it using a jack, it just lifts the car off the stands, which is not good.
Anti-sway bar is loose, same with shock and ABS and handbrakewires.

[wrinx]

You might need to do what I mentioned in my post above,..and disconnect the driveshaft too :(

wrinx

[Trazor]

So, to undo the rear drive shaft, is it just to undo the center nut? The one with the "locking" mechanism? (Where they squeeze part of the nut into a small crack in the middle)

[Steve Webb]

So, to undo the rear drive shaft, is it just to undo the center nut? The one with the "locking" mechanism? (Where they squeeze part of the nut into a small crack in the middle)

If you just need to undo the drive-shaft to drop the rear suspension arm down, then I would undo it at the rear diff end. This would be easier as you just need to undo 6 bolts holding the drive-shaft to the flange on the diff.

Just make sure you mark the position of the shaft on to the flange before you start.

And getting the rear springs out is a real pain in the ass!

[Brul(tm)]

When I lowered my car, we just used a spring compressor to remove the springs.
It was a hell of a job from what I remember. Removal of the original springs wasn't the problem. The much stiffer lowering springs where. We used human body weigth for the last clearing needed to get the springs fitted.

[Trazor]

Yeah, well im planning to send the entire undercarridge to mediablasting and painting, so everything have to come off anyways. I'm also getting new springs, so might just cut off the old ones.

This is the car:
http://cuoresportivo.no/index.php?topic=29104.0

Link is in norwegian, but you get the general idea ;)