Air Springs replaced...Ha, Ha, Ha!!!!!!!!

Irishrover · Mar 23, 2009

Great to read about guys (Or gals) that can replace a full set of air springs on a P38 in two hours-piece of cake!!
Just remove the two top clips on the fronts, remove the bottom clip bolt and just pull the pin out and remove the spring.....a three year old could do it, BUT- what if the bottom clip is corroded solid into the hole in the spring end cap? Dosed it with Plus Gas and struggled for an hour before it came out.
Next..the rear, release the air pipe-cheated there, got a sharp wood chisel and sliced it at the push in connector, pipe had plenty of slack, so no problem. Dosed the top spring clip and using a suitable hook clamped with vice grips, gave it a tug...clip broke, managed to get a pin punch and drive the remains out..We are on a winner Boys!!! Next, the bottom clip..gave it a drink of Plus Gas then tried to hook it out-guess what??-yes..solid. Ok can feel the end of the clip, so I'll drive it out with the trusty pin punch, no joy, I know, if I can shear the loop end off, I'll have better access from that side and if needs be I can undo the bottom Shocker mount and see the beast. More Plus Gas on the shocker stud, and the nut is solid-job for the angle grinder and a pair of new shocks.
I was contemplating dynamite but the garage is only a couple of years old.

Rave does not tell me how to get tight corroded parts off!!!

Watch this space for progress!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:5bbeatdeadhorse5::mil36:

andy 0352 · Mar 23, 2009

the air springs are only plastic on the ends john,just smash them out with a hammer and chisel,thats all i done,then clean up all the fitting areas and refit the new ones

Irishrover · Mar 23, 2009

The top caps are plastic and the bottom aluminium on mine, mind you Andy, they have been on since 1997!!
I'll have another go tomorrow and hope the Jungle Juice has eased it off. Decided not to p**s about too much and start getting brutal. If needs be I will get a pair of shocks for about £40 from Craddocks when I am in the UK next week. I'll spend more than that on a couple of bottles of Jamesons to calm my nerves!!
If they had used nails instead of fancy clips at least I could have used a claw hammer!!:violin:

andy 0352 · Mar 23, 2009

so the pin has corroded to the alli,thinking about it the pin is only mild steel,im just wondering if you can get the axle high enough,and if there is enough room,using a drift and a hammer belt the bottom spring housing up towards the car,the pin should bend or snap,or using the weight of the car on a bottle jack,just an idea

eightinavee · Mar 23, 2009

Hammer and chisel is the only answer really,esp when the bottom caps are alloy,even sometimes when the pins rust inside plastic caps.Getting the pins back in is alot easier with air in the springs,but you need to be careful how you do it.The more you do the easier it gets - if thats any help........

andy 0352 · Mar 23, 2009

scrap my idea john,with trying to get it out direct with a drift,ive been out and looked at mine,i think the only way,is to get a brick chisel and a hammer and belt the damn thing out,after all your putting new ones in,and the steel plate on the axle is quite thick,and the chisel will act like a wedge when you drive it in,and the pin will give

Irishrover · Mar 23, 2009

Cheers Andy..grateful for all ideas. I think the spring is spring steel. Not much corrosion on the loop end. Have had a sharp cold chisel on it from the shocker side but the access is a bit restricted and it's just slightly dented the pin. The torsion bar runs accross the other side of the axle so even less room there-just enough to get my pin punch in to the other end of the pin,at an angle at that. With the shocker out of the way, I can get a good smack at it or even get the Dremel in to cut it off or a drill if needs be.

Irishrover · Mar 23, 2009

That's a good idea, I have a chunky cold chisel with a slow taper which may do the trick.
Keep you posted.:clap2:

andy 0352 · Mar 23, 2009

no probs mate,if i think of anything else i,ll let you know.

Irishrover · Mar 23, 2009

After this episode Eightinavee, I don't think I'll be doing it for a living-I'd starve to death!!
Much rather plug the laptop in nowadays!!
Just had a thought-what about getting a hacksaw between the end cap and axle plate and cutting the boss that carries the spring pin off. It's only ally...have to have a look tomorrow to see how I'm fixed for room.

andy 0352 · Mar 23, 2009

if you have room john it would work,take a bit of time seeing as your cutting through ally instead of plastic

Irishrover · Mar 23, 2009

They were doing an air cut off saw in Aldi the weekend for about €15..might be worth a punt and make life easier.

andy 0352 · Mar 23, 2009

you could always use a blow torch and melt it off

probably make a mess though

wantaquad · Mar 24, 2009

I use an 18" long cold chisel to butcher the clip just bend the clip back and forth a few times it wil snap then use a pry bar or the 18" chisel to force the spring down out of the plate trashing whats left of the pin as it goes.

I have done this a number of times on different vehicles I always buy new Pins and if the old one doesn't come out first pull...... out with the chisel and 2lb ball pein hammer - job done.

The mounting plate is heavy duty enough not to suffer any damage and its worth cleaning the hole up before fitting the new spring in.

Good luck

Irishrover · Mar 24, 2009

Right...got my top of the range air saw from Aldi this morning, put in an ordinary hacksaw blade and took me about 15 minutes to cut through the ally boss that has the spring clip on the underside-it was easy, most of the time I was waiting for the compressor to build the pressure back up. I used a 14tpi Sandvik Bimetal blade (Orange in colour) and the edge is still good, kept giving it a shot of WD40 now & again to stop the blade from clogging.
The top end cap is still solid in the body but being plastic, I'm sure I can delicately ease it out!!:tea:

Irishrover · Mar 24, 2009

Hi Wantaquad.....the top clip wasn't too bad, probably because it's a plastic end cap. It was the bottom one which made me cry as the ally had reacted with the steel clip and now I have the lug cut through and the piece with the clip welded into the hole on the bench, I can see it would never have moved. I found that access to the bottom lug was very restricted because the torsion arm runs accross the platform that the air spring sits on at the rear and the shocker partially covers the access at the front. Let's hope the other side is easier.....but I doubt it. When I finally remove this spring, I will carry on with running my new brake pipes (See other post), as it will give me better access with the spring out of the way, plus the new springs & clips won't be here till later this week.

wantaquad · Mar 24, 2009

Hi Irish Rover,

Yep the bottom ones are tricky to get at - I snap them off too - So Far all the replacements I have fitted have had Plastic mounts on the bottom as well, pity Landrover didn't do that from the start, makes life a little easier.

Irishrover · Mar 24, 2009

Ah well...over 11 years on the originals aint bad considering all the posts on here with airbag problems and not a fault on mine..surprised to see the state of the rear one. Wonder it worked and didn't leak at that!!
I'll post some pic's later on.

Irishrover · Mar 24, 2009

Used the curved end of a crowbar under the top flange, light tap with a 4lb lump hammer and it fell off. Only another two to go!!

andy 0352 · Mar 24, 2009

if they have been in 11 years,id send them back to landrover and complain,as they have lasted too long

Air Springs replaced...Ha, Ha, Ha!!!!!!!!

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