Jacking up the motor

Went out with the jack today to find the best jacking points to do the spring converstion. Not as straight forward as I thought.

I reckon best way to do it will be to jack up high (3 tonne jack with a 400mm lift) using the chassis member just behind front wheel until spring and shock are fully extended, then put an axle stand under chassis member, remove jack and put in under the axle to lift the wheel as required to remove/fit springs and shocks.

Sound right or am I going to break my arms?

Found the following thread but not really what I'm on about http://www.landyzone.co.uk/lz/f10/jacking-up-p38-65494.html

Jock

Hi Jock,
Have you read this ?
Air Spring Replacement

I know it's a detailed instructions for renewing air bags, but read the part where you can do it only 1 jack.


When I replaced my bags I raised the car height to wade and slid axle stands under the chassis, used 1 trolley jack to raise and lower the diff as required.

Good luck with your springs
have you had a lot of trouble with the air susp. ?

Fred

Have ye no finished that yet Jock ?
Can you beg, borrow or steal a second trolley jack cos it makes the job a lot easier and quicker
There is a cross member under the front bumper - get a peice of wood to spread the load then using one jack in the middle jack the whole front up until the front wheels start to lift - at this point go underneath and carefully place an axle stand under each front chassis dumb iron, then slowly let the jack down until the chassis is supported on the stands
Get both trolley jacks and place one under each radius arm where the curved part is under the axle - you can then lift each jack until the wheels come off the ground - take bothe wheels off and undo the bottom shock mount on each side, whip the bags off, fit the spring retaining plates and then lower BOTH jacks until you have enough clearance to fit the springs in - just watch your flexi brake pipes dont overstretch
The reason for doing both at once is unless you have very good spring compressors there just isnt enough droop doing one side at a time unless you start removing anti roll bars etc
Rear is pretty much the same - a mornings work, gives you all afternoon to go and test it !

redrenger89 said:

Hi Jock,
Have you read this ?
Air Spring Replacement

I know it's a detailed instructions for renewing air bags, but read the part where you can do it only 1 jack.


When I replaced my bags I raised the car height to wade and slid axle stands under the chassis, used 1 trolley jack to raise and lower the diff as required.

Good luck with your springs
have you had a lot of trouble with the air susp. ?

Fred

Click to expand...

Not so much a lot of trouble (3x in 2yrs) just when it HAS let me down, it's been at the worst times (middle of nowhere, kids in car) so I'm just sick of it. The EAS diagnostics is throwing up mutliple codes, so it's likely there is more than one problem. Rather than replace 4 air bags (they are all worn), try and find the dodgy height sensor, replace the pressure switch or refurb the compressor and valve block I just want to get reliable springs in there and be done with it. I only ever used the EAS to lift the vehicle anyway, so I won't miss it.

The only thing holding me up is the reluctance to part with the cash!! Done now, kit should all arrive Thursday. Dependent on weather, D-Day is either Friday or Monday.

Cheers for the advice, think I'll cadge another jack off someone to be on the safe side.

I must be thick, but I don't understand why is there not enough drop doing one side at a time? If I can jack up the chassis member so the wheel is off the ground, then surely the spring and shocker are fully extended?? I can then just raise the one wheel I'm working on no??

redrenger89 said:

Hi Jock,
Have you read this ?
Air Spring Replacement

I know it's a detailed instructions for renewing air bags, but read the part where you can do it only 1 jack.

Fred

Click to expand...

Thanks for this link - I know that site well while trying to figure out EAS problems! There is a good manual for spring replacement here:
Air Suspension Kit Manuals & Assembly Instructions

This only uses one jack. *Interestingly* he gets round the depresurising issue by just depressurising one spring at a time rather than the entire system... think that's worth a go.

Jock

An uncompressed coil spring is a lot taller than an air bag
It's the anti rollbars that limit the droop doing one side at a time
You will manage with one jack Jock - it's just easier and quicker with two
You will see what I mean when you start
As for depressurising, once you have the stands under the chassis and a jack (or jacks) under the anxle taking the weight,either slash your bag wi a knife if its shagged or pull the air pipe oot the top if you are going to keep them - it only depressurises the corner you do it to, not the whole system

Where aboots are you Jock ?

Rolling hills of Bucks... I'm an immigrant to High Wycombe.

See what you mean... never thought about the a/r bars!! I'll see how high up I can get it wi the jack on a concrete slab and a bit of wood on the front cross-member!

BigJock2005 said:

Rolling hills of Bucks... I'm an immigrant to High Wycombe.

Click to expand...

Guess I'll no be nippin up the road to dae it for ye then !
just watch oot for the pipes clipped to the back of the cross member