How easy is it to do?

[UKPhilTR7]

<b><font color="green"><font face="Verdana">I am looking at painting my front springs with POR 15 as I am in love with this product. With this in mind I was wondering how much of a job it will be to take of the front struts so I can take the springs off, without taking the unit off all in one with the subframe too. As I do not fancy taking of the subframe again lol.
From what I can work out I would have to take of the nuts on the top of the turret, undo the ball joints and make sure the callipers are not connected. Can anyone think of anything else to this job and would you do it without taking the subframe off again?
Oh yes, the main thin, take the wheels off lol.</b></font id="green"></font id="Verdana">

[Hasbeen]

I have fitted new front bump stops, & strut gaiters to 4 TR7s now,
every one I've bought, sometimes with other work, & sometimes not.

The first time it took me about 3 hours, the last time about 1.5
hours, for both sides. Provided you don't have rusted up bolts, its
not hard.

I find it easiest to unbolt the callipers, which includes the
steering arms, & leave them behind, tied up, to prevent damaging
the rubber hoses.

Before you start, check what else you should do, while the struts
are off, & the springs are off the struts.

You will probably find you need to replace the rubber pads at the
top & bottom of the spring.

You should check, the bump stops & gaiters on the struts, the rack
gaiters, the tie rod ends, ball joints, & the control arm inner
bushes, as you'll have it apart, & easy to get at, if they require
replacement.

Hasbeen

[jclay (RIP 2018)]

Hello, Phil,

What year is your car and when was the last time that the strut cartriges were changed? It seems that if you are going to the trouble to remove the springs, you should go ahead and put in new cartriges.

Have fun, drive fast & safe, be kewl,

jclay

[mb4tim]

is POR 15 flexible enough for coil springs?

-Tim
http://www.morSpeedPerformance.com

[FI Spyder]

I have used it on my Tercel springs this spring. So far so good but I won't have a close inspection till next summer when I do it's close body inspection.

TR7 Spider - 1978 Spifire - 1976 Spitfire - 1988 Tercel 4X4 - Kali on Integra - 1991 Integra

[UKPhilTR7]

<b><font color="green">Guys, cheers for this.
My car is an 81 and the last time I had them out was the middle of last year, when I took the engine/gearbox out and changed over the subframe. Looking back on it I now know that I should of done it then, but I had not been sold on POR15 at that point and Hammerrite was as rubbish as ever. I didn't think that it would be any good for the springs and the movement in them. I may have a look at changing the shocks too as that woould be a good idea.
As far as I know POR15 can be painted on to springs and can cope with the movement of them. I have painted the back ones and they are all OK, but will have to have a closer look to be sure. When I was considering this job, all the feedback I got did say that POR15 could cope with this kind of application. Amd that is what it says on the tin lol.</b></font id="green">

[jclay (RIP 2018)]

When you dissasemble the strut and get ready to install the cartrage, take a good look around the top of the strut just below the holding nut for the cartrage. If there is a small hole in the housing about 1/4" below the nut, the cartrage has been changed before.

Also, check the nut, If it has four notches on the top, it is the original nut and the cartrages have not been changed (replacement nuts have two notches). This is important to know because if they have never been changed, you will have to drill out the factury dempling to remove the nut easily.

If you have the 4 notched nut and there is no hole, clean the housing around the top below the nut. Now, inspect the housing very carefully. You are looking for a little inperfection in the metal, like someone had used a pair of plyers on the body. When you find it, you will need to use a 3/16" drill bit to drill out the ding. YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO VERY DEEP!

I found out about this dempling after I took my first one apart! Had the strut in a vice and two guys with a 4' cheater bar to remove the first nut. After drilling the second strut, the nut came out with no problem.

Have fun, drive fast & safe, be kewl,

jclay