The £250 Zafira B - Fin. Bean can time!

[twosmoke300]

A kyb rep told me that the reason so many modern springs break ( road “quality” aside ) is that they aren’t allowed to quench the steel in oil any more due to environmental concerns so they use water which boils around the steel and the bubbles cause inconsistencies in the material .

 

Sounded feasible to me anyway

[Pillock]

You could use a little jubilee clip either side of the spring compressor arm to stop it slipping on the spring - wind 'em out until they open up, over the spring coil, screw them back in tight and it should resist quite a lot of sideways motion.

[Guest]

A kyb rep told me that the reason so many modern springs break ( road “quality” aside ) is that they aren’t allowed to quench the steel in oil any more due to environmental concerns so they use water which boils around the steel and the bubbles cause inconsistencies in the material .

 

Sounded feasible to me anyway

I was told it was because they now cold form the springs, instead of forming them whilst red hot!

[Hendry]

Good job on keeping this going

 

10/40 is the preferred oil for these, despite what some parts places will tell you.

 

Vauxhall themselves tell you its 5w30 for these and the Z18XE non VVT engines in earlier ones of these and mk5 Astras, which I always called bullshit on because the Z16/18XE in the mk4 Astras and Zafira As was 10w40. Could never understand why the same engine lump in a different shell would require different oil grade. 

[SiC]

Vauxhall themselves tell you its 5w30 for these and the Z18XE non VVT engines in earlier ones of these and mk5 Astras, which I always called bullshit on because the Z16/18XE in the mk4 Astras and Zafira As was 10w40. Could never understand why the same engine lump in a different shell would require different oil grade.

Because the manufacturer may have revised their thoughts on what oil is suitable through subsequent testing and life of the engine. I ran our Astra G Z16 on 5w-30 and it seemed very happy with it.

[beko1987]

I don't think I can do it, the top strut fixing is too rusty, and I don't have a spanner deep enough to hold the nut and get a torx on the top. Holding the top cap and turning the bolt just results in rubbery noises...

 

Any ideas?

 

[twosmoke300]

Pair of used struts is your easiest and cheapest way out of that . Or impact tools and patience

[twosmoke300]

Or ask a local garage if they can do it

[Mally]

You need a box spanner and torx down the middle.

Or long socket held with stilsons, or a bar welded on the socket so you can get the a torx down the 1/2" drive hole.

Hmmm Special bodging tools needed. Pity I'm miles away, I like a challenge.

Even with the tools it may well round the torx off.

Bit late now but I used to loosen the nut before removing unit from the car, then you are not worried about the spring.

[twosmoke300]

These are the ones with the two piece plastic clip that holds the strut in aren't they . Same as the Astra h . Bastards for rusting . If I get one in for a service these days I fill that fit up with spray grease for future spring changes

[twosmoke300]

Spark plug sockets often have a hex on the outside that you can use a spanner on for those jobs

[lisbon_road]

Mally has summed this one up.

 

If replacing the shocks, you can put a Stillson on the shock to loosen the nut.  And if necessary, sneakliy grind a chunk out of the shock so that the Stillson grips. 

[beko1987]

Good thoughts guys, and I tried all of that! Waterpump pliers around the top metal bit - no dice. Lambda sensor socket and a torx down the middle and 2 feet bracing various stuff - no dice.

 

Its heaving it down now, I've put it all back together and packed up, and am about to ask around if any local garages fancy whizzing them off if I turn up with the struts and new springs.

 

Passenger side one is just as rusty, didn't even bother looking at that!

[beko1987]

You need a box spanner and torx down the middle.

Or long socket held with stilsons, or a bar welded on the socket so you can get the a torx down the 1/2" drive hole.

Hmmm Special bodging tools needed. Pity I'm miles away, I like a challenge.

Even with the tools it may well round the torx off.

Bit late now but I used to loosen the nut before removing unit from the car, then you are not worried about the spring.

I tried loosening it off on the car with weight on, it made rubbery noises (wish I'd tried harder now...)

[twosmoke300]

Don't feel too bad - they can be a prize prick

[beko1987]

I agree! Trying to see if any local people I know have an impact gun, the struts themselves are very easy to remove so that's not bad. Packed up now because it's amys birthday today and family etc are coming round, and it's pissing it down!

 

£130 for 2 used front shocks on ebay... Last resort if needed

[Cavcraft]

Don't feel too bad - sell it to a prize prick

 

{clears inbox}

[beko1987]

I don't know any pricks on here...

 

Plan B is formed, I can hire an impact gun, 110v transformer and hopefully a 21mm socket for about £20 for 24h.if nothing by Tuesday I'll book Thursday off work and do it. Will miss the free retest but that's the way the shite dice falls sometimes I suppose, hire place closed 9 minutes ago!

[Geep]

I don't know any pricks on here...

 

Plan B is formed, I can hire an impact gun, 110v transformer and hopefully a 21mm socket for about £20 for 24h.if nothing by Tuesday I'll book Thursday off work and do it. Will miss the free retest but that's the way the shite dice falls sometimes I suppose, hire place closed 9 minutes ago!

 

I suspect you'll not manage it. I had to change the springs on my daughter's Zafira B when she bought it. One spring was broken and I faced the same situation as you. As an ex mechanic, I have proper CP air guns, 2 of them, and a 3HP compressor. After running a straight wire brush in an electric drill round the top to clean the exposed threads and dousing it in penetrating oil, neither air gun would shift them.

 

Took the pair down to a mates garage and their air guns wouldn't either, same as mine. Mate has a large ingersoll rand air gun, a nitro something or other, and we got that out and it shifted them. Both were the same. Swapped springs over in his floor mounted spring changer then brought struts back to refit. They are terrible to get off and he says pointless trying to use a torx to hold them as that will just snap.

 

For the sake of £20 quid or so, take both struts to a garage and let them swap the springs. You really need an industrial compressor and industrial quality air gun.

[beko1987]

I suspect you'll not manage it. I had to change the springs on my daughter's Zafira B when she bought it. One spring was broken and I faced the same situation as you. As an ex mechanic, I have proper CP air guns, 2 of them, and a 3HP compressor. After running a straight wire brush in an electric drill round the top to clean the exposed threads and dousing it in penetrating oil, neither air gun would shift them.

 

Took the pair down to a mates garage and their air guns wouldn't either, same as mine. Mate has a large ingersoll rand air gun, a nitro something or other, and we got that out and it shifted them. Both were the same. Swapped springs over in his floor mounted spring changer then brought struts back to refit. They are terrible to get off and he says pointless trying to use a torx to hold them as that will just snap.

 

For the sake of £20 quid or so, take both struts to a garage and let them swap the springs. You really need an industrial compressor and industrial quality air gun.

That makes deep sense to me... Someone who works at a local garage said run them over next week and they'll see what they can do, and apparently Amy knows the guy quite well (and he's mutual friends with her sisters too) so I've sent him a message, if I can blag a day off work I can have them off and over in about half an hour

[Mally]

Another trick is to drill down the nut on one side and split it with a thin narrow chisel.

But put the spring clamps on and leave the strut on the car in case something lets go besides the nut.

Oh you need new nuts as well. Maybe 4!

[Guest Hooli]

I think a few* of us did say struts are cunts...

[vaughant]

As above get them off and into a garage that can sort it, you've done a fine job up until now but hiring tools etc is just a fuck about, time you bother with all that you'll be no better off than when a garage does them.

[bigfella2]

I tried loosening it off on the car with weight on, it made rubbery noises (wish I'd tried harder now...)

If it was making rubbery noises then you were spinning the shaft in the damper, so unless you could have fitted something in the top of the damper to hold it still you wouldn't have got anywhere,so don't feel bad.

[rainagain]

I don't know any pricks on here...

 

Plan B is formed, I can hire an impact gun, 110v transformer and hopefully a 21mm socket for about £20 for 24h.if nothing by Tuesday I'll book Thursday off work and do it. Will miss the free retest but that's the way the shite dice falls sometimes I suppose, hire place closed 9 minutes ago!

I recently bought an impact gun from Lidl with a battery for not much more than £20. Might be worth checking if your local store has any left.

[beko1987]

 

Problem hopefully solved! Will get them both off tomorrow afternoon and mosey on over Monday morning! I think Amy has been feed a loan car from her friend (husband is a driving instructor who has 2) so it can sit on stands for a day or so

[beko1987]

I think a few* of us did say struts are cunts...

No, all I heard was springs are cunts. That was the easy part... However I agree, struts are cunts!

[lisbon_road]

Good result there, that should work out for you.  If you were replacing the shocks, I'd be more diy about it but that is a really sensible conclusion.

[beko1987]

Good result there, that should work out for you. If you were replacing the shocks, I'd be more diy about it but that is a really sensible conclusion.

I did look at shocks, and they were expensive! This seen a fair compromise. If it works...

[beko1987]

"and you can ruddy well sit there and think about what you've done wrong..."

 

 

Filled the strut tops with wd40 too, will pop them in the gooner later.

 

Also did the rear springs, and one was indeed a bit poorly

 

 

Ah there's the broken bit!