10 replies to this topic

[Cabby]

Hi guys,is there a trick to getting the rear suspension cone and trumpet seperated so it can be removed from the subframe? I'm trying to fit rear hi lo's but can't get the originals out. Thanks.

[DeadSquare]

Hi guys,is there a trick to getting the rear suspension cone and trumpet seperated so it can be removed from the subframe? I'm trying to fit rear hi lo's but can't get the originals out. Thanks.

 

Have you unscrewed and removed the rear dampers ?

 

If not, you have to remove the fuel tank on the passenger side to get at the nut on the top.  Practice on the driver's side.

 

Without the damper, the Radius Arm will drop down, and should be low enough to get the ball out of the nylon socket.

[Spider]

The trumpets often corrode and in doing so, grow in size. When that happens to the spigot that sits inside the cone, they seize up and can do so very tightly.

 

If you have the subframe still in the car, drop the shocker as deadsquare suggests, then support the arm on a jack. You want to position the arm to start with so there's some very very light pressure on the cone, then use a bigger screw driver (one you don't like or value !) and hammer that in between the trumpet and cone, rotate it around after a few strikes. Keep at it, as they start to move, let the jack off a little, eventually you'll get a gap there at which point you should be able to start levering them apart.

[Cabby]

Hi guys,is there a trick to getting the rear suspension cone and trumpet seperated so it can be removed from the subframe? I'm trying to fit rear hi lo's but can't get the originals out. Thanks.

Have you unscrewed and removed the rear dampers ?

If not, you have to remove the fuel tank on the passenger side to get at the nut on the top. Practice on the driver's side.

Without the damper, the Radius Arm will drop down, and should be low enough to get the ball out of the nylon socket.

[Cabby]

Damper removed but I can't seperate the trumpet from the doughnut to get it out.

[Cabby]

The trumpets often corrode and in doing so, grow in size. When that happens to the spigot that sits inside the cone, they seize up and can do so very tightly.

If you have the subframe still in the car, drop the shocker as deadsquare suggests, then support the arm on a jack. You want to position the arm to start with so there's some very very light pressure on the cone, then use a bigger screw driver (one you don't like or value !) and hammer that in between the trumpet and cone, rotate it around after a few strikes. Keep at it, as they start to move, let the jack off a little, eventually you'll get a gap there at which point you should be able to start levering them apart.

[Cabby]

I've done all that but can't budge it. I've squirted plusgas around the join and will try again tomorrow. I'll give it a go with a brick bolster and lump hammer. Thanks.

[DeadSquare]

Damper removed but I can't seperate the trumpet from the doughnut to get it out.

 

 

In a way, that is good news, it means that your doughnut is still in good shape if has not become compressed enough to get the ball out of the nylon cup.

 

As you will be replacing the ball joint, pull back the rubber boot, and with a very sharp knife of even a wood chisel, cut away part of the nylon cup to gain a bit of extra space to get the ball out of the cup.

 

If you are still not able to remove ball from cup, unfortunately, it means more dismantling.  Carefully try and unscrew the 5/16" bolts that hold the bracket supporting the outer end of the shaft on which the radius arm pivots;  carefully, because you don't want to shear off the bolts (NB, grease them well when you replace them).

 

If you get the bracket off, remove the nut on the subframe end of the shaft and retract the shaft to free it from the subframe.

 

The radius arm is now free enough to slip the brake cable from the quadrant and then, with luck the flexible brake hose allows sufficient movement to get the ball out of the nylon cup.

 

Hopefully you won't  need to clamp the hose and disconnect it from the radius arm, enabling the removal of the radius arm from the subframe.

[Ethel]

You could remove the radius arm enough to pop the knuckle joint out BUT that can open another can of worms if the retaining bracket screws are seized or shear.

[mbolt998]

Get the whole thing off the car, trumpet + cone. Go outdoors. Blowtorch it around where they join. It will catch fire a bit. Don't worry about that. Whack it with a hammer until it comes off. Now you need to weld a bit of tube or something to the metal part that's still stuck to the end of the trumpet. Then bash that. Worked for me.

[Cabby]

Update;
All done and finished. Managed to get both sides out in one piece by dropping radius arms as low as possible then I was able to pry the full cone with knuckle and doughnut out of the subframe. The hi lo's easily went in at their shortest setting. Thanks for all the help.