HELP PLEASE! - camber plates installation

e82n54 · 11-19-2011, 04:36 PM

I'm stuck and I can't put my car back together! Please help if you can. I can't compress the front passenger spring enough to mount the spring perch and nut on top of it. My spring compressors have compressed to the max, but apparently it's not enough. Thanks!

e82n54 · 11-19-2011, 07:08 PM

Well I figured out how to remove the strut, so I'm hoping I will be able to reassemble the strut and spring with the camber plate off of the car then put the strut and spring assembly on afterwards.

Xaeryan · 11-20-2011, 10:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scuderia000

Well I figured out how to remove the strut, so I'm hoping I will be able to reassemble the strut and spring with the camber plate off of the car then put the strut and spring assembly on afterwards.

Hope you're still not stuck, but yeah, some spring compressors don't compress the spring as much as you need, particularly with a camber plate setup. You might have to take the whole assembly to your nearby shop and have them use their spring compressors. The typical rental unit has large, blocky ends that can't get close to the ends of the spring. Shops tend to have good ones that can start at farther ends of the spring, and thus compress further.

Something more like this guy: http://www.stylehive.com/bookmark/br...pressor-686720

e82n54 · 11-21-2011, 08:34 AM

Thanks for the tip. I may need to do that, but I want to try to reposition the compressor now that I have the strut out. How long can I leave the spring compressed without damage? It's been compressed since Saturday afternoon. Thanks.

JimD · 11-21-2011, 09:45 AM

You should be able to leave the spring compressed as long as you want. You should easily be within the elastic limits of the spring and one of the nice things about steel alloys is their lack of creep/elastic behavior. Aluminum alloys are not this way (so you won't see many springs of aluminum alloys) but steel can be cycled nearly an infinite number of times as long as you do not exceed it's elastic limits. A spring should be designed such that even if you bottom out the spring travel, you are within the elastic limit of the alloy. So completely compressed, it will not get shorter or otherwise deform.

Jim

e82n54 · 11-21-2011, 10:10 PM

You guys are awesome. Thank you so much for your help!

11-19-2011, 04:36 PM	#1
e82n54 Second Lieutenant 62 Rep 230 Posts Drives: '09 135i 6MT Alpine White Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Houston, TX iTrader: (1)	HELP PLEASE! - camber plates installation - problem compressing springs I'm stuck and I can't put my car back together! Please help if you can. I can't compress the front passenger spring enough to mount the spring perch and nut on top of it. My spring compressors have compressed to the max, but apparently it's not enough. Thanks!
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11-19-2011, 07:08 PM	#2
e82n54 Second Lieutenant 62 Rep 230 Posts Drives: '09 135i 6MT Alpine White Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Houston, TX iTrader: (1)	Well I figured out how to remove the strut, so I'm hoping I will be able to reassemble the strut and spring with the camber plate off of the car then put the strut and spring assembly on afterwards.
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11-21-2011, 08:34 AM	#4
e82n54 Second Lieutenant 62 Rep 230 Posts Drives: '09 135i 6MT Alpine White Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Houston, TX iTrader: (1)	Thanks for the tip. I may need to do that, but I want to try to reposition the compressor now that I have the strut out. How long can I leave the spring compressed without damage? It's been compressed since Saturday afternoon. Thanks.
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11-21-2011, 09:45 AM	#5
JimD Brigadier General 410 Rep 3,559 Posts Drives: 128i convertible Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Lexington, SC iTrader: (0)	You should be able to leave the spring compressed as long as you want. You should easily be within the elastic limits of the spring and one of the nice things about steel alloys is their lack of creep/elastic behavior. Aluminum alloys are not this way (so you won't see many springs of aluminum alloys) but steel can be cycled nearly an infinite number of times as long as you do not exceed it's elastic limits. A spring should be designed such that even if you bottom out the spring travel, you are within the elastic limit of the alloy. So completely compressed, it will not get shorter or otherwise deform. Jim __________________ 128i Convertible, MT, Alpine White, Black Top, Taupe Leatherette, Walnut, Sport Ordered 5/22/09, Completed 6/4/09, At Port 6/9/09, On the Georgia Highway 6/13/09, Ship Arrived Charleston 6/24/09 at 10pm, PCD 7/21/09
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11-21-2011, 10:10 PM	#6
e82n54 Second Lieutenant 62 Rep 230 Posts Drives: '09 135i 6MT Alpine White Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Houston, TX iTrader: (1)	You guys are awesome. Thank you so much for your help!
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