fix those siezed coilover perches

[veedubmechanic]

We all know that coilovers sieze in minnesota winters. Nobody really likes to constantly move them and re lube them all the time. I fixed mine here is how:

Tools needed:

Cutoff wheel (with a new disk is good)
Air compressor
hammer
big sharp chisel
Safety glasses (yea dont want any chunks of metal in yo eye)


here is what they look like before, all corroded and siezed and rusty looking.

if you are lucky like me, you get a blown one (thats why one is not the same length)

Start by placing it on wood and cut where the small portion is.


go slow, because you dont want to cut the actual shock body. Once it is pretty thin, put the chisel in the cut portion and hit it dead on with a hammer. If you look it should split the ring (crack it)


now do the same to the other side

after they both crack, the rings should just fall right off.

After a good cleaning with the wire wheel they look pretty darn clean.


Now off to the rebuilders for some new seals and fluid.

[Das VR6]

uuuuuh, what?

are you getting new perches? otherwise you made those completely useless.

or is this some crappy attempt at a joke?

[Rowland]

[S4nik8]

Any suggestion on sourcing new perches for a reasonable price? I have a feeling I'm going to need to do this to my H&R's.

[veedubmechanic]

Oh on a side note, dont cut the old ones off until you have new ones that thread on. I jumped the gun getting antsy, cut mine off, and found not bilstein doesnt have anymore to sell to me since they changed the design... oops

[KOOTER]

If you want to fix these things and they are made from steel you could try using the water/battery charger/baking soda technique. Just do not put the shaft in the water.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5I5WBG5HPw

[veedubmechanic]

or just cut them off, it takes about 5 minutes and doesnt break down the coating they apply in the manufacturer process to prevent rust

[Das VR6]

or just cut them off, it takes about 5 minutes and doesnt break down the coating they apply in the manufacturer process to prevent rust

well, thats not real sound advice, as you made yours worthless by doing so.

[veedubmechanic]

I actually received my new perches today from bilstein. The rep sent me the 52/1.50 thread perches not the 50/1.25 thread perches.
they are a new style though for the adjuster tool, so I will have to purchase pin style wrenches. The old perches were the large flat head wrenches.

[tomjake]

if you were having them rebuilt you could have used heat to break them loose with out ruining the perches.....not very impressed

[hamradio]

and here's how to un-seize coilovers, while still rendering the collars useful.

start with this:



add some of this for a while:



then use this:



with a really dull one of these:



and the end result is this:

[tomjake]

thats more like it

[veedubmechanic]

The perches were destroyed by the PO attempting to get them loose.
And I purchased new lock rings and collars for $46 through bilstein. Not worried there. And yes, using an air hammer on aluminum is not that smart.
A $300 pair of raceland coilovers is not the same as a $1300 set of bilstein coilovers.

[tomjake]

what does it matter how expensive they are the lock rings are siezed? the goal here is to save them not destroy

[hamradio]

The perches were destroyed by the PO attempting to get them loose.
And I purchased new lock rings and collars for $46 through bilstein. Not worried there. And yes, using an air hammer on aluminum is not that smart.
A $300 pair of raceland coilovers is not the same as a $1300 set of bilstein coilovers.

These were h&r ultralows, and it worked pretty damned awesome.