And this is why you don't lower your car by heating the springs

[jawn101]

Pictures are worth a thousand words, so I'll let these do most of the talking... lol

http://dmctalk.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=8522&d=1329630067

http://dmctalk.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=8524&d=1329630158

I have no idea why that second one is showing up upside down.

The nicest little touch was that the PO's blowtorch had melted the shroud around the upper half of the shocks.

Needless to say, she rides and handles a lot better now with no creaking. And I don't fear for my life anymore... at least not from the springs :)

Thanks again Clint!

[vwdmc16]

No problem, Jon!

[SIMid]

I was going to go down this path when i got my D, but went with the Eibachs in the end. Any other damage?

[sdg3205]

Oh boy do I have some springs pics to post. Had them up on the old .com site. They formed a full 'u' when next to each other

[jawn101]

I was going to go down this path when i got my D, but went with the Eibachs in the end. Any other damage?

Other than the completely collapsed springs that rode for and sounded like shit, and the melted shock... no, no damage. But it's not a good idea, at all. Those lowering springs are not expensive enough to risk your life over!

Besides, think about it - the springs are just a few inches from the virtually irreplaceable fiberglass body, and just a few more inches from the fuel tank/pump/lines - do any of those sound like good places for a blowtorch? :)

[SIMid]

just a few more inches from the fuel tank/pump/lines - do any of those sound like good places for a blowtorch? :)

Was the PO Mr. Magoo? :lol:

I know of 3 Deloreans in Australia which had their springs reset. Hope they don't stuff up like this! :(

[sdg3205]

Yup.

[jawn101]

Yup.

Nice, Dave. More evidence...

[dvonk]

these photos are terrifying! :nervous:

[sdg3205]

these photos are terrifying! :nervous:

Terrifying was using spring compressors on those bad boys!

[jawn101]

Terrifying was using spring compressors on those bad boys!

I had never used spring compressors before and as Clint can attest, I kept asking him if they were safe, since it looked to me like the thing was going to bend in half and shoot out the other side.

Even *scarier* was REMOVING the spring compressors from those springs after they came out of the car, not knowing whether or not the coils were storing any energy.

[dmc3130]

What springs did you end up using?? Did you only do the fronts?

Looks like a fun day in the garage.......:wrenchin:

[jawn101]

What springs did you end up using?? Did you only do the fronts?

Looks like a fun day in the garage.......:wrenchin:

Hey man, long time no hear :) I got Hervey's lowering springs, and I did buy all 4. But because we lose the light so fast and had other things to accomplish for a new owner that day, we only installed the fronts. Rears will have to be another day!

[flyinglow]

In the long thread on this subject on the old site the consensus of opinion for those not wanting to buy new lowering springs was to cut off a portion of the current springs. Apparently a number of owners have done that with no known issues reported in the old thread. As I recall there was no support for heating the springs.

[sdg3205]

FWIW I bought Martin's front springs and love them.

[jawn101]

In the long thread on this subject on the old site the consensus of opinion for those not wanting to buy new lowering springs was to cut off a portion of the current springs. Apparently a number of owners have done that with no known issues reported in the old thread. As I recall there was no support for heating the springs.

Yeah, for good reason. I know people with cut springs who are quite happy with them, but for normal plebes like me who wouldn't know how to do that (or have the tools!) buying proper lowering springs is definitely the way to go.

[micmak]

In the long thread on this subject on the old site the consensus of opinion for those not wanting to buy new lowering springs was to cut off a portion of the current springs. Apparently a number of owners have done that with no known issues reported in the old thread. As I recall there was no support for heating the springs.


Yeah, for good reason. I know people with cut springs who are quite happy with them, but for normal plebes like me who wouldn't know how to do that (or have the tools!) buying proper lowering springs is definitely the way to go.

Yep, I was one of the main contributors to that thread on the old site. I cut mine using some solid advice from a big carburetor enthusiast who seems to have few fans on this site!!!! :) ‘Nuff said! However his advice was very helpful to me and I cut my front springs. It is not the ideal solution to lowering but it is cheaper than buying lowering springs. I intend to buy springs at some time, but cutting the existing ones was a quick solution for me. No regrets. The car looks and handles well.

......Mike......

[David T]

You can imagine how scary it must be to remove these springs and get the compressor off. Shops have to deal with this kind of stuff all too often and then the owner wonders why it took so long and why it cost so much. It really is amazing what people do, especially when they do not fully appreciate all of the consequences and dangers. It is not always readily apparent how much energy is stored in a spring till you see one go flying. Cutting seems almost smart compared to heating! At least you have to remove the spring and do it under more controlled conditions.
David Teitelbaum

[vwdmc16]

...cutting the existing ones was a quick solution for me. No regrets. The car looks and handles well...



Ditto here.

[dmc3130]

What shocks did you end up getting?????? Like to know what you think of them.

[Spittybug]

I cut mine with no problems yet evident. Sits lower, handles better. Is it perfect? Probably not. Is it better? Yes.

I removed the springs carefully and cut them with a cut off air tool.

[jawn101]

What shocks did you end up getting?????? Like to know what you think of them.

I stuck with the original shocks as mine are functionally excellent. For now. I do plan to get the SPAX but that's a job for another day I think. I really like the stock ones, actually.

[Delorean Industries]

I stuck with the original shocks as mine are functionally excellent. For now. I do plan to get the SPAX but that's a job for another day I think. I really like the stock ones, actually.

If I could use NOS front girling units I would in a heart beat.....

[jawn101]

If I could use NOS front girling units I would in a heart beat.....

I've heard that they're one of the few things that folks wouldn't change if they didn't have to. So I figured, if mine are still good, why mess with 'em?

They do have melted dust cowls though. Sigh :)

[sdg3205]

If I could use NOS front girling units I would in a heart beat.....

How do you know when your front shocks are toast?

[Delorean Industries]

How do you know when your front shocks are toast?

They either lock up solid or the lower and upper bushings rot out.

[opethmike]

Changing the water pump was the very first job I did on my DeLorean. I didn't realize that there was a plug there, so you can imagine my surprise when I went to fill up the coolant.

[Delorean Industries]

Changing the water pump was the very first job I did on my DeLorean. I didn't realize that there was a plug there, so you can imagine my surprise when I went to fill up the coolant.

You just did what I did and posted in the wrong thread..... :)

[opethmike]

You just did what I did and posted in the wrong thread..... :)

Damnit! :tongue_stick:

[Delorean Industries]

Damnit! :tongue_stick:

I did that on the Bullitt forums a few weeks ago regarding pricing on a full restoration on a 68 J code 390. My estimate was low compared to the other guy in the business and came in way under the competition publicly when meant for PM.

[outatym2001]

How do you know when your front shocks are toast?

You will know when upon very close inspection the oil that is supposed to be inside the shock absorber has leaked out and attracted dirt all around the location of the leak. I bought my D when it was twenty years old and the original shocks had definitely been leaking for some time.
You can’t very well push down on the front corners of the D and watch as the front bounces back up into position since there is very little movement in the suspension.
You may notice some exteme bouncing when driving over a speed bump or a road with multiple holes and patches in the pavement.
I really, really hated driving in downtown Seattle with bad shocks since after a while I noticed on the most severe pot holes the springs would go clang and either were hitting the sides of the shocks or they were just rebounding violently and produced a loose spring noise that I can describe with one word BOING!

[sdg3205]

You will know when upon very close inspection the oil that is supposed to be inside the shock absorber has leaked out and attracted dirt all around the location of the leak. I bought my D when it was twenty years old and the original shocks had definitely been leaking for some time.
You can’t very well push down on the front corners of the D and watch as the front bounces back up into position since there is very little movement in the suspension.
You may notice some exteme bouncing when driving over a speed bump or a road with multiple holes and patches in the pavement.
I really, really hated driving in downtown Seattle with bad shocks since after a while I noticed on the most severe pot holes the springs would go clang and either were hitting the sides of the shocks or they were just rebounding violently and produced a loose spring noise that I can describe with one word BOING!

Thanks Mark.

Good to know. I had my front shock out last spring to install Martin's springs and with the exception of a little melting on the dust cover from the PO frying the stock springs they were clean. They also feel good over a speed bump, typically one rebound to resting height. The backs essentially feel like there is no spring or shock.