330GT rear coil over shocks

[Lowell]

I was talking to Kerry, and he could not remember any problem removing the coil spring and Koni shock as one unit from the rear suspension of a 330GT.

But he did this several years ago and was not sure of the details.

Can you remove the coil/shock unit from the car without the need of a spring compressor? Does the shock keep the spring from extending the assembly, or does it just extend it a little that pry bars will fix?

I understand that to remove the coil from the shock once the unit is out of the car one needs spring compressors.

[tyang]

Hi Lowell,

Yes, the coil over unit should come out of the car without a spring compressor.

Tom

[John Vardanian]

Yes, it takes a little bit of force, but both hands and full body wieght is enough to unlodge the keepers.

john

[Suebian330]

I did this job just 4 weeks ago at my 330 and I was unable to do it without spring compressors. I can check the force now, if there is a request. I am not sure if there were different spring caracteristics were used. My coil springs where marked white and green with paint at a small spot.

[Lowell]

I did this job just 4 weeks ago at my 330 and I was unable to do it without spring compressors. I can check the force now, if there is a request. I am not sure if there were different spring caracteristics were used. My coil springs where marked white and green with paint at a small spot.

I had expected to use a spring compressor after I got the assembly out of the car.

My question was: Do you need a spring compressor to remove the whole unit spring + shock from the car, leaving the spring + shock together while you remove the whole unit from the car.

[John Vardanian]

Lowell, does your car have both leaf and coil-overs? The Lusso does and maybe that's why mine came apart without too much elbow force. I could see where the Lusso's coils would be weaker because they are helpers to the leaf springs.

john

[Lowell]

Lowell, does your car have both leaf and coil-overs? The Lusso does and maybe that's why mine came apart without too much elbow force. I could see where the Lusso's coils would be weaker because they are helpers to the leaf springs.

john

Yes, they are just helpers for the main leaf springs.

Kerry tells me that the shocks will keep the coils over them from expanding very much, and so you can remove the shock + spring unit from the car as a whole,
It's just the question of removing the unit without the spring extending the shock to make it difficult to remove the bolt at the bottom --- or making it hard to put back together (again as a single unit)

[John Vardanian]

Lowell, when I was taking my rear suspension apart a few years ago (Lusso), I had the same concerns as you have and I recall being surprised with the ease of removal of the coil/shock from the car and the ease of separating the shock from the coil. It could be because my shocks were flat, but in any case, that wouldn't have changed the overall conditions much.

john

[tyang]

Taking the coil over out of the car is usually pretty easy because the extended length of the shock should not be longer than the suspension at full drop. Getting the springs compressed, however, when the spring needs to be released is a little harder. GTCs and 275s are the scariest!

Tom