Cutting Coil Springs? need some help!

[MTboatguy]

Hey guys, I have a bit of a pickle I am trying to solve, on the way home yesterday my wife hit a pot hole on our long gravel road and busted a coil spring on the front right hand side of her subaru legacy outback which ended up shredding a tire. She changed the tire without realizing the spring had broke, drove another 3/4 mile, shredded the spare, so I go down, jack it up to put another tire on it and notice the broken coil spring which no matter how I manipulate will still rub the inside of the tire, causing heat which causes the tire to go bad.

If I could get that spring out without taking the front end apart, I could nurse it home, so I am wondering, if I can use a set of 42 inch bolt cutters to clip that spring and pull out the pieces, the spring is no longer under load, but it is still around the strut, but loose. The spring itself is about 3/8 to 5/16 inch in diameter, so I was thinking that a large set of bolt cutters would go through it?

Anybody tried this before?

Let me know your ideas, I don't have a cutting torch or electrical where the car is sitting.

Thanks.

 

[dwco5051]

Will there be room to get the jaws around the material between the coils? Also is there enough room to work the handles? It seems to me every time I want to snip something with my large bolt cutters I can't fit them in. Don't know what material your springs are but I would guess they may be 5160. Maybe ""Old Ironmaker" can tell you how tough they would be to shear.

 

[Scott Danforth]

doubt a bolt cutter would work, however a cut-off wheel in a cordless drill would take about 5 minutes

 

[Sprig]

If you think you can do the work yourself just have it towed to your house. If you have road side assistance it won’t cost anything. I would advise not driving any car even a short distance with a broken spring. If you can’t do the repair yourself have it towed to a garage.

 

[MTboatguy]

If you think you can do the work yourself just have it towed to your house. If you have road side assistance it won’t cost anything. I would advise not driving any car even a short distance with a broken spring. If you can’t do the repair yourself have it towed to a garage.

Doing the job myself is no problem, I have a fully equipped shop and I have new struts on hand for this car, I think I may just rent a tow dolly in the morning and haul it home.

 

[dolluper]

Put the new one in and drive home five bolts chain the spring for safety

 

[jakedaawg]

You may find that those front struts/springs were part of a recall and a shroud is to be installed.

 

[MTboatguy]

You may find that those front struts/springs were part of a recall and a shroud is to be installed.

Hi Jake,

Thanks and yes, I just went through the recall list and lo and behold, this is one of the model years involved in that recall and the spring broke exactly like they say it can in the information about that recall!

 

[jakedaawg]

Hi Jake,

Thanks and yes, I just went through the recall list and lo and behold, this is one of the model years involved in that recall and the spring broke exactly like they say it can in the information about that recall!

Even an old blind squirrel finds a nut every once in a while. I find it amazing that I not only remembered but was able to recall it. I quit wrenching on subies years ago.

hopefully they still honor the recall and give you a break on the parts.

 

[jakedaawg]

If I recall correctly, they were only installing the shroud in areas that salt the roads.

 

[MTboatguy]

If I recall correctly, they were only installing the shroud in areas that salt the roads.

Well we use plenty of salt on the roads here in Montana! I talked to them today and they are tracking the car's history down to see where it was sold and talking to the regional office to let them know what is going on. Same exact problem that was included in this recall, the dealership told me today they just fixed one that was a 97 the other day with the same problem.

 

[GA_Boater]

Well we use plenty of salt on the roads here in Montana! I talked to them today and they are tracking the car's history down to see where it was sold and talking to the regional office to let them know what is going on. Same exact problem that was included in this recall, the dealership told me today they just fixed one that was a 97 the other day with the same problem.

If they give you grief, MT - Still have some of those eggs for a dealership? LOL

Some recalls don't expire, safety items if I recall.

 

[MTboatguy]

If they give you grief, MT - Still have some of those eggs for a dealership? LOL

Some recalls don't expire, safety items if I recall.

After seeing the damage this did, I am glad I was not on a paved road, I can't imagine what would have happened tooling down the freeway at 65 mph!

 

[jakedaawg]

Ever hear anything? MTboatguy

 

[MTboatguy]

Ever hear anything? MTboatguy

It is back and forth right now with them..

 

[jakedaawg]

Ever resolve this?

 

[MTboatguy]

Ever resolve this?

Been back on the road for well over a month now, cost me a C note for the parts, had all the tools, so no big deal, had to rent a trailer to get it home, but not a big deal. I was tired on waiting for Subaru.