Coil Spring Snapped

steveo · 24 Aug 2015 at 22:36

Just driving home and noticed a nasty rattle coming from the rear wheel on the driver side. Got home grabbed a torch and the bottom section on the coil spring has snapped of. The Car is a Vauxhall Astra how much is this going to cost me to get sorted ???

Kenai · 24 Aug 2015 at 22:40

Pretty cheap, 2 new springs shouldn't even run much into the hundreds, fitted.

Generally recommended to replace in pairs.

TheVoice · 24 Aug 2015 at 22:41

£70-80 maybe.

Jamous · 24 Aug 2015 at 22:50

Pretty common on Astra's, but thankfully normally simple to change, what year is the car?

Should be less than £100 fitted per side.

MOOGLEYS · 24 Aug 2015 at 22:56

The Astra J had a recall on rear springs. If it's a J it might be worth looking into...

Lopéz · 25 Aug 2015 at 08:04

I honestly wouldn't bother replacing the pair, just the one that snapped. Personal choice, you can do whatever you like

teenwolf · 25 Aug 2015 at 08:08

Replace both sides.
Replacing just the snapped one is terrible advise.

pastymuncher · 25 Aug 2015 at 10:18

Replace both sides at the same time. If one has gone there's a chance the other isn't far behind it. Both rear's on my Astra G snapped at the same time. You can pick new springs up on ebay for £15-35. It's a really easy job to replace them and you don't even need a spring compressor. Jack the rear up and remove the wheel. Stick a jack under the rear axle and just take the weight. Undo the lower shock absorber bolt and lower the jack holding the rear axle up. The spring can then be replaced, the axle jacked back up and the shock refitted. Repeat for the other side. The whole job can be done in less than a hour.

Dogbreath · 25 Aug 2015 at 10:25

teenwolf said:
Replace both sides.
Replacing just the snapped one is terrible advise.

The vast majority of people wouldn't be able to tell any difference at all. The world will not end if only a single spring is changed.

lemonade · 25 Aug 2015 at 10:36

Having one worn spring just puts more pressure on it an dmight upset the balance, I would change it unless the other spring isn't actually very old or badly worn.

iaind · 25 Aug 2015 at 10:40

Dogbreath said:
The vast majority of people wouldn't be able to tell any difference at all. The world will not end if only a single spring is changed.

It's got absolutely nothing to do with being able to "tell the difference" :confused:

FinglisHobbit · 25 Aug 2015 at 12:34

iaind said:
It's got absolutely nothing to do with being able to "tell the difference"

Is it about the convenience of doing both at once then? To save another visit later?.

Because if it comes down to cost, then why bother changing both if it isnt about telling a difference.

Amos91 · 25 Aug 2015 at 12:41

Often if one goes the other is very close behind.

When my front left one cracked at the base I place an order for some new front springs, whilst waiting for delivery the other front one cracked.

iaind · 25 Aug 2015 at 12:42

FinglisHobbit said:
Is it about the convenience of doing both at once then? To save another visit later?.

Because if it comes down to cost, then why bother changing both if it isnt about telling a difference.

You realize a snapped coil spring is potentially dangerous?

traveyb · 25 Aug 2015 at 12:52

For the cost you may as well just do both

teenwolf · 25 Aug 2015 at 14:15

iaind said:
You realize a snapped coil spring is potentially dangerous?

yup its quite common, spring snapps goes into tyre at 70mph + on the motorway.

good luck

Clarkey · 25 Aug 2015 at 14:43

Meh, I've been passenger in a car when the front left spring went through the tyre at speed. Wasn't that dramatic tbh, inconvenient that we couldn't get the jack under with a flat tyre and half a spring though.

markweatherill · 25 Aug 2015 at 14:54

Before replacing any springs I would just try removing the other three and seeing if the car doesn't look better. I bet it would corner really well too. That's race suspension that is.

rodenal · 25 Aug 2015 at 16:35

Clarkey said:
Meh, I've been passenger in a car when the front left spring went through the tyre at speed. Wasn't that dramatic tbh, inconvenient that we couldn't get the jack under with a flat tyre and half a spring though.

I have too - very smokey and dramatic noise but quite controllable

Either way replace both unless gheure quite new, the other one isn't going to be far behind

iaind · 25 Aug 2015 at 16:40

Clarkey said:
Meh, I've been passenger in a car when the front left spring went through the tyre at speed. Wasn't that dramatic tbh, inconvenient that we couldn't get the jack under with a flat tyre and half a spring though.

Thats clearly a guarantee that every time a spring snaps, nothing bad will happen at all