METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR ADJUSTING A SPRING PRE-LOAD
A wrench and nut combination, including: a wrench lug including: a wrench lug feature that substantially mates with a nut feature of a nut of a shock absorber during a first rotation of said nut, relative to external body threads on a body of the shock absorber, in a first direction, wherein the wrench lug feature and the nut feature release during a second rotation of said nut, relative to the external body threads, in a second direction, wherein at least one of the first rotation and the second rotation causes an adjustment to a compressive coil spring pre-load of a set of coil springs disposed in the shock absorber.
1 . A shock absorber and wrench combination comprising:
a mechanical spring;
an axially movable spring retainer comprising:
a first nut lug and a second nut lug;
a nut slot disposed between said first nut lug and said second nut lug, said nut slot partially defined by an edge of said first nut lug and by an edge of said second nut lug, said edge of said first nut lug and said edge of said second nut lug not parallel to each other;
a set of axial wrench retainer lugs circumferentially distributed about said axially movable spring retainer at regular intervals; and
a slot disposed within said set of axial wrench retainer lugs, wherein inner surfaces of said set of axial wrench retainer lugs provide walls for said slot, wherein said set of axial wrench retainer lugs is configured for restricting axial movement of said wrench relative to said axially movable spring retainer when at least one of a wrench leading end and a wrench trailing end are engaged in said slot, such that said wrench remains operatively positioned relative to said axially movable spring retainer during a repositioning following a tightening or a loosening stroke of said wrench; and
a wrench configured for engaging with said axially movable spring retainer, said wrench comprising:
a wrench lug, said wrench lug configured to matingly engage with said nut slot, such that a rotation of said axially movable spring retainer, with said wrench, in a first direction relative to external body threads on a body of said shock absorber, increases a compressive pre-load of said mechanical spring and generates a retention force between said wrench and said axially movable spring retainer.