lowering spring install
01-22-2007, 10:05 PM
#11
I ♥ Acer
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Colorado- 8500 feet!
Posts: 5,928
RE: lowering spring install
ORIGINAL: dlazrael
1) spring compressors are worthless. All you need is a floorjack
It took me about 40 mins front and 30 mins rear (and I changed a shock too)
This isnt an exact writeup, but its how i did it:
Raise car (use K-member, raise the whole front) and support with jackstands. Make sure you DO NOT put the stands on suspension componants.
Remove wheels
Remove tie-rod. You need needle nose pliers to pry the pin out, and get a new pin to replace it. It is I THINK a 15mm nut. Remove nut, use a 3-lb sledge or similiar hammer, and hit the metal part ABOVE the tie-rod dust boot (Its connected to the wheel.... sorry no pics) hit it a few times and the tie-rod will fall right out. Also, you will have to backoff the tension nut on the tierod, (17mm/18mm) make sure you mark the threads where the tie rod is (with the wheels centered) so you can put it back in the right spot.
Remove brake caliper (either 15 or 17mm wrench, remove the entire caliper), using a wire coathanger, hang the caliper away from the strut/spring and so the brake line doesnt have pressure on it.
Place the floor jack under the A-Arm spring perch, and put a slight load on the springs.
Using a 24mm wrench and (I used a combo wrench and a friend, but a breaker bar could do it too) remove the strut bolts and pull the strut off the wheel.
This is where having a friend helps, lower the a-arm VERY SLOWLY and make sure the wheel doesnt fall and damage the ball joint from stress. Eventually the a-arm will stop coming down and the spring will be unsprung. I used a 1/2" breaker bar, wedged it between one of the coils and used the a-arm as a pivot point to pop the bottom of the spring out. Works quite will w/o a compressor (we used a compressor on the other side, and the damn thing STILL shot out... it was MORE dangerous, IMHO)
move isolators from old springs to new springs (if desired)
place in new springs, slowly raise springs making sure they are seated until you can put the strut back on the wheel. The rest of the assembly is reverse of disassembly.
Rear Springs
Raise car by differential.
Support with Jackstands
Use a wrench to remove the quad shcok from the Chassis point (closest to the rear of the car). careful not to loose the nut and washer.
using a 17mm wrench and a 15mm wrench, remove the shock from the axle. (17mm is on the outside, 15mm on the inside)
Lower the jack on the differential, as with the front the axle will only drop so far (due to UCAs)
Kick / Pull springs out from the LCA mounts (they'll be unsprung by now).
Swap isolators and install new springs. Make sure the pigtail of the new spring is down, and pointed to the drivers side, on BOTH springs.
raise suspension until you can get the shock/quad shock reattached and then bam! your done
(of course you gotta take the wheels off etc)
And yes, I would recommend an alignment.
1) spring compressors are worthless. All you need is a floorjack
It took me about 40 mins front and 30 mins rear (and I changed a shock too)
This isnt an exact writeup, but its how i did it:
Raise car (use K-member, raise the whole front) and support with jackstands. Make sure you DO NOT put the stands on suspension componants.
Remove wheels
Remove tie-rod. You need needle nose pliers to pry the pin out, and get a new pin to replace it. It is I THINK a 15mm nut. Remove nut, use a 3-lb sledge or similiar hammer, and hit the metal part ABOVE the tie-rod dust boot (Its connected to the wheel.... sorry no pics) hit it a few times and the tie-rod will fall right out. Also, you will have to backoff the tension nut on the tierod, (17mm/18mm) make sure you mark the threads where the tie rod is (with the wheels centered) so you can put it back in the right spot.
Remove brake caliper (either 15 or 17mm wrench, remove the entire caliper), using a wire coathanger, hang the caliper away from the strut/spring and so the brake line doesnt have pressure on it.
Place the floor jack under the A-Arm spring perch, and put a slight load on the springs.
Using a 24mm wrench and (I used a combo wrench and a friend, but a breaker bar could do it too) remove the strut bolts and pull the strut off the wheel.
This is where having a friend helps, lower the a-arm VERY SLOWLY and make sure the wheel doesnt fall and damage the ball joint from stress. Eventually the a-arm will stop coming down and the spring will be unsprung. I used a 1/2" breaker bar, wedged it between one of the coils and used the a-arm as a pivot point to pop the bottom of the spring out. Works quite will w/o a compressor (we used a compressor on the other side, and the damn thing STILL shot out... it was MORE dangerous, IMHO)
move isolators from old springs to new springs (if desired)
place in new springs, slowly raise springs making sure they are seated until you can put the strut back on the wheel. The rest of the assembly is reverse of disassembly.
Rear Springs
Raise car by differential.
Support with Jackstands
Use a wrench to remove the quad shcok from the Chassis point (closest to the rear of the car). careful not to loose the nut and washer.
using a 17mm wrench and a 15mm wrench, remove the shock from the axle. (17mm is on the outside, 15mm on the inside)
Lower the jack on the differential, as with the front the axle will only drop so far (due to UCAs)
Kick / Pull springs out from the LCA mounts (they'll be unsprung by now).
Swap isolators and install new springs. Make sure the pigtail of the new spring is down, and pointed to the drivers side, on BOTH springs.
raise suspension until you can get the shock/quad shock reattached and then bam! your done
(of course you gotta take the wheels off etc)
And yes, I would recommend an alignment.
Somebody sticky what this dude said lol
01-22-2007, 10:08 PM
#12
5th Gear Member
Join Date: May 2006
Location: south carolina
Posts: 3,534
RE: lowering spring install
dont sweat the install man, if you can read and turn a wrench then you can do the install, the only thing i will advise is have an extra person be there so they can put pressure on the a arm, so you can get the spring out.
10-02-2007, 02:13 PM
#14
1st Gear Member
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location:
Posts: 135
RE: lowering spring install
One hour, first time...hardly. I ran into rusted bolts, stripped bolts and all sorts of other gremlins....took me a week since i had to order parts, could not get a tie rod end out, etc. Also, spring compressors are a PITA and take a awhile to figure out. I took my sweet time and did not have an extra person but i got it done. Its not a hard install, just annoying.
10-02-2007, 02:40 PM
#15
3rd Gear Member
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: San Marcos, TX
Posts: 916
RE: lowering spring install
first time, first wheel, took me an hour and a half by myself, this included raising the car, putting it on jackstands, etc. 2nd front wheel took about 45 min with raising it and everything. the rears are a piece of cake and took about an hour total. 2nd time around I was done with all 4 in about 1 hour 30 min. (its much easier to get lowering springs off than stockers)
10-02-2007, 04:37 PM
#16
I ♥ Acer
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Not really sure, Alabama
Posts: 2,346
RE: lowering spring install
ORIGINAL: racemyski
NEVER RAISE CAR BY DIFFERENTIAL
NEVER
NEVER
NEVER
NEVER RAISE CAR BY THE DIFFERENTIAL OR YOU WILL RISK MISALIGNING THE 1 DEGREE NEGATIVE CAMBER THE REAR AXLE HAS.
NEVER RAISE CAR BY DIFFERENTIAL
NEVER
NEVER
NEVER
NEVER RAISE CAR BY THE DIFFERENTIAL OR YOU WILL RISK MISALIGNING THE 1 DEGREE NEGATIVE CAMBER THE REAR AXLE HAS.
[:'(][:'(]
10-02-2007, 04:38 PM
#17
I ♥ Acer
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Not really sure, Alabama
Posts: 2,346
RE: lowering spring install
ORIGINAL: JJ03MustangGT
ok first off, i did my springs yesterday, it took me 56 mins, i also have the pro kit. its one of the easiest things ive done to my car besides the shifter. i couldnt believe at how easy it was. just make sure you have two jacks.
ok first off, i did my springs yesterday, it took me 56 mins, i also have the pro kit. its one of the easiest things ive done to my car besides the shifter. i couldnt believe at how easy it was. just make sure you have two jacks.
56 min exactly? did you use a stop watch or what?
10-02-2007, 05:23 PM
#18
5th Gear Member
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: the flatlands
Posts: 3,456
RE: lowering spring install
ORIGINAL: racemyski
NEVER RAISE CAR BY DIFFERENTIAL
NEVER
NEVER
NEVER
NEVER RAISE CAR BY THE DIFFERENTIAL OR YOU WILL RISK MISALIGNING THE 1 DEGREE NEGATIVE CAMBER THE REAR AXLE HAS.
NEVER RAISE CAR BY DIFFERENTIAL
NEVER
NEVER
NEVER
NEVER RAISE CAR BY THE DIFFERENTIAL OR YOU WILL RISK MISALIGNING THE 1 DEGREE NEGATIVE CAMBER THE REAR AXLE HAS.
10-02-2007, 08:20 PM
#20
5th Gear Member
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 3,625
RE: lowering spring install
I wrapped the nylon part of a ratchet strap around both sides of the spring. They are superdangerous. If you rely on a jack not to get thrown your an idiot. C'mon now, they hold up all that weight of the car and the engine! WRAP the spring!!!