Stang9946

So i'm wondering how hard/dangerous it is to install lowering springs and what tools you need. I've heard a few stories of people being hurt badly when doing this. I'm skeptical.

jpmustanggt

I have absolutely no mechanical experience at all and I did them with my bro in law. Although he did most of, it wasn't very bad at all. As fas as tools you'll need all the regular tools to get the wheels off and a spring compressor will help alot. You should be able to rent one from a local auto parts store. We used the spring compressor on the front but not on the back.

jishead

It's a little intimidating. I've done like 3 sets. You need standards wrenches and spring compressor that you can buy cheap or rent sure can help. I'll bet there are tons of FAQs out there on this. I sure do recommend the spring / strut mod - especially the KYB / Eibachs sportlines.

Stang9946

Don't you need to compress the struts too? I have no idea what i'm doing.

g0lden

Last week I installed Eibach Sport-System on my 04 GT. It was actually pretty darn easy. The springs popped out , but not hard enough to go flying anywhere. Just use something and tie it to the car so it does not go anywhere. I used hand tools, and it took me a good4hours. That includes me installing the new struts and shocks also.

impaled

it really isnt that bad if you can get the bolts off. i dont have any air tools, so i spent more time fighting bolts with a torch and a breaker-bar than i did on the rest of the install. i would definitely suggest a spring compressor, i know some people say they can do it without one, but i just dont see how it is possible.

96gtchinook

get spring compressors and an impact gun it will make life easy, take off your end links and drop the control arm all the way down, put a crow bar through the center and you will find a little compression still but your crow bar will block it if you position it right and will not hit yourself or the car, make sure you have extra hydraulic jacks to put the new spring in and you should be set its not very hard at all. I would suggest just cutting you end links off and buying new it saves you the struggle and it will only put you down about 20$ max.

gknight

I just did mine last weekend. Piece of cake without a spring compressor, just a crowbar. You have todisconnect the ABS sensor and remove the 1/2 bolt that holds the brake line to the frame (there are several lines held to the frame by this one bolt. Last but not least, you do not need to remove the whole front shock. Leave the top connected, use two jack stands under the frame, take off the two nuts ( and the brake line support nut) then put the floor jack under the A arm and jack it up to the point the two shock bolts are loose enough to pull out (maybe use a screw driver to help them a little). This is way easier than it sounds.

BleedinBlue

It is DEFINITELY easier than it sounds. I just did it by MYSELF and was intimidated as well, but it really, really wasn't that bad. This was the very first time I had touched any suspension work, and have very, very little mechanical experience. I'm basically a spark plug and oil change type of guy.

I did have an air impact which made it a ton easier. I used the writeup from MustangWorld. Check it out in their how-to's.

Basically, all you have to do is (For the front):
1: Jackup and remove one wheel at a time.
2: Remove caliper (2 bolts)
3: Preload suspension with jack
3: Remove ABS harness (1 nut)
4: Remove top nut off strut
5: Remove 2 nuts and bolts at bottom of strut
6: Unhook sway bar (1 bolt) (This was left out of the MustangWorld writeup!!)
7: Slowly drop the A arm and remove strut from bottom (It just falls out)
8: Drop the A arm as far as it will go and remove spring (It will come out fairly easy with some pursuasion from a crow bar) Doing this it had very, very little stored energy and was not dangerous.

Reverse for install. I don't think I missed anything.

The first side did take me a few hours, because I was being extra careful and stopping to read from a writeup every five minutes, and I ended up using the wrong nut for the strut and that cost me an hour or so by its self. The second side took me no more than a half an hour, again taking my time.

After you do your first corner, you will feel like a pro.

gknight

If I remember right, you have to undo the swaybar off of both sides to start, I don't think you can only do one side of the swaybar at a time, Right?