suoperdave84

Hey all

I need to install Tokicos because my car feels like a damned tank now. I am thinking I need to compress the springs in the front right? If so I guess I will need to go to a shop.

Also, will it need an alignment after?

Thanks.

MHGT

you should be able to just unbolt the upper plates without a spring compressor...the pro kit springs are fairly short, I was able to do it all by hand very easily.

sonnier

I removed the top strut nut then raised the car, effectively using the car to safely decompress the spring but with Pro Kit springs I found I could do it without a spring compressor or the method I just mentioned.

suoperdave84

Can one of you guys list the steps involved? I have never done any suspension work on anything before.

Thanks

MHGT

Remove the tire..unbolt the sway bar end link ( pain in the ars )..unbolt the strut from the lower arm ( 2 bolts ) .. then unbolt the top plate from the car and remove the whole thing..unbolt the top plate from the strut as there should be almost no spring tension...and assemble in reverse. Now as the guy above did.. you most likely should be able to leave the top plate in the car and unbolt just the strut as there is no tension on the spring.....

F1Fan

Hi suoperdave84,

You will lke the improvement the D-Specs make on you Pro-Kit sprung car! The difference is large and the ride will be major league improved.

The safest way to do it is to use a spring compressor. This is not a big deal though, Sears has an inexpensive external coil spring compressor for about $50 that I use all the time and is works fine. In California we have autoparts stores that will lend you acertain hand toolsand a spring compressor is one of them. Try your local CSK (Checkers, Shucks,or Kragen), autoparts store and see if they do this. If not there is always the Sears option of find a local car club member with a spring compressor to loan.

Ifyou do not use a spring compressor you have to realize there is a small saftey issue but you should be O.K. as long as you use reasonable care. Set the front of the car up on stands, level concrete or asphalt. Pull the front wheels andset aside, place a floor jack under the control arm on the side you are going to work on and jack it up just enough to contact the lower control arm. Remove the 10mm bolt for the brake line, remove the plastic push connector for the ABS wire, remove the 18mm nut for the anti-roll bar link. Find a wire coat hanger to use as a hook to support the upright while the strut is out of the car, you can use anything you want to support the upright/hub assembly but you MUST support the assemblyor youwill damage the brake lines, ABS wireand/or the rubber ball joint covers! None of these things will make you happy if you damage them. ** Loosenthe four upper strut mount nuts but leave them on for now, remove thelower strut tohub bolts and tieup the assembly with the coat hangers or wire. Hold the strut and remove the fourupper strut mount nuts and remove the strut assembly.

Toseperate the spring from the strut in the car stop at the ** andremove the large middle strut nut. Using the floor jack lower the strutuntil the spring is free and sitting lose in the spring seat.Removethe two large lower strut to hub bolts and secure the hub assembly to the chassis using the wire coat hangersor wire, lower thefloor jack and remove the spring and strut body, set aside. Loosen the four smallupper strut mount nuts and remove the upper strut mount and bearing being VERY carefull to keep thestrut mount assembly in one pieceto avoid loosing the little platic ball bearings. If you loose these you are in deep do-do.

Assemble the new D-Spec strut using the Pro-Kit springs per the instructions using the original Ford bumpstops and the included new strut shaft boot. You should be able to reassemble the struts using the old strut bearings using onlyslight pressure on the upper strut bearing mounts and spinning the new strut nut on the new D-Spec strut rod. Check your assembly order NOW and confirm it matches the install sheet instructions. Re-install the strut using the stock lowe strut bolt and anEibach camber bolt in the upper strut mounting hole. DO NOT use an air gun on the strut bolt or you can damage the internal valve adjusters! You factory torque specs except where noted by Tokico or Eibach instruction sheets. For example the Eibach camber bolts are only torqued to 100Nm not the stock 200Nm.

You should be able to go from here without any trouble. If not just ask!

HTH!

suoperdave84

Thanks guys. I feel pretty confident about it now with all your instructions.

Just one more question....

After doing this won't I need an alignment?

F1Fan

Hi suoperdave84,

Yes.

Cheers!

MHGT

F1 is right..you will and it will only help !! Dont be afraid to stretch the limits abit..if you are not worried too much about tread wear ( really not that bad ) and want to help the steering try and have then set the camber at -1.5 or even more maybe -1.7. I have mine at -1.6 and really like the way it seems to help the understeer. I had it at -2 and was noticing alot of tire wear but it handled great..so I settled for -1.6. Set the shocks at 2 turns in the front and 3 in the rear and you will be smiling at every turn.....The women wont like the ride but ......a lighter car is quicker anyways...

F1Fan

Hi MHGT,

The womaen won't like the ride but.....a lighter car is quicker anyways... LOL!!!!


Cheers!