Spring/Shock Installation

INFORMATION Articles / Teg Tips
1

Because I STILL get emails about how to do this, I’m going to post this here: Feel free to convert this to a REAL TegTip…
This is the abbreviated version, but its got the important info…

NOTICE by following these instructions, you are assuming ALL responsibility for safety and risk of damaging your car or causing personal injury. These are also written with the assumption that you have the general working knowledge and the mechanical skills to make this happen…

Remember, SAFETY FIRST!!! Take your time, and do a good job!

You will need:
-Various wrenches & sockets
-Jack & Stands
-Spring compressor (usually rent-able from local parts stores)
-Allen wrenches (for the top of the shocks)

FRONT:

Jack up the car, put it on stands. SAFETY FIRST! Remove wheels.

Under the hood, unbolt your shock towers as well as your upper control arm mounts.

Under the car, unbolt the brake lines from your front shock.

Remove the bolt at the bottom of the damper fork, dropping the shock assembly down

Remove the bolt at the back of the damper fork, and remove it. This makes it easy to remove the shock assembly.

Using the spring compressor, compress the spring until it’s no longer in contact with the cap.

(Depending on your shocks)… using a wrench and Allen, remove the bolt at the top of the cap, and remove the compressed spring from the shock.

BE CAREFUL ON THIS PART! Slowly de-compress the spring until the tool is loose and can be removed. (I have heard horror stories of suspension guys missing fingers and teeth because of springs going off on them!)

Installation of new spring is opposite of removal.

Install the assembly bottom-first, and push down on the whole assembly. The unbolting of the upper control arm makes this WAY easier! Now is also a good time to install the front camber kit…

Double-check to make sure everything is tight, remove from jack stands.

REAR:

Jack up the car, put it on stands. SAFETY FIRST! Remove tires.

Remove bolts from lower shock mount, upper control arm, and from the shock towers in the trunk.

Remove assembly, and it’s just like the front.

Re-installation: hand-tighten upper bolts in the trunk. Position lower mount and replace bolt. Next, align the upper control arm and replace the bolt. Again, this is the perfect time to install the camber correction kit. Tighten everything else.

Again, double-check to make sure everything is tight, remove from jack stands.

Drive the car slowly, turning the wheel left & right. This helps the chassis settle on the springs, and helps the shocks adjust to the lower ride height.

Drive DIRECTLY to the alignment shop. YOU NEED ONE, AND THE CAR IS NOT SAFE WITHOUT ONE!!! Lowering the car changes the toe-in and camber, and you will waste a new set of tires in a matter of weeks without these adjustments!

I usually try to shoot before/after/during pics, just so keep track of things (like what bolts to what, what was where before it was undone, etc…).

2

what spring compressors did you use?

3

I have never used a spring compressor in my life. It’s not necessary on these cars.

4

I figured this out the hard way. After I got tired of fighting with spring compressors I tried just using a jack and the weight of the car. So much easier just using a jack and the weight of the car…

5

I don’t understand why it even says to use a compressor. Once you unbolt everything, the spring just falls away from the spring seat on the shock tower.

6

Not sure what springs you’re talking about. The OEM springs are slightly compressed when assembled.

7

When assembled yes, but if you remove the radius rod bolts, separate the lower ball joint, then pull the bolt from lower control arm holding the strut in place, it relieves the pressure on the spring and it comes out fairly easy once you remove the nut on the shock tower. Unless I am overlooking something, that’s how I remember doing it.

8

For me that’s just too much extra work. I hate removing the radius rods. You’re essentially using the car as a spring compressor in the example I gave and you didn’t really explain it in such a way that illustrated what you were talking about. Because the method you explained is NOT the normal way to take the springs/shocks out. It sounded like you said the spring was slack as soon as you unbolted everything you needed to unbolt to remove the shock, but in reality you were taking apart lots of other stuff too. Normally you remove the strut/spring as an assembly. And anyone using a manual (as they should) will be trying to understand your statements within that context.

Another “ghetto” way to decompress the springs is to just loosen the nut on the top of the shock w/o any compressor at all. I would just wrap the strut/spring assembly in a towel or cardboard box and then just zip the nut off with an impact gun. It’s not compressed much so there’s no real danger of things flying or injuring anyone. Much faster than taking the radius rods off. Although that technique doesn’t help for putting stock springs back on. But who wants stock springs anyway :slight_smile:

9

In regards to the manual, you are correct and I’ve never had the pleasure of using a manual. I struggled trying to explain how I do it. Basically I just remove everything. Works for me and I’m quick at it. Now that I think about I can see how a compressor would be helpful when it comes to not having to unbolt everything.