Installing lowering springs... have questions

Killercanary

The car that set the bar.
Founding Member
Nov 29, 1999
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Altoona, PA
Before everyone gets excited that I'm, lowering the car, let me just say that this is a temporary thing. I want to see how much clearance and such I have getting into and out of my garage before I spring (no pun intended) for a set of coil overs. Yeahloh95 was nice enough to let me try his eibach springs on my car since he has gone with coil overs. Now, I have never removed a coil spring and from I'm hearing I'm getting a little nervouis about doing it. Anyone do it themselves? If so, how? Do I just get a spring compressor and that's it? Do I have to remove anything, ie the strut, tie rod, sway bar, etc? I've heard from different people that all these need removed, I just need clarification. Any help is appreicated. I am only doing the fronts at this time.
 
You dont need a spring compressor. With the car on jack stands I just used a floor jack under the a-arm to lower the spring little by little to release the pressure. For a little extra piece of mind you can put a chain through the spring and the a-arm and then you dont have to worry about it flying out. That's what I did. I did my stuts and springs at the same time and I did have to unhook the sway bar from the tie rod end. Not remove the tie rod end just unhook it from the sway bar I believe.
 
Paul...Nothing to scary about it...be cautious, but its cool...Get it up in the air a decent amount....I undo the tie-rod nut..brace under it, and one good smack with a hammer she'll pop right out...this way you can get that A arm way down...the spring may just pop out, holding that Arm way down, if not. hold the A arm down and use a bar to creep the top of the spring down and out SLOWLY...i removed mine couple times over and have never had one come flying out....
 
To get it back in I had to have my brother push it in while I stepped down on the a-arm pushing it as low as I could to give it enough room to slide back in. Make sure you have the car up HIGH! Even if your not doing the rear get the rear in the air and get the front up as high as you can. The extra ground clearance will make things a lot easier.
 
Although it may be a PITA, a basic bicycle chain should be a MUST when installing coil springs. My old man, after working on cars for 25+ years, still chains springs when he's changing them or is even in the area of them.

It's pretty easy, Paul. Andy described the rough outline of the process, and it doesn't get much harder than what he said. The hardest part is taking your time because it's quite simple.

http://bbs.hardcore50.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=17283&highlight=died

Joe
 
Quick question.... do I have to remove the nut on the actualy strut itself, or just the bolts in the caster camber plate? See the big nut with the blue line in through it... does that need removed? This may see like a no brainer, but I never worked on the front suspension before. thanks!

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