My friend and I plan to dedicate tomorrow to swap out old coils for some new tein coils. But this is seriously our first time doing this type of project on a car ourselves. What we need to know is, what tool might we need to do this?

 

just the springs?... if so you will need a spring compressor

edit: did some searching for you and found this...

Put the car on jack-stands
Remove the wheels
Front suspension:
- Unbolt brake lines from shocks
- Remove bolt that connects the damper fork to the LCA
- Remove bolt that connects the damper fork to the shock
- Remove the damper fork
- Remove two nuts that connect the shock to the shock tower (in engine bay)
- Remove the shock assembly from the car
Rear suspension:
- Remove bolt that connects shock to LCA
- Remove two nuts that connect the shock to the shock tower (in trunk)
- Remove the shock assembly from the car
Disassembling of shock assembly:
- Make mark on shock body & upper mount so you can reinstall it exactly the same
- Install spring compressor that you rented from auto-parts store
- Compress spring until there is no preload between the upper & lower spring perches
- Remove top nut at the end of the shock shaft
- Remove entire upper shock mount from shock shaft (don't loose any parts)
- Remove spring
- Slowly decompress spring
- Install new spring
- Reinstall upper mount & line it up with your markings (use compressor if necessary)
- Reinstall top nut & torque to spec
- Repeat for all shocks
Reinstall all shocks but don't tighten any bolts or nuts down
Bolt brake lines to front shocks & make sure the bolts are tight
Reinstall damper forks on front shocks
Make sure notch in damper forks line up with tab on back of the shocks
Make sure the shocks is seated all the way into the damper forks
Reinstall bolts that connect damper forks to LCAs, but don't tighten them
Torque down pinch bolts that connect damper forks to the front shocks
Loosen ALL suspenison bolts that travel through the center of a bushing a couple turns
Starting at one corner, Use a jack & jack up the LCA until the car barely lifts off the nearest jack-stand
Torque all nuts & bolts of the lifted suspension corner to spec
Move to next corner & repeat the "jacking & torquing" process
Reinstall wheels
Test drive


Modified by JDM-Punk at 12:32 AM 7/12/2008

 

That's a lot ^ I would try to explain it in a more simple way but I would use a picture. It's not that hard, just watch out for the compressed spring. It's really not that bad, but it'll scare you. And wasting time on spring compressors ftl, just decompress it by taking it off (just watch your fingers and stand back as you undo slowly)

In fact, use spring compressors the first couple of times, and then use the no spring compressor method.

And you don't really need to torque anything either, just make sure it's tight enough.

 

Have fun with the rear LCA bolts

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by vacantskies88 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Have fun with the rear LCA bolts </TD></TR></TABLE>

They won't be that bad, and you might need to take out the rear LCA bolt that holds it up, towards the middle of the car, to slide it out easier.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by happycorey &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">That's a lot ^ I would try to explain it in a more simple way but I would use a picture. It's not that hard, just watch out for the compressed spring. It's really not that bad, but it'll scare you. And wasting time on spring compressors ftl, just decompress it by taking it off (just watch your fingers and stand back as you undo slowly)

In fact, use spring compressors the first couple of times, and then use the no spring compressor method.

And you don't really need to torque anything either, just make sure it's tight enough.</TD></TR></TABLE>

haha i know... but figured it would be easier in the end for them to just print it out or something and just follow the list..

as for the spring compressor being a waste thing... i have used c-clamps (the type were you can just press the trigger and it compresses it, but have never just un-bolted them, just personally dont trust it

and yes torquing it down to spec on that is a little over-rated... anything motor related is torqued thou (just my pref)

 

if it wasn't for compressing and uncompressing springs, it wouldn't have taken me 6 hours to do the suspension on my car, i thought i would be safe, but that totally blew

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by JDM-Punk &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Put the car on jack-stands
Remove the wheels
Front suspension:
- Unbolt brake lines from shocks
- Remove bolt that connects the damper fork to the LCA
- Remove bolt that connects the damper fork to the shock
- Remove the damper fork
- Remove two nuts that connect the shock to the shock tower (in engine bay)
- Remove the shock assembly from the car
Rear suspension:
- Remove bolt that connects shock to LCA
- Remove two nuts that connect the shock to the shock tower (in trunk)
- Remove the shock assembly from the car

Reinstall all shocks but don't tighten any bolts or nuts down
Bolt brake lines to front shocks & make sure the bolts are tight
Reinstall damper forks on front shocks
Make sure notch in damper forks line up with tab on back of the shocks
Make sure the shocks is seated all the way into the damper forks
Reinstall bolts that connect damper forks to LCAs, but don't tighten them
Torque down pinch bolts that connect damper forks to the front shocks
Loosen ALL suspenison bolts that travel through the center of a bushing a couple turns
Starting at one corner, Use a jack & jack up the LCA until the car barely lifts off the nearest jack-stand
Torque all nuts & bolts of the lifted suspension corner to spec
Move to next corner & repeat the "jacking & torquing" process
Reinstall wheels
Test drive


Modified by JDM-Punk at 12:32 AM 7/12/2008</TD></TR></TABLE> Thats What I needed, I have full coilovers.

 

if i were you i would hit your rear lca bolts right now two days before you start the project with PB blaster, that might help, its hit or miss with the bolt, if you in a salty hot area the bolt might be seized in, it took me 8 hours to do my suspension because both bolts didnt come out, i had to saw them out with the grinder with my compressor, so good luck I hope the best for you .

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by JDM-Punk &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">just the springs?... if so you will need a spring compressor

edit: did some searching for you and found this...

Put the car on jack-stands
Remove the wheels
Front suspension:
- Unbolt brake lines from shocks
- Remove bolt that connects the damper fork to the LCA
- Remove bolt that connects the damper fork to the shock
- Remove the damper fork
- Remove two nuts that connect the shock to the shock tower (in engine bay)
- Remove the shock assembly from the car
Rear suspension:
- Remove bolt that connects shock to LCA
- Remove two nuts that connect the shock to the shock tower (in trunk)
- Remove the shock assembly from the car
Disassembling of shock assembly:
- Make mark on shock body & upper mount so you can reinstall it exactly the same
- Install spring compressor that you rented from auto-parts store
- Compress spring until there is no preload between the upper & lower spring perches
- Remove top nut at the end of the shock shaft
- Remove entire upper shock mount from shock shaft (don't loose any parts)
- Remove spring
- Slowly decompress spring
- Install new spring
- Reinstall upper mount & line it up with your markings (use compressor if necessary)
- Reinstall top nut & torque to spec
- Repeat for all shocks
Reinstall all shocks but don't tighten any bolts or nuts down
Bolt brake lines to front shocks & make sure the bolts are tight
Reinstall damper forks on front shocks
Make sure notch in damper forks line up with tab on back of the shocks
Make sure the shocks is seated all the way into the damper forks
Reinstall bolts that connect damper forks to LCAs, but don't tighten them
Torque down pinch bolts that connect damper forks to the front shocks
Loosen ALL suspenison bolts that travel through the center of a bushing a couple turns
Starting at one corner, Use a jack & jack up the LCA until the car barely lifts off the nearest jack-stand
Torque all nuts & bolts of the lifted suspension corner to spec
Move to next corner & repeat the "jacking & torquing" process
Reinstall wheels
Test drive


Modified by JDM-Punk at 12:32 AM 7/12/2008</TD></TR></TABLE>