How I changed F/R springs

[BIGV]

I have seen a lot of how to in regards to changing springs this is how I did it.

The whole install including clean up and test drive to me 3 hrs.
Front Springs:
1. remove wheels then place jack under bottom A arm and compress the spring a few inches.
2. Take off the strut and remove the ABS sensor (this is optional I did not but thats me I just removed the ABS wire where it is attached to the body for more slack).
3. Take off the swaybar end link lower jack slowly (if you are removing stock springs you may need to take off the caliper the brake line will be tight). I have H&R springs and I did not have to remove the caliper.
4. Pop the spring out reverse test drive. The springs will settle about 1 inch give or take after the test drive.


Rear Springs:
1. Jack car up put on jack stands place jack under the IRS frame for supportI used two jacks because I did not drop the catback
2. Remove the brackets that hold the tailpipes up ( located by the rear bumper cut outs they are 10 mm. The Exhaust is bracketed to the IRS so it will lower with the IRS.
3. Remove the rear IRS bolts 18mm located behind the tire.
4. Remove the lower shock bolt 18mm.
5. Slowly lower the jack on one side than the other if the IRS does not drop under its own weight then use a pry bar and gently pry the bushings loose. Be careful the IRS does not drop all at once lower it slowly.
6. The IRS will drop down and the springs will fall out lower just enough to remove the springs they exhaust has some pressure on it but I found it not to be enough to bend any pipes or damage them but I would not lower it any further than is necessary. If this makes you uncomfortable then just remove the Catback I really hate this being on my back so I elected not to do it I feel it is a PITA and not necessary.
7. Reverse the above instructions

I have taken the front and rear suspension apart 4 times now and it is simple, air tools help but they are not needed for the rear. Air tools with the front really speed things up when taking off the struts but again not needed.

Like I said this took me 3 hrs start to finish with air tools. It will take a little longer if you have problems breaking a bolt loose.

I hope this helps

 

[TheFleshRocket]

I just pulled the isos off my rear springs last night. I rented an inside-the-spring compressor from Autozone and used that to compress the springs. Aside from taking off the wheels and jacking up the car, that's all I did.

I have an impact gun, and that really helped. I can't imagine trying to tighten the compressor by hand--it would probably take hours!

 

[TheFleshRocket]

Finally found your post a few hours ago. I just finished changing all four springs. I got hung up on the front--had a brain fart and tried removing the control arm from the inside, not the outside. The power steering rack got in the way and after I got frustrated, I came inside and looked for this thread.

The whole job probably took me about 7 hours, and that's with air tools and a spring compressor. The rear was VERY simple--just use the spring compressor on the spring and slide it out--I didn't mess with the IRS, exhaust, etc. On the front, I did have to disconnect the ABS sensor. I also had to remove the brake caliper, because the hose wasn't long enough and was preventing me from pulling the control arm down as far as I needed to to remove the spring.

I can't imagine doing this without a spring compressor and, by extension, an impact gun. I guess dropping the IRS would allow the rear to be done without a compressor, but on the front, even after pulling the control arm all the way down, I had to compress the spring a couple of inches to have enough clearance to get it out.

It's almost 3AM so I'm going to put off the test drive until tomorrow.. err, later today.

Thanks again for the helpful write-up.

 

[WhiningCobra]

nice write up man!

 

[Knoxville COBRA]

How much did it go down after you removed the isos?

 

[gx00850]

Maybe someone here can give me some advice. I am working the on the front springs. I was able to get the springs out with no problem. Everything is disconnected and the lower arms are touching the ground, but still not enough clearance to get the H&R springs in. I guess I need to use a spring compressor. I borrowed the Autozone inside spring compressor. What is the best way to get these things compressed enough to get them in? Did you compress them, tie them, and then put them in? Or did you somehow compress them once they were on the A arm? I need some help. THANKS.

 

[pianoman90]

Maybe someone here can give me some advice. I am working the on the front springs. I was able to get the springs out with no problem. Everything is disconnected and the lower arms are touching the ground, but still not enough clearance to get the H&R springs in. I guess I need to use a spring compressor. I borrowed the Autozone inside spring compressor. What is the best way to get these things compressed enough to get them in? Did you compress them, tie them, and then put them in? Or did you somehow compress them once they were on the A arm? I need some help. THANKS.

I did my H&R Race without a compressor. You say the stock springs came out, correct? But then you said you're having trouble getting the springs back in. Don't worry about renting a compressor for the fronts. I simply put the H&Rs in the perch, placed my floor jack on the bottom of the a-arm, and jacked it up to position, then reconnected the strut, swaybar, etc...

Side note: I also had to use a long pry bar to get the front stock springs out, but they came out with a little effort. To get them back in, I again had to use the pry bar. I pushed the spring as far into the perch as I could, then used the pry bar to "pull" it into the perch.

I just pulled the isos off my rear springs last night. I rented an inside-the-spring compressor from Autozone and used that to compress the springs. Aside from taking off the wheels and jacking up the car, that's all I did.

I have an impact gun, and that really helped. I can't imagine trying to tighten the compressor by hand--it would probably take hours!

My rear IRS bolts are shaved to oblivion by the previous owner. I had a shop install my H&R Race springs in the rear because I couldn't drop the IRS like everyone else doing the installs. I told them to leave the lower iso on the rear when they installed them; now i look at the stance and realize I should've taken them out.

I rented an inside spring compressor from autozone, like you, and I couldn't get it to work. I couldn't get the 2 "clamps" to grab enough between the coils, it was too tight. By the time I got the "clamps" together, there was no room for them to compress. Did you do this on the stock springs?

Can anyone else give me suggestions for removing the lower rear iso, without dropping the IRS?