Removing rear IRS springs, can it be done without dropping IRS or compressor?

[03 DSG Snake]

I need to get my rear springs out tomorrow to finish up my coil over swap.

Can I pull them out without a spring compressor or having to drop the ENTIRE IRS or am I pretty much stuck with one of the two?



Thanks guys! :beer:

 

[postban]

Rear of car on jackstands, jack under the LCA, mark position of UCA camber bolt, then remove it, might allow enough travel down freeing springs before you run out of brake line.

 

[03 DSG Snake]

Rear of car on jackstands, jack under the LCA, mark position of UCA camber bolt, then remove it, might allow enough travel down freeing springs before you run out of brake line.

Thanks again :beer:

 

[65mph_Roll]

Jack under the lower control arm? The tubular arm itself or where it meets the frame (on the frame)? Pick the right or left?

Doing cat-back soon and would prefer jack & stands to ramp.

 

[BreBar21]

Rear of car on jackstands, jack under the LCA, mark position of UCA camber bolt, then remove it, might allow enough travel down freeing springs before you run out of brake line.

I'd be surprised if it gets the spring out. Also, you are going to want to unbolt the lower shock mount and the stabilizer link to try and just lower the LCA.

IMO, lower the rear of the IRS, it will make everything WAY WAY easier. It is not difficult at all.

 

[BreBar21]

Jack under the lower control arm? The tubular arm itself or where it meets the frame (on the frame)? Pick the right or left?

Doing cat-back soon and would prefer jack & stands to ramp.

He was saying to put a jack under the LCA so it does begin to fall and shoot the spring out at you when you unbolt it.

I would jack up on either the frame rail or if you happen to have SFC's, those, to do you catback. Don't jack it up by the LCA's.

 

[postban]

Rear of car on jackstands (fully supporting the weight of the car, under the sfc's), jack under the LCA (only to support it when you follow the other steps), mark position of UCA camber bolt, then remove it, (also remove the lower shock bolt, fergot that 'un, danged Oberon)might allow enough travel down freeing springs before you run out of brake line.

Posting while :beer: .................................... :nono:


I also would just pull the exhaust and lwr shock bolts, then rear IRS bolts, easier. I need a vacation from the internet.

 

[BreBar21]

Posting while :beer: .................................... :nono:

lol. That usually results in the best kind of posting. Well, at least the most humorous. op:

 

[65mph_Roll]

I'd be surprised if it gets the spring out. Also, you are going to want to unbolt the lower shock mount and the stabilizer link to try and just lower the LCA.

IMO, lower the rear of the IRS, it will make everything WAY WAY easier. It is not difficult at all.

I've been quoted from $100 to $300 in labor cost to install H&R's. The $300 quote said they had to drop the IRS. I'm not sure the $100 guys even understood the car had IRS.

 

[65mph_Roll]

He was saying to put a jack under the LCA so it does begin to fall and shoot the spring out at you when you unbolt it.

I would jack up on either the frame rail or if you happen to have SFC's, those, to do you catback. Don't jack it up by the LCA's.

THANKS--Still in paranoia stage of IRS ownership, can’t tell the frame from the floor pan back there yet!

Been using low ramps for oil changes (or stock scissors jack first, then floor jack second, which is a pain in the ass)

May just back it up the ramps to do the exhaust if I can't a warm fuzzy about where to put a jack in the back!

 

[03 DSG Snake]

I'd be surprised if it gets the spring out. Also, you are going to want to unbolt the lower shock mount and the stabilizer link to try and just lower the LCA.

IMO, lower the rear of the IRS, it will make everything WAY WAY easier. It is not difficult at all.

Whats the easiest way to lower the rear of the IRS?

Unbolt the rear subframe bolts and ease it down with a jack?

I don't want any headaches in having to line it back up to get it in again.

Also, what are the torque specs for those bolts?


Thanks! :beer:

 

[thxone]

I just pulled my stock springs this morning. I used the AutoZone free rental. Use the internal or coil spring removal tool. Worked like a charm taking the old springs out, but it did not work so well with the 2000 Cobra R springs I put back in. I think in the future, it's probably easier just to drop the IRS slightly.

 

[03 DSG Snake]

I just pulled my stock springs this morning. I used the AutoZone free rental. Use the internal or coil spring removal tool. Worked like a charm taking the old springs out, but it did not work so well with the 2000 Cobra R springs I put back in. I think in the future, it's probably easier just to drop the IRS slightly.

Got my coil over assemblies almost finished in the rear, gonna head to the ZONE.... AUTOZONE...



I'm NEVER going back to a non-coilover setup :beer:

 

[- Aj -]

:thumbsup:

 

[BreBar21]

Whats the easiest way to lower the rear of the IRS?

Unbolt the rear subframe bolts and ease it down with a jack?

I don't want any headaches in having to line it back up to get it in again.

Also, what are the torque specs for those bolts?


Thanks! :beer:

It appears this is too late, but I'll throw it in here for anyone else that is looking for it.

Take the brakes off, unbolt the lower shock mount, unbolt the rear IRS bolts with a jack underneath the rear of the subframe. Slowly lower the IRS until the springs fall out. For more room, you can unbolt the stabilizer link from the LCA to let it swing down more. You shouldn't have any problems realigning the IRS.

The shock mounts are 98 ft/lbs, I believe, and the IRS subframe bolts are 76 ft/lbs.

 

[BreBar21]

THANKS--Still in paranoia stage of IRS ownership, can’t tell the frame from the floor pan back there yet!

Been using low ramps for oil changes (or stock scissors jack first, then floor jack second, which is a pain in the ass)

May just back it up the ramps to do the exhaust if I can't a warm fuzzy about where to put a jack in the back!

Yeah, the IRS looks really confusing, but once you take it apart, it really isn't that big a deal.

If you do not have SFC's, jack on the frame rail on the side of the car. That would probably be the best place.

 

[postban]

Whats the easiest way to lower the rear of the IRS?

Unbolt the rear subframe bolts and ease it down with a jack?

I don't want any headaches in having to line it back up to get it in again.

Also, what are the torque specs for those bolts?


Thanks! :beer:

(Just don't do the part that lowers the front)
Step by step IRS drop instructions:

1)Get car up on 4 jackstands witht ther tires about 8-10" off the ground in the rear and 4-6" in the front. A little angle is important to keep the trans from leaking when you pull out the driveshaft.
2)Remove catback. Soap or spray lube on the hangers ease insertion/removal.
3)Remove Driveshaft. Pull it out of the trans.
4)Remove tires.
5)Remove shocks, disconnect from top and bottom.
6)Remove ABS sensors from differential and pull/pry the fasteners off the IRS subframe. Get it completely off the IRS. They detach under the rear seats. You can pull up through the floor if you pull the big rubber grommet up.
7)Remove Emergency brake cables. There are little c-clips mounting them to the calipers. DO NOT remove the spring, way harder to get it back together. Just push on the little arm holding the cable end till you can work it out. I use vice grips to compress it. Make sure e-brake is off, of course. Also have a helper pull all the slack to the side you are working on.
8)Remove brake calipers, two bolts. Put jack underneath bottom of spindle, just support it. Mark the position of the eccentric washer where the UCA mounts to the top of the spindle. Remove upper spindle/UCA bolt. Pull back on top of spindle and slip the brake line out fromo under the UCA. Remove brake line bracket which mounts to UCA. Replace the upper spindle bolt.
9)Remove rear IRS subframe bolts. Support IRS at the center of the main rear beam, directly rear of the pinion mount bracket (back of the diff). Take both bolts out once it is supported. Use some 4x4's or jackstands to support it a few inches under its normal position (you don't want to lower it to ground till the front is loose.) You just want to lower it enough so the springs will come out.
10)With the rear supported on 4x4's or jackstands, put the jack under the front differential brace. Remove the front IRS subframe bolts. Lower the front down. It may stick, both the ones I have done needed a few smacks with a mallet. Once loose lower to the 4x4's then reposition the jack, lift a bit, remove 4x4's and lower to ground or pull out from under the car on top of the jack.
11)Reinstall in reverse order. Be sure to get it up close again on 4x4's, too much angle and the front bushings will not go in. Remember to swap out the stock 12mm front IRS bolts for the new 14mm bolts from MM or your dealer.

IRS TORQUE SPECS
Subframe-to-body bolts 76 lb-ft
Subframe-to-rear bracket bolts 76 lb-ft
Subframe rear bracket-to-body bolts 59 lb-ft
Shock absorber-to-lower arm and bushing bolts 98 lb-ft
Shock absorber-to-body nuts 30 lb-ft
Upper arm and bushing-to-subframe nuts 66 lb-ft
Upper arm bushing-to-knuckle nut 66 lb-ft
Lower arm and bushing-to-subframe bolts 184 lb-ft
Lower arm and bushing-to-knuckle nut 85 lb-ft
Toe link-to-subframe nut 35 lb-ft
Toe link-to-knuckle nut 35 lb-ft
Stabilizer bar bracket bolt 41 lb-ft
Stabilizer bar link nuts 35 lb-ft
Rear axle diff rear insulator-to-axle housing bolts 76 lb-ft
Rear brake disc dust sheild-to-knuckle bolts 89 lb-in
Brake line-to-rear brake caliper bolt 30 lb-ft
Parking brake cable bracket-to-lower arm bushing bolt 11 lb-ft
ABS sensor bolt 17 lb-ft
Axle shaft-to-hub retainer 240 lb-ft
Driveshaft to pinion flange 83 lb-ft
Wheel nuts 95 lb-ft

 

[03Cobra_Poison]

Where did you get your quotes? JBA?
On my 96 they charged me around $580 to install eibachs. i think it included an alignment. not sure. i wonder how much they will charge to do irs

I've been quoted from $100 to $300 in labor cost to install H&R's. The $300 quote said they had to drop the IRS. I'm not sure the $100 guys even understood the car had IRS.

 

[BreBar21]

Where did you get your quotes? JBA?
On my 96 they charged me around $580 to install eibachs. i think it included an alignment. not sure. i wonder how much they will charge to do irs

$580 for solid axle springs?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!? That's crazy. Drive to Tallahassee and I'll do it for half that.

 

[DarkHelmet22]

I just did a set this week end. To get the rear out all i did was unbolt the shock, sway bar,lower conrol arm form the spindle and this is the trick I unbolted the back bolt twards the fornt of the car on the lower cotrol arm and it will allow you enough room the get the sring out with out a spring compressor or droping the IRS!!