2 Responses to “Does anyone know where I could find a good DIY spring install thread?”

1. jbpopem on February 26th, 2009 11:54 pm

   Its basically the same process on your car. Shop tools like a good spring compressor simplify the job. A compressed spring can kill you if you do it wrong.

2. JDM Mike on March 1st, 2009 5:53 pm

   This is a very simple swap that can be done in your garage/driveway within a few hours.

   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

   Hope this helps. Just take your time and get a friend to give you a hand. Have fun!