Noob's Coilover DIY Sc300 Install
 

ATTENTION: I AM NOT A PROFESSIONAL AND NOR AM I CLAIMING TO BE. THIS THREAD IS TO INFORM PEOPLE WHAT THEY MAY RUN INTO WHILE INSTALLING THEIR COILOVERS. I WILL NOT BE LIABLE TO ANY INJURIES. PLEASE DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME. :D

Coilovers arrived today.
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c1...e/DSC08787.jpg
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c1...e/DSC08788.jpg

Here's the car.
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c1...e/DSC08789.jpg

Table of content
PART 1A --- How to install front coilover suspension.
PART 1B --- Extra step in front coilover suspension installation for driver side.
Part 2 --- How to install rear coilover suspension.
PART 3 --- How to adjust height
PART 4 --- Finished

PART 1A

1. Loosen the lug nuts before lifting the car.
2. Lift the front end of the car and place and jack stands.
3. Then lift rear end and place jack stands. (You can do front first then rear or rear then front it's all up to you I just chose to do it this way)
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c1...e/DSC08790.jpg

1. Here is the front passenger side after removing the wheel.
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c1...e/DSC08791.jpg

1. Use spring compressor to tighten the spring to reduce the rebound. (I chose not to use it for the front because of my cut springs from the previous owner so I skipped this step, you can refer to this step in part 2)
2. Remove (1) 19mm nut and washer. (You should be able to remove it without holding the other side)
3. Remove (1) 19mm bolt. (I used a screw driver and rubber mallet to remove the bolt)
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c1...e/DSC08792.jpg
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c1...e/DSC08793.jpg

1. Remove the (3) 14mm nuts.
2. Remove the small (1) 10mm bolt.
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c1...e/DSC08794.jpg

1. (Excuse the missing stock coilover I was able to pull it out without doing extra steps because of the cut springs I will let you know when to remove them keep reading)
2. Remove (3) 10mm bolt (The metal piece on the control arm that is held by the (2) 10mm bolts, is very flexible remove off the control arm and rest of the wire out of the way)
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c1...e/DSC08796.jpg

1. Remove (1) 19mm nut and washer.
2. Begin to remove the (1) 19mm bolt. (You will find out that there is not enough room in the wheel well to remove it completly)
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c1...e/DSC08797.jpg

1. Remove (2) 10mm bolts to allow you to pull back the plastic guards in the wheel well.
2. Remove that (1) 19mm bolt because now you have enough room.
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c1...e/DSC08798.jpg
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c1...e/DSC08799.jpg

1. Now you are able to remove the original coilover.
2. Put in your new coilover and work your way back to install it correctly.
3. Do not touch the top part so that you don't mess up the spring rate, to adjust the coilover only adjust the parts circled.
4. Make sure the circled parts are tight together so weird noises will be eliminated.
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c1...e/DSC08800.jpg

PART 1B

1. Working on the front driver side you will run into a slight problem, your windsheild fluid resevoir.
2. Remove the bottom half plastic cover. It should be help up with some 10mm bolts.
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c1...e/DSC08801.jpg

1. Remove (1) 10mm bolt.
2. Pull the entry of the reservoir away.
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c1...e/DSC08804.jpg
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c1...e/DSC08807.jpg

1. There are (3) 12mm bolt holdind the bottom portion. (1) above the plastic cover, (1) Under the cover, and (1) behind the resevoir. (I didn't remove the one in the back and just simply turned the reservoir out of the way)
2. Now you are able to complete the coilover installation by referring to part 1a.
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c1...e/DSC08802.jpg
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c1...e/DSC08803.jpg

PART 2

1. Peel back carpet in trunk.
2. remove the cover by removing (3) 12mm nuts.
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c1...e/DSC08808.jpg

1. Now remove the wheel and this is how it should look.
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c1...e/DSC08809.jpg

Use spring compressors to shorten the spring. (Try to place the spring compressors on opposite sides to maximize compression)
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c1...e/DSC08813.jpg

1. Remove (1) 19mm nut and washer.
2. Remove (1) 19mm bolt.
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c1...e/DSC08810.jpg

1. Remove (3) 12mm nuts inside the trunk that were underneth the cover.
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c1...e/DSC08811.jpg

1. Now remove the stock coilover.
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c1...DSC08814-1.jpg

1. Lastly put in your new coilover and bolt it in with the (3) 12mm nuts.
2. Jack up on this point to align the holes so you can put the (1) 19mm bolt back in and tighten it with the (1) 19mm nut and washer.
3. Ignore the part marked "X" that just the stock suspension the after market one will sit much higher.
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c1...e/DSC08812.jpg

PART 3

1. When adjusting the height of your coilover set up, all you have to do is remove the (1) 19mm nut and washer and (1) 19mm bolt.
2. Just twist the adjustable parts of the coilover and make sure to tighten it and line it up and install it.

PART 4

1. This took me about 7 hours. No power tools or extra hands, I'm sure you'll be able to finish it in much less time took me a while to figure things out for myself.
2. You should look like this. All dirty and a thumbs up for a good days work.
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c1...DSC08815-2.jpg


IF THERE IS ANY INFORMATION MISSING LET ME KNOW SO I CAN EDIT. JUST THOUGHT I CAN CONTRIBUTE TO THIS FORUM SITE HOPE YOU LIKE IT.

Wow, thanks for the info! These are the types of posts that contribute immensely to forums and members.

Well done on the writeup

Cool this may come in handy.. hopefully soon :)

You realize you don't have to touch the control arms right? You don't have to remove the fender lining either. You could've done the job in 2 hours max.

Thanks for the write up. This will come in handy soon when I get my coilovers

hopefully I will never have to refer back to this writeup...did it once, and don't want to do it again

have you actually done it without removing the pin on the upper CA for the front. I like most others had to remove this pin.
and for the drivers side to remove the pin you have to take the fender liner off basically and move the washer fluid bottle out of the way a little.

nice writeup

Ths is pretty much straightfoward mechanics....after owning FD AND FC for years now this is a piece of cake. Great write up though. Good pics with step by step.

I didnt have to touch the upper CA with my install...

you're talking about removing oem shocks and springs right?
next time im in there ill give it a shot now that i have lowering springs on,
but when i was staring at it with the oem springs it looked like more trouble than it was worth to squeeze it through the UCA

My fronts had cut springs and removing them weren't a problem. Putting the new set up in was hard for me so I had to remove it. I guess either way it works. Not having to remove the camber arm would make things alot faster, so would power tools...

haha i see your car roaming the streets of oly/lacey....looks good..I got a 97 sc300 recently and will be modifying it shortly...You ever seen my blue Supercharged 350Z?

so many pic links! lol but overall, not bad of a write up, not the best way but great effort!