Hennesssy

iTrader: (14)

I'm about to install my suspension today, is there any DIY? I heard the front is a little tricky no? Let me know, thanks.

FlavesLex

iTrader: (1)

1. Remove front wheel

2. Remove brake caliper bracket w/ caliper: 2 bolts from the steering knuckle. Support the brake caliper securely.

3. Disconnect Abs speed sensor and wire harness:
Remove the bolt and ABS speed sensor. Torque: 7.8 Nm (80 kgf-cm, 69 inch lbs.)
Remove the bolt and ABS speed sensor wire harness. Torque: 5.0 Nm (55 kgf-cm, 48 inch lbs.)

4. Disconnect upper suspension arm from steering knuckle:
Remove the clip and nut. Torque: 87 Nm (890 kgf-cm, 64 ft. lbs.)

5. Disconnect stabalizer bar from link: Remove the bolt and nut, and disconnect the stabilizer bar from the stabilizer bar link Torque: 55 Nm (560 kgf-cm, 41 ft. lbs.)

6. Remove front shock absorber

Good Luck... I would say the hardest part is removing the upper control arm from the steering knuckle b/c you might damage the boot. To avoid that, remove the control arm from the bushing side. Take your time and you'll be alright

PHML

iTrader: (33)

If you have a pitman arm puller, it will be easy to remove the upper control arm knuckle....but do not rip the rubber as FlavesLex mentioned.

Once you get this out of the way...it will be super EASY.

GSteg

iTrader: (15)

I hate disconnecting the upper control arm balljoint because you have a higher chance of messing up the bolt if you dont use the puller properly. Not to mention, the joint itself may spin around, preventing you from torquing the nut to spec. Older joints tend to do this..I've done it on a few cars before and it's no fun.

An even easier method is to remove the (2) 17mm bolt for the balljoint. Once you have that removed, you can lift up the knuckle assembly and that's it. Instead of disconnecting the knuckle through the upper control arm, you're disconnecting it through the lower control arm. Not to mention, installing it back is a heck lot easier because you dont have to carry the the assembly upward to connect the knuckle to the upper balljoint. I usually do it this way and it takes me 10 minutes per front corner.

Good luck!

[ant]

no the front is **** easy. you dont have to disconnect any of that stuff (caliper, ball joint etc) just turn the wheels slightly until you get the right angle to pull the shocky out. the 1st one might take some patience but then the 2nd you should get out in a jiffy.

rear is harder cause its all sprung/under tension and you have to undo the camber bolt and pull it out to allow yourself to push the swing arm out the way to get the stock shocky out/coilover in. and the hub/brake assembly moves then so once your new coily is in its really hard to align it to get the bolt back through. All in all a real PITA. this is the main reason i cbf lowering my car another half inch or so cause i just cbf!!

im sure there's a DIY Topic somewhere too because i referred to it when i did my install, and also added a post on there with some further tips/details to clarify some things

GSteg

iTrader: (15)

Even with the steering wheel turned, I had a hard time trying to get an OEM suspension out of a GS (crispy's). The time it took me to find the right steering angle, I would have been done by disconnecting the 2 lower bolts

chrispy

iTrader: (21)

Disconnecting the upper balljoint with a puller is so easy. Just be careful with the castle nut. Those things are so easy to mess up. I'd rather do the front suspension twice than do the rear suspension once. It's really annoying to line up when putting it back together.

Hennesssy

iTrader: (14)

thanks everyone for the helpful hints! got it done! yea the front is easy...I thought the upper control arm was a pain in the *** but i got through around it. I am satisfy with my work and a nice drop too. In a couple of weeks i will take real pictures to show you all. thanks again.

SorrGwa

iTrader: (1)

wow, i did it completely different. well, not completely.

i didnt remove the upper arm. i didnt remove the brake calipers.

what i did was removed end links to minimize any tension. removed any brackets holding the brake lines to the shock/strut. base of strut sits on this U bracket that then attachs to the lower control arm. there is a nut, i think 14mm or 17mm that holds that bracket to the arm. i unbolted that. then i unbolted the shock strut from the U bracket thing. undid the top 3 bolts on the shock/strut tower, and slowly remove the strut assembly. it takes a few tries but u can get it out. just find the right angle.

CK6Speed

iTrader: (1)

What is odd is I haven't had any trouble with the rear. When I did mine, the rear lower camber bolt was easy to realign. PHML and I later added some RCA so we essentially had to do it again, and it still wasn't difficult. I later had to remove my rear RCAs for a little while and put the stock camber bolt back in, and it still was easy enough to realign. For me, all the cars I have ever done, the rear was easy enough.

Next time if I have to do the front I'll try the two lower ball joint bolts. Oddly enough, when we did PHML's front suspension, we removed the upper ball joint which was very easy with the puller, but we also added front RCAs and changed his ball joints and tie rods, so essentially we already had those lower ball joints off and probably didn't need to separate the upper ball joint. Either way, it all was easy enough soI guess as long as you get the job done that is all that matters.


PS. When I do suspension I first try to remove as little as possible to get the job done. However, if there are additional bolts to remove to make the job go significantly faster or simply make it easier I do those as well. The only concern I have about removing the 2 lower ball joing bolts and lifting the entire hub is if I have enough strength to lift the hub with one hand, then remove the shock with the other hand. If two people are working on the car than it doesn't matter I guess.

MJImport

iTrader: (1)

I didn't have to disconnect the upper arm either...

Congrats on the drop, POST PICS!!!

CK6Speed

iTrader: (1)

Anyone got a pic of the perfect angle to turn the steering wheel to get the shock assembly out? Also which why do you turn the steering wheel for say removing the left side? Also, which way did you pull the shock out, from the front or the rear? Just wondering as I think it would make it easier for other people so they don't have to go through as much trial and error.

[ant]

my rear camber bolts are a massive PITA. if i get them out, then put it all together but not tightened properly, then decide i want to go lower/higher it will slide easily back out. but if i tighten up and drive for say 1 day to work and back then try it, its as hard as hell again. mine are a bit f'ed up slightly in some of the threads from bashing it out and in with a hammer and it getting jammed half way out or in and twisting on an angle cause of the suspension arm springing back under tension. massive headaches!

^this was only the case when i raised the length of the coilover body though. when i first put them in real slammed and they werent under any tension, i was able to just basically put them in there and had to lift up the swing arm to connect it and thus the camber bolt was easy to put in too. But once i lengthened the shock lower mount to effectively raise the car, i got to the tension point of the suspension and it became very difficult again.

as for the front, the front left i did first and ended up getting it all caught up in a funny way and having to push it back how it was and go again, took me maybe 10-15min of fiddling. Then the right hand side slipped out in literally like 1 minute! so long now though since i did it i cant remember!

olddog

iTrader: (2)

if u are doing this with a buddie, then u dont need anyone to tell u the exact angle (which i doubt anyone will post anyways)
its just one of those things where one person turns the wheel and the other looks out and wiggles the suspension out.
i did not have anyone with me when i installed my coilovers but got it out pretty easily.(my stupid brother who studied mechanical engineering in university does not even look enthused when am DIYing my car, talk less of helping....lol).
i still cannot believe am at the level where i can change suspension on a car.
When one is not enlightened on aomething, that thing seems like a mystery of some sort. second u have an idea, u are like who...oh...i see....lol


anyways, when changing your suspension, follow my advice and make sure the first thing you do is disconnect the abs sensor from the wheel and suspension(its held in place by a bolt to the stock suspension). if u dont, u stand the risk of breaking it. and its expensive. prevention is better than cure.
after its out, feel free to wiggle the suspension and whatnot.
all in all , i would say about an hour for each side in front. and 45mins for the rear. both fronts and rears are easy IMO. and i didnt remove the lower ball joints or upper arm.
also, pray your bolts are not a b*t*h to remove, that can be a time waster.
other that, u will be amazed at how the suspension comes out by removing a few bolts.

CK6Speed

iTrader: (1)

What I usually do is use a hole punch, it's similar to a center punch only with a flat tip instead of a point to tap out the bolt. This way I don't hit the actual bolt or threads on the bolt. When I attempt to put the bolt back in, I line it up as best as I can, then take a screwdriver from the opposite hole end and use it to align the shock mount to the lower mount, then slide it in by hand, or lightly tap the bold head in. So far I haven't stripped the threads using this method doing about 10 or so suspension on about 6 or so different cars.

Oh, the other thing I do is use the stock jack to raise either the control arm, or wheel hub (Whichever is lower) to the right angle. That way you don't have to manually lift or lower the arm to align the holes.