Well I'm an at home mechanic. Even if I have no idea what I'm doing, I'd rather pay extra money for mistakes I make and in the end learn something, than send the car to a shop and get it back, finished, and not know anything more than when I dropped it off. I know the general idea of a lowering spring installation, but I would still like to run by it.

What all do I have to remove and in what order? Wheel, Brake hub(With caliper?) 3 top strut nuts, susp arm.. this is where I don't know where to go or if I did it right :p

FYI I have no washer bottle, and that's been said to be the hardest part of the spring installation so I get to skip that.

I know that you need the spring compressor to remove the spring (press it down and then remove the top of the strut, then remove the spring and put in the new?), although I've been told you dont need to compress the new spring to put it in.

Is this generaly a "pop off pop on" installation? Or what other procedures do I need to do besides switching the spring?

I will most likely be doing this with a friend and his brother who installed springs on his own car and another car I know of, so I will be the least mechanically inclined in there, and I could probably do this myself if needed.

Thanks for all the info :cheers:

Jack up the car and place it securely on jackstands
Remove the wheels

Front:

Remove the upper A-arm from the body (one really long bolt, passenger side may have to wiggle around resevoir)
*possibly remove the brake line from the caliper and pull it through the tab on the strut housing* (been a while I forget)
Remove the 3 bolts holding the TEMS dust cap
Remove the 2 or 3 bolts holding the TEMS actuators
Remove the 3 nuts holding the strut assembly to the body.
Remove the bolt holding the strut assembly to the lower A-arm

Rear
Remove the top 3 bolts holding the TEMS dust covers (have to first remove interior panels for most cars, not yours)
Remove the 2 or 3 bolts holding the TEMS actuators
Remove the top 3 nuts holding the strut to the body
Remove the lower bolt holding the strut assembly to the car
*possibly remove brake line* (cant remember been so long)
Have a stout friend push down on the hub to get enough clearance to free the strut assembly from the body

*take strut assembly to shop and have them remove old spring and install new one (doesn't cost much, don't have to worry about getting a spring compressor you'll never use again)

Reinstallation is the reverse process

Well most places out here will rent you a spring compressor for free, or I can always use my school's shop one.

FYI I don't have TEMS, and this sounds pretty simple =)

Yup, its pretty straightforward. It might take you a few hours the first time, so I don't know if I'd try to squeeze it into an autoshop period...

craig thae hardest part for me was to get the strut and spring back into place on the control arm.

Yup, its pretty straightforward. It might take you a few hours the first time, so I don't know if I'd try to squeeze it into an autoshop period...

Oh believe me that's not my intention. I just know he has a spring compressor available for use so I'll probably end up borrowing it.

It took me 4 hours (with a dinner break) to do the front and rear springs and struts in my car. I didn't use a spring compressor when I did my springs and eveything was fine.

It took me 4 hours (with a dinner break) to do the front and rear springs and struts in my car. I didn't use a spring compressor when I did my springs and eveything was fine.


What did you do, loosen the top nut before raising the car?

What did you do, loosen the top nut before raising the car?


No, I followed how it says to take the springs and struts out in the TSRM except for the srping compressor part and everything came out fine.

*shivers* you just unbolted the top nut with the springs under tension? Scarey ;)

*shivers* you just unbolted the top nut with the springs under tension? Scarey ;)



I made sure to stay out of the way if they did come flying out :hihi:

I made sure to stay out of the way if they did come flying out :hihi:
:crazy01: LOL :respekt:

i agree with loki, you dont need a spring compressor. Put your foot on the spring with a towel laying over it with the strut pointing left and right (neutral direction) and take the nut off and make sure you, anybody else, your car and anything else important to you isnt in the near vincinity. I used air tools which tends to keep your hands a little farther away from things.

I replaced front springs in my 2nd gen camaro without compressors, now that was scary. just used a jack under the control arm, wrapped a chain around the spring and the frame rail and slowly let it down. then attacked it with a pry bar to get it the rest of the way out.

I know spring compressors are inexpensive but if you are smart and careful about things it should be okay. (however i will not be held responsible for broken limbs, death, or dents in the supra) :D

I replaced front springs in my 2nd gen camaro without compressors, now that was scary. just used a jack under the control arm, wrapped a chain around the spring and the frame rail and slowly let it down. then attacked it with a pry bar to get it the rest of the way out.


Sounds like when I helped my brother do the springs in his Mustang. We did the jack under the control arm, that didn't work so we took the jack handle, stood out of the way and pryed it out :crazy01:

I think I'll stick with just borrowing/renting a spring compressor ;)

I think I'll stick with just borrowing/renting a spring compressor ;)

Good call!

I had to do the same thing loki, the jack just got the bulk of the pressure out. My three foot prybar did the rest of the job. :D

Prolly a good call AGlobalThreat, I just live at the end of the earth where things are hard to find. Most compressors ive seen at parts stores here that were inexpensive were kinda scary(weak) lookin