Changing sorings

[Dee]

Lads

I am going to lower the bm over the weekend and would like to no how it is done and what to do and not to do. I have spring compressors
and a box load of spanners

[Geeman]

Disconnect the caliper, hold it back out the way.

Disconnect the 'caliper slider bracket' and remove the brake disc (Though this is not neccessary, it's good to get it off to decrease the weight while playing with the strut.)

Now, undo the bottom ball joint nut and remove. using a ball joint separater, spilt the joint. Now do the same with the steering arm.

Undo the three nuts on the top of the strut housing in the engine bay.

You may have to release the ARB lower joint to lower the bottom arm enough to now remove the strut complete.

Now using spring compressors, compress the spring so that the top mount can move around freely. Once this has happened, you can attempt to undo the top mount retaining nut. This can be a pig. You may have to modify a spanner to undo the nut while holding the thread with another... can be a pain. Might even have to resort to using mole-grips on the piston and a deep socket instead, like I did the other night...

Then remove the top mount and the rest of the spring retainers...

Un-compress the spring, carefully. Compress the new spring and refit the whole assembly.

When re-fitting the ball joint and steering arm, you'll need to exert some pressure from underneath using a trolley jack or similar so you can tighten the nuts back up again, other wise the fitting will just turn with the nut...

Hope this helps..

Giles.

[Turbo-Brown]

That is indeed helpful!

What happens at the back though?

Do you need to get the geometry re-set on the back with the car lowered?

[Geeman]

You can only do that if you change the trailing arm bushes. On standard bushes, the negative camber will increase the lower you go...

Back end is easy. Drop the top of the shock off from inside the boot or undo the lower mounting point, undo the ARB link arm bolt and the trailing arm should drop low enough for you to pull the spring out. If not, get a heavy friend to help lower it down some more...

[Dee]

Sweet looks like i will be busy on saturday morning thanks Geeman

[Geeman]

Glad to be of service... was just lucky I only did mine on Tuesday, so all still fresh!

[Dee]

Going to take some pics of it before and after

[Davenotouring]

Can this be put in the tech section?!! Good write up, useful for future reference.

[Dee]

I will take step by step photos of both front and rear spring removel and fitting.

[timjbart]

keen to see this as its something i need to do in the future...keep us updated