VX VU:- How to change shocks and springs

[Pete SS]

Here's a guide on how to change the front shocks and spings and the rear springs on a VU. I presume the front on a VX will be the same but the rears are different.

There is another guide on here but it seemed a bit complicated so I've done this one :P

Firstly, make sure the car is well supported, all safety precautions are taken, blah, blah, blah

Tools needed:-
spring clamps
19mm socket
22mm ring spanner
24mm ring spanner
5/8 spanner
14mm socket
axle stands
jack
angle grinder?!?!?


Fronts first:

After jacking the car up, clamp the spring


Support hub assembely with jack.


Undo the two bolts here.


Undo this bolt. Note spanner on under side to stop rod twisting.


Undo the bolt on the other end of the rod.


The removed rod.


Now for the hardest part I found. Undoing the top nut on the strutt. My old ones (KYBs) had a 6mm allen key to undo and no matter which brand of allen key I used, they all snapped or twisted. In the end I grinded the nut off as I wasn't bothered about damaging the thread because I'd got new strutts to put in. When I put the new ones in, they had a 10mm bolt head on top so it was easy to tighten them up


Lower the old shock with the spring clamp on and strip it down as you will need parts for your new shocks.


To re-install is the reverse of the above. The only thing of note is when attaching the rod, use the jack to help lift the hub assembley into position.

REARS:-

I only did the springs on the rear as my shocks where fine.

Clamp and compress spring


Mine old springs where ultra lows so fell out but getting the new super lows back in was a bit harder.
The springs need compressing as much as possible first. Let the handbrake off and get a mate to push down on the hub and you should just about be able to get the new springs in.


After finishing take a drive to your local garage and get the wheel alignment and camber checked and make sure bolts that need to be loctited, are.

I think that's it, let me know if I've missed anything.

Pete

[jazza15]

Great write up mate. Great pictures as well, just about anyone could do this job by following your how-to.

Anyway, I've got a question to ask anyone. Thinking about doing some work with the front struts (ie. replacing top bearings and bushes). Would these spring compressors be safe to use, or should i go for something not made in taiwan and/or with the twin spring grips per end as Pete used in this how-to?
2PC COIL SPRING COMPRESSOR SET BEARING STRUT SPACER KIT - eBay Coil Springs, Suspension, Steering, Car Parts, Accessories, Cars, Bikes, Boats. (end time 27-May-09 22:49:09 AEST)

[Ozzie]

Just wondering why you used compressors on the front? Bit pointless using them on the front to remove the whole strut.

[social]

Just wondering why you used compressors on the front? Bit pointless using them on the front to remove the whole strut.

that was the same question i was going to ask...

[jazza15]

I'm assuming that it would relieve the pressure on the strut bolts attaching to the knuckle.
Then it would be a matter of just removing the bolts, without the strut firing out with them. Am i close?

[Ozzie]

I'm assuming that it would relieve the pressure on the strut bolts attaching to the knuckle.
Then it would be a matter of just removing the bolts, without the strut firing out with them. Am i close?

Not even warm lol

The top strut nut is not preasurised at all.
I'll admit their sometimes hard to get undone but the right size spanner (21mm or 22mm if i remember correctly) and it will undo.

[social]

Not even warm lol

The top strut nut is not preasurised at all.
I'll admit their sometimes hard to get undone but the right size spanner (21mm or 22mm if i remember correctly) and it will undo.

The front strut IS pressureised, it just depends on what TYPE of springs you have in it. If there lowered they'll be less pressuried, and stock ones more pressurised.

Well to remove the SPRING (not the whole strut brace) from the strut itself, you would need a compressor. but to remove only the strut itself from the car, you wouldnt need a compressor.





......and i have a feeling were going to go around in circles a bit in a minute...

[Pete SS]

It can be done without compressing the fronts, but as Jarrad says it just takes the tension off the bolts.

As for the spring compressors, there was a pair of the single hook ones in the shop but the twin hooks where only $5 extra and after seeinging how much tension there is in them when the spring is compressed, I'd want the stongest available.

[jazza15]

So if i am going to replace my strut tops, would you recomend removing the whole strut?

[Pete SS]

the top nut isn't pressurised but the two lower ones are. I used the spring clamps to relieve pressure from them.

To replace the strutt tops you have to compress the spring to be able to undo the lower top nut that then enables you to remove the strutt tops.

[VS_Wagon_Baby]

Is that really how simple the rear springs are to replace? So you just need to compress the springs andthat's it, no bolts to undo or anything? Wicked, i'm changing my springs next weekend! And just going from stock springs to sedan SL's, is it necessary to change the shock's or will it be ok?

[Pete SS]

The rear springs on the ute are a piece of piss to do, not sure if the wagon setup is the same.

[Ozzie]

Theres nothing on here about how to replace the rear shocks and nothing explaining how to disasemble the front shocks.

("Quote" : I only did the springs on the rear as my shocks where fine.)

Mine were too untill they bottomed out a few times. The standard shocks dont last long.

[Pete SS]

I didn't show how to change the rear shocks because I didn't change them.
My rear shocks aren't standard, they are KYBs that the previous owner put on.

I didn't think there was a need to show how to disasemble the the front shocks as it's only 1 nut to undo and then slide everything off remembering the order (see above photo). If people have got this far in the job, I'm sure they can work that part out.

[Ozzie]

I didn't show how to change the rear shocks because I didn't change them.
My rear shocks aren't standard, they are KYBs that the previous owner put on.

I didn't think there was a need to show how to disasemble the the front shocks as it's only 1 nut to undo and then slide everything off remembering the order (see above photo). If people have got this far in the job, I'm sure they can work that part out.

Makes sence to me now that I've done them but when following this how to I was lost when it says "pull the old shocks apart"...
I didnt know where to begin and it didnt even say to remove the nut and leave the clamps on untill its pulled apart... (just a pic)
Just on the title it says "shocks and springs" not "Front shocks and all springs" So I was lost when it came time to remove the rear shocks. (but they were easy to cut out)

Also I didnt support the hub assembly with a jack, I just lowered it gently, Is there a reason I should have supported it? Would it damage it if I left it hang?

Other than that it was very helpful

[moe_019]

i dont use spring compressors for removing the springs in my vt, find it much quicker and easier to put a small boot jack between the body of the car and on the arm near the bottom of the springs and jack it apart, the jach i have fits perfectly in ste groovs so it doesnt slip at all

[Tuttle]

im about to replace all my springs and wanted to know which bolts are the tension bolts and which bolts are loctited. do i need to buy new bolts to put in or can i just use the same bolts

[matt1611]

What I've found helpful in getting rear spring in too is that you:
Undo the shock on the bottom.
Turn the handbrake off <-- Ended up taking ten minutes after I turned it off rather than 3 hours.
Get someone too apply pressure to the axle which should allow you to simply take the spring out rather than compressing it.
Also I did compress the stock spring too take out, and I only put lows in which just went straight in without any compression.
Pretty much the same but :P

[VT-FRENZY]

i just did my fronts on my vt with superlow springs on the standard struts,now my top nut on the shock tower dosent seem to tighten down,is this because i need to use the shorter lowering struts,or have i gone wrong somewhere???

[sniper_HASH]

so after i did the front coils, the abs&traction warning lights come on. I checked sensor cables and abs fuses, all seem fine, anyone have any ideas?

[thomsond]

Thanks for the posts. Was very helpful!

Although it took me almost all day to change the front struts because those nuts on the top of the struts were almost impossible to get off!!

And then when I finally got the second nut off and lifted off the top bearings it came appart and I spent about an hour collecting up those little ball bearings then repacking the bearing with grease. Found them all which was lucky!

Also my sway bar link was bent on one side so i replaced that too.

The rear shocks were so easy in comparison to the front struts in my wagon.

My car is running back to good now. No more rattling in the front when going over bumps. And no more car shuddering when braking. Happy dayz.

[VZsv6-182]

quite helpful dude thanks... got me through sum of the things i was unsure about... the job is challenging in parts but rewarding. didnt have to compress the front spring in mine when gettin them out, only a little bit when undoin it or wateva..

[shanz91]

good read will the process be the same for my vr wagon ? i want to make sure before i tackle it myself cant find anything for a vr wagon on here

[nicosped]

i have ssl springs for the rears of my vz ute and cant get my hands on a spring compressor can some one give me a hand on how to do it with out it

[SE85VT]

Thank you boss, good write up its exactly the same for the vt sedan will be doing mine tommorow just to lows