changing springs ???

[W8INL9]

how hard is it 2 change the springs in my vs commy ?? i bought lowered springs and wanna install them myself.... is this a difficult task or fairly straight forward ?? any1 go a how to on this ??
thanks

[db_notso]

well front and rear i assume?
you need spring compressors and a good jack (and patience and carefullness) to do the front
and you needa good jack to do the back just have to undo control arm (one bolt) and the shockie lower bolt ur also supposed to compress rears too but if replacing them with lows or super lows you can just get loose with force

[W8INL9]

yea im doin front and rears.... i myt pay mechanic 2 do the front cause they gotta compress them but the back should be fairly simple 2 do.... so a good jack and some patience u reckon... ive got a good jack but i dunno about patience haha... what does the control arm bolt look like ??

[woteva]

I did mine a few months ago. Got a spring compressor for $40 from AutoBarn.
How low are you going ?? You should also repolace the shocks while you are there as well.

[db_notso]

on the rear..
undo shockie lower bolt with car jsut jacked up
then jack it up and take wheel off
then undo rear OUTER control arm bolt ( i loosen the othge two but you dont have to so mates tell me ? whatever!~
then scream and yell and kick until you get spring out put low spring in
zip tie or rope tie too hold in if goin way lower
reverse procedure refit

depending on car condition you may have to loosen othe parts (hand brake cable etc.) but as you jack it up and undo first couple of bolts you will see where
this way i do only due to the front control arm bussh sometimes being really iffy about getting back in to correct tourque setting (ft = f***ing tight)
but if you get stuck or dont think you understand what to do next just put it back together basically all except getting the old spring itself out its pretty easy and it all just falls apart
the frustrating bit is gettind the old one out

now i KNOW people are gonna say there is other ways of doing it this is just the waqy i prefer so take it or leave it!~

[W8INL9]

i dunno they pretty low off my mates car they pedders so i think they simular 2 ultra lows:P.... cbf replacing shocks atm... so what you just compressed the springs urself and chucked them in ?? got any pics on how u did it ?? or a how to ??

[W8INL9]

alright thanks db_notso

[db_notso]

if you need more info... pm me

[W8INL9]

alright thanks dude :P.... should be alright ill give it a go... and what about the fronts how do i take them out ??

[db_notso]

wowowowo
well you need more tools for one
you jack up
remove wheel
undo strut to HUB bolts and nuts (2) [these are pointing to front of car first ones under springs )
undo lkink pins
undo large nut ontop of strut under bonnet
remove strut from car
compress spring (very carefully)
remove part from top of strut (u have to cut one zip tie on boot) lay them out on a bench in order you removed
swap springs (compress new ones to fit)
then in reverse of disassemble

if you springs are TOO small the spring height wont meet your strut top plate and spring will be loose when you go over bumps this would mean you need new monroe (recomend) lowered struts or pedders actually theres are good too stopping short of spending money on coilovers for the fraont and matching front and rear ride height but i dont think perfexct is what you want just really low?? which will give ya some handling increase and wear out your back tyres all the time due to camber oh thats the other thing recomend you get a wheel alignment done afterwards as your toe will change dramatically on the rear affecting the front tyre werar and direction under load...

[W8INL9]

well sounds like a fair effort i myt try the back 1s first and then get the car 2 a mechanics to do the fronts hahah :P
Thanks heaps though

[W8INL9]

also how can i tell if my car is IRS or live axel ?? its a 96 Vs berlina series 2 ??

[db_notso]

too easy mate good luck too you!~

[MADDNE33]

if its live axel, then all you need to do is:

Crack rear wheel nuts while car in on ground,
crack the bottom shock nuts
Jack the car up and put it on car stands so the rear wheel are off the ground,
Get your trolley jack or normal jack and jack the diff up till u can rip the bottom of the shocksoff the shock housing
slowley lower your diff( will not go down far enough to pull stock springs out, so you will have to use your clamps just slighty to get em out)
pull old springs out and new ones will go straight in,
jack diff back up slowerly making sure your spring insulators are were there ment ot be and springs arent falling out.
EASYY
Never heard about taking cotrol arm bolt out or anything but everyone has the own ways


Fronts are i little more diffecult, there is a how to in the section wich helped me alot when i done mine on my vs ute

Goodluck

[db_notso]

yeah lol i said that the way i was saying is without compressors.. but your way is the way we do it at work but use a hoist and a tranny jack

[VS dream]

hey mate would you mind helping me out? just a good how to in basic language haha im not an idiot but im not a mechanic either