Gilly91
Member
- Joined
- Feb 6, 2010
- Messages
- 81
- Reaction score
- 51
- Points
- 18
- Location
- Wollongong, NSW
- Members Ride
- VS Ute
This weekend I set out to replace the springs and rear shocks in the ute with some success. I should have done the springs when I did the front shocks last time but oh well. I went for Lovells and ordered through eBay. I was happy with the price and everything until I received a set of lift kit springs for a 2008 Ford Territory instead of lowering springs for a VS Commodore ute haha. But not to worry, the shocks were fine and the front springs were too. Rear springs are easy to change so I can do that later. So out with the old rear shocks, in with the new:
The condition of the rubber bushes probably didn't help my ride quality:
Then I was all excited to do the springs and realised I had the wrong ones, so I went to do the front and the mechanic had decided to test the tensile strength of my wheel studs with the nuts so I was ruining all my tools trying to get them off. I was fuming but one of my mates had a good 1/2" drive breaker bar which got them off. This is my wheel brace now:
Anyway, I replaced the front springs (new ones are the blue Lovells. Part no: HFL-78):
Here are some before and after ride height photos:
Before:
After:
Eyebrow height before:
Eyebrow height after:
I'm pretty happy with it, however I noticed something strange at the top of the strut: when I assembled the top washers/nuts etc and lowered the car off the jacks onto its own weight, the strut covers were sticking out of the tower. I took a washer and a nut out which isn't ideal but I couldn't see any real need for them other than saving wearing out other parts. But has anyone had this problem or knows why? Is it because I've got the lowered KYB struts and the shock doesn't have enough thread at the top to screw down? I'm not really happy because they don't bolt down tight onto the top side of the strut tower. Here is how it is now with the nut and washer that I left out in the picture too:
The condition of the rubber bushes probably didn't help my ride quality:
Then I was all excited to do the springs and realised I had the wrong ones, so I went to do the front and the mechanic had decided to test the tensile strength of my wheel studs with the nuts so I was ruining all my tools trying to get them off. I was fuming but one of my mates had a good 1/2" drive breaker bar which got them off. This is my wheel brace now:
Anyway, I replaced the front springs (new ones are the blue Lovells. Part no: HFL-78):
Here are some before and after ride height photos:
Before:
After:
Eyebrow height before:
Eyebrow height after:
I'm pretty happy with it, however I noticed something strange at the top of the strut: when I assembled the top washers/nuts etc and lowered the car off the jacks onto its own weight, the strut covers were sticking out of the tower. I took a washer and a nut out which isn't ideal but I couldn't see any real need for them other than saving wearing out other parts. But has anyone had this problem or knows why? Is it because I've got the lowered KYB struts and the shock doesn't have enough thread at the top to screw down? I'm not really happy because they don't bolt down tight onto the top side of the strut tower. Here is how it is now with the nut and washer that I left out in the picture too:
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