removing vz rear springs

[Holden vz]

need help on how to remove and instal rear springs on vz sedan

 

[SJM38S]

Lift rear end, drop lower shock bolts, put spring compressors on, pry down lower control arms slightly until they come out...

 

[Surfwagon]

Spring compressors are very fiddly to use on the rear of an IRS sedan and if you don't have any try the following.
Put car on stands (hoist better),remove bottom shock bolt, swing shock clear, make sure handbrake is off and trans in nuetral (this will allow max droop from rear trailing).
IMPORTANT WHEN EVER DROPPING REAR SUSPENSION BE IT JUST TRAILING ARMS AND OR PART OF THE REAR FRAME WATCH FOR STRETCH ON THE REAR BRAKE HOSES AND ONLY DROP AS FAR AS THE HOSES ALLOW.
You still may have to use a pry bar or large screwdriver to remove old spring, care not to damage top and bottom rubber spring seats.
If that doesn't allow enough droop to remove old spring and if there is enough slack in the brake hoses you could undo the 4 bolts holding the rear diff mount to frame and slightly lower the diff and rear cradle on a jack.
Mark position of rear diff mount (outline with marker pen), very important to make sure diff goes back in same alignment position)
With the rear diff mount loose the rear suspension and trailing arms should droop enough to easily remove springs.
New springs will go in easily as they are usually shorter to start with than stockers.
Just did this same excersise on my sons VY.

 

[RiCeY]

If you dont plan on reusing the old springs just get out the grinder, makes life a lot easier haha

 

[mr calais 5.0]

I used spring compressors on my rear springs then pushed down the arm and pled the springs out.. You can use a breaker bar to lever down the arm to make it easier as well

 

[Surfwagon]

If you dont plan on reusing the old springs just get out the grinder, makes life a lot easier haha

Good thought, lateral thinking, like it!

 

[glenn l]

I do it similar to surfwagon, with car on stands, just undo the lower shock bolt, undo the lower sway bar links, and drop the trailing arm down, if it doesn't come down enough just clip out the inner cv and it will drop enough to get the coil out, shouldn't have a problem with a sedan, may be a tad harder with a wagon or ute as the free height of the coil is higher, if so just grab the top of the coil and pull it out.
There is no need to use spring compressors at all, but as surfwagon said watch your brake lines.

 

[Holden vz]

Thanks for the help guys, really helped out

 

[wannaeatyourbrains]

I did this this morning on a base model sedan with stock springs. I will add the instructions here for other people. I did it on a VY, but they are the same process.

I was going to use spring compressors there for a bit, which I will get to, but it's not that difficult. Or scary.

I saw people cutting short ones on YouTube etc. Unnecessary. This is a safe and easy job.

I chocked the front wheels. I just drove up against one of those concrete safety lumps in a parking lot that your wheels rest against before the front end hits the curb. I loosened off the wheel nuts. Hand brake should not be on.

Then I jacked the car up tall with a block of thick wood under the diff, so I could get it high. Jack point is under the end of the diff where the diff cap bolts on, there is a smoothe round place.

I put stands under the rear sills, with small wood blocks on the head of the bolt at the end, nearest the back wheel. Bit of a cushion. Look after her a bit.

I replaced the jack under the diff with a 6-ton jack stand, a 4WD one. You gotta get under the car. I have a big imagination. You put it forward of the diff, where the tailshaft bolts on, then you can pull it back along the taper to get it snug. Bit of wood in there again.

I removed the wheels. I sprayed the shock absorber bolts, the rear toe adjuster bolts on the wheel assemblies (have a tie rod end on them), the middle link nuts on the rear sway bar links, and the upper nut of the shock absorbers (in the boot) with WD40. I dropped the exhaust a little by prying off the clips at the very back with a small flathead screwdriver - insert and twist - and pulling off the rubbers.

Then it goes down like this. Same each side.

I put my jack under the lower bolt on the shocks, and jacked the assembly up to take pressure off it. I undid that. It was 21mm.

I undid the top nut of the shock - there will be some way to grab the spindle and stop it turning, mine needed a 7mm spanner to hold it. Nut of the old one was 16mm. New ones were 17mm.

The shock dropped out and I got rid of it.

Then I undid the nut in the middle of the sway bar link, 13mm, and pulled the bolt out. Had to secure it with a ring spanner bolt head end, and used a long socket extension inserted through the bottom rungs of the spring to get the nut.

Then I undid the lock nut on the rear toe adjuster, and knocked out the joint. Left the nut on, level with the end. Gave a couple of sharp bashes perpendicular to the thread on the housing, at it's thinnest point, to squeeze it out of the housing like a pimple.

It didn't altogether pop out, but that breaks the rust. So I didn't have to get under the car I used a bit of thick rebar as a punch and knocked it out with said hammer by banging on the nut. Removed that when it was free and pushed the toe adjuster down out of the way.

Then I lowered everything down on the jack.

Damn, thought I would need spring compressors! I guess this is the bit gets most people. Seems stuck not low enough.

But no. You just stand up and give the wheel assembly a bit of a kick downwards. This pops the axle out of the diff an inch, and the spring just falls out. (On a Trailblazer, I have had to pry it out with a tyre iron by putting the chisel end between the axle and the diff. You could try this if it was reluctant. On one occasion I even had to hammer it out with a piece of rebar. I hate hammering **** lying under the car...)

Lucky I didn't break my brake lines first time. Put your jack an inch under the wheel assembly to catch it is better, ha ha.

Then put everything back together.

Remember:

(1) The rounded rubber cap is uppermost, and the squared off one is lowermost when you put the new springs in.

(2) To pull the sway bar link into position before you jack up the wheel assembly to put the shock on.

(3) To put in the lower shock bolt first if you are on your own. You can't hold it from the top!

(4) To put the cap and bushing on the top of the shock before you poke it through the hole.

You have to jack the wheel assembly up some too to knock the axle home again into the diff. I use a long bit of wood, rested it on the wheel assembly, and tapped and turned the axle till it was home again. Firm tap, but not ridiculously hard.



Best **** is, here I am on the far side of the world, and look what I am putting in - all Australian made parts! All stamped 'Made in Australia'.

Makes me so patriotic. Makes me confident too I've got good stuff. Australian manufacturers are even more legendary because they put all the bushes etc. in the pack with your bits. You have to buy that separately when you buy from other countries.

The government should so invest in car manufacturing in Australia, making electric and hydrogen cars or whatever, to give our excellent engineers and factory workers a new industry to work in. We make the best stuff!

 

[lowandslow]

Pro tip - Undo bottom shock bolts before you jack it up.
I have a set of compressors that have been cut down so the legs dont hit the body when they are in the rear. Standard height springs especially in a ute/wagon are a pain. (or a grinder has been mentioned)

With shorter springs fitted, if you ever want to go lower you dont even have to remove the wheel. Drop the shock and jack it up, reach in and swap. easy.