Well before you ask I’ve done lots of searching :)

I wanted to know how many people do this themselves and if they have any tips for me.
I’m able to get a set of spring compressors for $14 and the springs for $220. Don’t really have the extra $200 to get them fitted so I thought I’d give it a crack myself.

any hints or things to watch out for?

use a white pen and mark 1 of the 3 strut bolts so you know where it came from
do this on the strut and body near each other

also be very careful using the clamps if they jump off it can do nasty things... use a vice to hold the strut.

get a wheel alignment when its done.

get a mate to do it for a slab like i am ;)

where can you hire the spring compressors from? I will be needing to hire one soon.

use a white pen and mark 1 of the 3 strut bolts so you know where it came from
do this on the strut and body near each other

also be very careful using the clamps if they jump off it can do nasty things... use a vice to hold the strut.

get a wheel alignment when its done.
Be very VERY careful using the vice to hold the strut, denting it slightly can be most unpleasant. Put blocks of wood in vice on either side of strut :)


where can you hire the spring compressors from? I will be needing to hire one soon.
You buy them :bowrofl:

i can lower my car easily, just a matter of taking the wheel off and using my tool to turn the coilovers around I can set it at any height i like,

and then when im done,icanjust use the nob on top to select how stiff i want it and off i go.

ohhh,, gotta remember to put the wheels back on too.

just dont over tighten and clamp it around the area it bolts to the hub

never crushed one yet

where can you hire the spring compressors from? I will be needing to hire one soon.

Not hiring, going to buy them outright. I figure I’d need them sometime in the future so may as well have my own set

get a mate to do it for a slab like i am ;)

does your mate want 2 slabs???? *hint*
:D

Not hiring, going to buy them outright. I figure I’d need them sometime in the future so may as well have my own set

Where from? I'll probably buy them if they're not overly expensive.

i'm pretty sure i've seen them at supercheap for about $35. dont qoute me on that though!

i'm pretty sure i've seen them at supercheap for about $35. dont qoute me on that though!

I'll quote you then :P
usually $40 from SCA

']I'll quote you then :P
usually $40 from SCA

Thanks...i'll buy a set.

']I'll quote you then :P
usually $40 from SCA

Depends who you ask at SCA, when i asked them they told me that you cant buy them only a pro can do it :nuts:

Depends who you ask at SCA, when i asked them they told me that you cant buy them only a pro can do it :nuts:

Well they are idiots.
usually the only person who knows stuff are the managers. most of the casualls dont know ****

']Well they are idiots.
usually the only person who knows stuff are the managers. most of the casualls dont know ****

i do find that. But i tent not to ask questions in sca anyway, i wouldnt trust thier advise to much.

then again i have a mate who works as a casual in one of the northern stores who seems to know his stuff pretty well

i do find that. But i tent not to ask questions in sca anyway, i wouldnt trust thier advise to much.

then again i have a mate who works as a casual in one of the northern stores who seems to know his stuff pretty well
Training is ****house at SCA... It's ****ing BYO if you get a job there :nuts:

Training is ****house at SCA... It's ****ing BYO if you get a job there :nuts:

Yep now its all on CD.
If they've never touched a car they'll never know about them.
so dont go thinking the 15y.o. reggie chick will know if your timing is out of whack.
also people.
go look up the oil filter yourself, its really not that hard.

']Yep now its all on CD.
If they've never touched a car they'll never know about them.
so dont go thinking the 15y.o. reggie chick will know if your timing is out of whack.
also people.
go look up the oil filter yourself, its really not that hard.


yet they still ask :nuts:

yet they still ask :nuts:
Its the worst when you look up a part, go to the front counter, and they still ask if you got the right one.
nah mate, gave you one randomly :nuts:
Sorry back OT

Where did you score the springs and the spring compressor for those $$? I've been meaning to do this aswell, cause I have to replace shocks as well, so may aswell kill two birds with one stone.

And does anyone know if you can hire the spring compressors? I'd like to use a pro one, as I'm a bit of a safety freak.

my local autobarn had 3 lots of spring compressor sitting on the shelf. started at $22 and went up to about $70.

i did my fronts by myself. they are pretty easy to do. as for marking the strut, etc, you only need to mark 1 bolt. to line the top plate up with the strut there is a hole in both that you stick a 300mm x 10mm rod through and it lines them up. also crack the top strut bolt before you start taking the strut out. don't undo it all the way, just crack it so you can undo it. this saves you needing the tool that holds the strut top. you probably could do it once it is out of the car, but it is easier to do while in the car. i found i had to bounce the breaker bar to get it to let go. if i just pushed on it it would flex the strut a bit.

does your mate want 2 slabs???? *hint*
:D
Im seeing him tonight so ill ask him for ya ;)

You buy them :bowrofl:

:redface:
i've heard of people hiring them, that's why I was wondering. so shush. lol

Im seeing him tonight so ill ask him for ya ;)

awesome, thanks man :D

i did the front and rears of mine from stock to munroe GT gas and lower kings all round

if going lows though i suggest getting the Ultimate shocks from munroe as they are a short travel, designated lower strut assembly... prolly not needed up front but at the back with only a 35mm drop i put the rears together by hand, no kidding, once the stock springs were off, i slid the kings on and pushed by hand the strut top down to do up the top nut.

i just used the old style wind up and down spring compressors took a couple hours by myself start to finsih not very hard to do at all

good luck

Lionel

I have 2 sets of spring clamps, about $35 bucks a pair.

its not a hard job to do yourself just time consuming.

dont get lasy like i did..... putting a cardboard box over the end of the strut while undoing the last bit of thread haha it really slammed my hand.

spring clamps arent that dangerous...

Ill be back in Wollongong for 2 weeks if your close and wanna just borrow some, or im in Wangaratta a fair bit aswel if your closer to there.

Cheers

if you dont wanna go to the effort of using the clamps to get the stocko springs off, get an old spare tyre and sit the strut up in it and then put another spare rim on top as with a socket you can then reach the top nut on the strut though the hub centric hole in the rim.

this absorbs the shock, as after seeing the amount of force i cant imagine just undoing the nut and being anywhere near it

I’m able to get a set of spring compressors for $14

Don't skimp on spring compressors, just think if the compressors fail, it can be very very painful

[QUOTE=Lenny]Don't skimp on spring compressors, just think if the compressors fail, it can be very very painful[/QUOTE

the quality is ok, my old man works for a supplier who gets them so i get them a little cheaper

also, dont get super lazy and decide that you dont have time to undo the nuts on the compressor tool, so to speed things up - i think - lets THROW the whole thing (onto a road, or against a wall) and she'll be right!

VERY bad things happen when you do that

undo both sides of the tool evenly, if you do one side too much, then itl snap/spring (lol get it - SPRING!) out and cause injury.

be safe with these things - remember, they are containing a LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT of built up (compressed) kinetic energy thats just waiting to explode.

lowering is easy with a rattle gun, spring compressors and a bit of knowing what youre doing, got mine done in less than 2 hours with a mechanic mate