Some of you may remember me asking about for a little help about installing the rear eibachs. S-man came through for me and suggested taking pics along the way. Here is a little how to complete with pics.
First stuff is simple, jack the car up, set on jack stand, and take tire off. There are various ways to do this, find which one works best for you. Remember these are LOWERING springs and you may not be able to get your jack out once your install is complete. I used a 2x4 under the tire to ensure I had enough space to pull the jack out.
I’ll show the rear install and provide some pointers regarding the front install at the end.
First you want to take the two top mount nuts off shown numbers 1 and 2. (15mm)
Next you will take off the two bottom bolts on the shock, numbers 3 and 4. (˝ in)
You will need to hold the bottom nut as you turn the bolt.
Next you will need to take off the upper A-arm ball joint nut, number 5 (18 mm)
You make have to use a hex key to keep the ball joint “bolt” from moving as you unscrew the nut.
The A-arm may not come loose, from the rotor assembly as I’ll call it, but we’ll get to that after we detach the sway bar.
To detach the sway bar you will need the 18 mm wrench again, and possibly the hex key to hold the bolt as you unscrew it. This nut is marked number 6.
If you place your jack under the whole assembly and move it up and down, you will be able to detach the sway bar ball joint. If the A-arm does not break loose you will have to use a pry bar. Make sure you do not puncture the rubber boot that is surrounding the ball joint.
When you have all the nuts and bolts out you will have to have a friend push down on the rotor while you finagle the complete shock assembly out of it tiny space.
Once you have the shock assembly out. Put your spring compressors on and compress far enough that you relieve enough pressure on the top mount. To get the top mount off, you have to use an adjustable wrench and a hex key as shown in the pic.
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Joe
Previous modded F1K Pure #795 owner
Traded in for Blue '06 GTO July 1 361RWHP/359TQ 1/8 MI:8.56
Once you have the top mount off you can pull the spring off. When you pull the spring and blue dust cover off, the bump stop will still be on the shock. Pull the bump stop off and cut 20 mm off the flat end.
Reinstall the bump stop, with the angled part towards the top. Put the new spring, dust cover, etc in the proper order and place on the shock. Have a friend push down on the shock while you thread the nut, number 7. Take your hex key and adjustable wrench and tighten the top mount. A good idea is to place the top mount with close to the proper orientation with the bottom.
Put the entire shock back in the car. Put the two top nuts back on loosely, number 1 and 2. Then install the two bottom nuts and bolts, numbers 3 and 4. You may have to use the jack to bring the lower A-arm up to meet the shock. Once you have the bottom bolts in, you can tighten the top mount nuts and then the lower mount nuts and bolts.
Then thread the sway bar ball joint nut, number 6. You will have to use the jack to bring the hole into alignment. Tighten that nut.
Then tighten nut number 5.
Check and make you sure installed and tightened all the parts.
Put the tire back on and do the other side.
__________________
Joe
Previous modded F1K Pure #795 owner
Traded in for Blue '06 GTO July 1 361RWHP/359TQ 1/8 MI:8.56
Tips for the front install:
You do not have to take the entire wheel well out. Just take out the screws in the front of the well and the two on either side of the A-arm. http://www.solsticeforum.com/forum/a...2&d=1141151238
Also on the passenger side you will have to take a screw out of the power steering reservoir to move it out of the way to get room to access the top mount nuts.
Be careful not to allow too much tension on the brake line.
Any questions, fire away, I’ll try to answer as best I can.
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Location: Wilds of Canada, or the Pac NW, or the Upper Penninsula of MI...
Good job. I find it's a bit easier to pop the toe-link balljoint, but popping the UCA ball joint works too.
Can you do me a favor? Please take a picture of your stock front and rear springs, and use a set of calipers to get the "spring wire diameter" and the overall diameter of the coil for both of the stock springs?
I think I can back calculate the spring rates from that info - works reasonably well. Physics is physics....
This was a great how-to, and it is something that I can do myself, I only need to rent a spring compressor, and then have Dealer do the alignment, save alot of cash for something else.
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2008 Black/Black GXP, purchased 7/23 right off the train.
Mod#1 blacked-out headlights
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'97 Burb.
"07 Charger R/T, Mama's car
Race #1 Charger 0 /Sol 1
This was a great how-to, and it is something that I can do myself, I only need to rent a spring compressor, and then have Dealer do the alignment, save alot of cash for something else.
Also how long did it take to do the job.
i was hoping someone wouldn't ask how long it took me...
well there was a slight learning curve associated with the front set, b/c i didn't have s-man's instructions with me. so, it took about 3 hours for the front right spring, and an hour a piece for the rest. if you have air tools and deep well sockets, your time will be less.
i rented the spring compressor from advanced auto and they will give full refund with return, don't forget the reciept.
if some of the parts are labeled wrong i appologize, ex: "upper A-arm." I am not fully versed in the proper names for all the parts.
s-man i will try to find someone with a caliper, if not, i could always ship one to you and you could do all the testing you want. i do find it hard to believe that bob lutz can't get one in his office though
__________________
Joe
Previous modded F1K Pure #795 owner
Traded in for Blue '06 GTO July 1 361RWHP/359TQ 1/8 MI:8.56
i was hoping someone wouldn't ask how long it took me...
well there was a slight learning curve associated with the front set, b/c i didn't have s-man's instructions with me. so, it took about 3 hours for the front right spring, and an hour a piece for the rest. if you have air tools and deep well sockets, your time will be less.
i rented the spring compressor from advanced auto and they will give full refund with return, don't forget the reciept.
if some of the parts are labeled wrong i appologize, ex: "upper A-arm." I am not fully versed in the proper names for all the parts.
s-man i will try to find someone with a caliper, if not, i could always ship one to you and you could do all the testing you want. i do find it hard to believe that bob lutz can't get one in his office though
For those b-joints you would need a pickle-fork to release those. I have deep sockets and a nice break-over. Anyway looks like an all day job.
