Fitting Coilovers

[crezz]

hi all, as soon as the new year is here im getting my coilovers. me and my dad are going to fit them. Has anyone got any tips or hints for us please? and also is there anything else worth changing while were changing them?

many thanks

crezz

 

[richybigman]

They're pretty straight forward mate, nothing special to do them. Check your brakes while you've got the wheels off.

 

[crezz]

ok mate, cheers. im getting a strut brace to go too.

 

[roly]

change the top suspension mounts and bearings while it's in bits

you'll also need camber/tracking checked and probably adjusted once your happy with the ride height

 

[crezz]

where can i get the mounts and bearings from?

 

[roly]

genuine ones are about £12 a mount & £4 a bearing or your local GSF/ECP

 

[crezz]

ok mate, thanks

 

[Mckellar]

try getting a buzz gun..
those front top mount bolts are siezed to f00bar!!

well mines were.

 

[m0rk]

soak in WD40 overnight, then just undo with a socket & allen key (7mm)

easy peasy on everything.

Airguns will most likely spin it up if seized

 

[Mckellar]

mines were possibly just super stiff.

airgun saved me a good bit of time.

changing the suspension is so easy though, easily achieved in an afternoon.

 

[crezz]

cheers thanks for the tips.

 

[Gm8]

i had no airgun , but a 24" breaker bar helped

 

[ibiza_95]

id say +1 to the air gun on the top of the suspension... even if you take it to a garage and ask them to do em and then just put em back on a bit looser... wish i had instead of grinding them off

 

[MarkJ]

I reckon I must have been lucky. Everyone always moans about the front top mounts, mine were a piece of piss.

 

[Mckellar]

must have been ready to come off then lol

 

[Czechboy]

I also ended up using an airgun to undo the top nut, as it was just spinning up when using a spanner (didn't have a size 7 Allen key )

If you are doing it on a valver, its sometimes a little harder trying to get the whole wheel axle the right height (when one side still has standard suspension, and the other has a coilover being fitted), this is cause by the ARBs, so you will probably need a spare jack to lift the wheel axle to the right height. Or a REALLY fat mate when you are fitting standard suspension back on (when you take colovers off when you go to sell the car)

Mig

 

[m0rk]

or just do both sides at the same time?

Not having the right tools explains the need to use an airgun

 

[Czechboy]

or just do both sides at the same time?

Thats a very good idea, not sure why I dind't think of that when I was doing it last time.

Not having the right tools explains the need to use an airgun

Yup, but I'm still young and poor so I'm steadily building up my tool collection. Only just got my torque wrench this Xmas

 

[Dolly_Gti]

i think using an air/impact gun is more along the lines of having the right tools, messing about struggling with spanners and alan keys.

i used guns on mine, and the 2 bolts/nuts that hold the strut to the hub as they were fairly tight... o and i gunned the wheels off and back on, and yes i did torque them after

impact Guns 1... messing about 0

 

[sjc59]

The only other suggestion would be to change your lower arms and all relevant ball joints and bushes i did with the girlfriends as if your other are in ok shape the coilovers being stiff will take there toll and you'll have to have it all apart to change them anyway.