Spring install how-to?

daaboots · Post by **daaboots** » Tue Jun 20, 2006 9:57 am

I remember reading a very good how-to for installing springs. The rear springs were installed without a spring compressor, but the front was.

I searched 2gn.org, neons.org, and srtforums.com and couldn't find it. My searching skills are not the best so I might have missed it.

Does anybody know where I can find this how-to? Thanks.

kc2005ptgt · Post by **kc2005ptgt** » Tue Jun 20, 2006 10:06 am

My Hayne's manual was the best How-To I found. I know it sucks, because they cost 15$, but I have found all the answers I need, mechanically, to my car in there thus far. Look into buying one. Other than that, I have no clue on here where one is.

MyNeonSaysHi · Post by **MyNeonSaysHi** » Tue Jun 20, 2006 10:10 am

http://forum.2gn.org/viewtopic.php?t=20 ... stallation there you go, click Diablo0's link halfway down. there is also one on http://www.neoncanada.com Its stickied there somewhere. I am guessing the 2nd gen section. also, a Chilton or Haynes service manual do an okay job explaining how-to. But if you want to know with alot of information on everything, get an official service manual from daimler-chrysler. You can find them at the library too.

daaboots · Post by **daaboots** » Tue Jun 20, 2006 12:05 pm

^^ perfect. This was the one. Thanks!

MyNeonSaysHi · Post by **MyNeonSaysHi** » Tue Jun 20, 2006 3:54 pm

No problemo.

Your car will look sick lowered.

kc2005ptgt · Post by **kc2005ptgt** » Tue Jun 20, 2006 4:00 pm

Hey, is alignment necessary once you install the new springs? I was told no by some people, and yes once. I also read it that you need an alignment afterwards... those of you do-it-yo-selfers, chime in: did you or no?

2k2patriotblueneon · Post by **2k2patriotblueneon** » Tue Jun 20, 2006 4:02 pm

kc2002acr wrote:Hey, is alignment necessary once you install the new springs? I was told no by some people, and yes once. I also read it that you need an alignment afterwards... those of you do-it-yo-selfers, chime in: did you or no?

Depends on how badly the car steers afterwards.....but if you have brand new tires I would suggest just getting it aligned...better then buyin new tires all around.

kc2005ptgt · Post by **kc2005ptgt** » Tue Jun 20, 2006 4:03 pm

Hmmm... that suxks, I have to talk to the wife then again, and tell her my car is 'pulling' and I need it aligned.

Post by **Diablo0** » Tue Jun 20, 2006 4:12 pm

Yeah I would get it aligned, not only is your camber going to be out but your wheels will be toed in as well and toe is what kills tires most of all.

OB · Post by OB » Fri Jun 23, 2006 11:34 am

im getting ready to start some serious research on doing my struts and springs. ordered up the tokico blues yesterday and the pro kit is still sittin in my room. anyone have any good tips for doing the job? im gonna borrow a spring comp from my gfs stepdad, and the rest is just basic handtools from what i understand. any and all help is appreciated, with cars, there's ALWAYS something that goes wrong, or little things that people know that make things a LOT easier.

Post by **Diablo0** » Fri Jun 23, 2006 12:14 pm

Nope it's easy, just follow that how-to above.

MyNeonSaysHi · Post by **MyNeonSaysHi** » Fri Jun 23, 2006 12:56 pm

orangeblastsxt wrote:im getting ready to start some serious research on doing my struts and springs. ordered up the tokico blues yesterday and the pro kit is still sittin in my room. anyone have any good tips for doing the job? im gonna borrow a spring comp from my gfs stepdad, and the rest is just basic handtools from what i understand. any and all help is appreciated, with cars, there's ALWAYS something that goes wrong, or little things that people know that make things a LOT easier.

I never did struts and springs and am not really automotively inclined. Here is some info from a newbie to a newbie. Make sure you have all the tools, the correct size sockets etc. I didn't torque anything when I did my rears and they are doing great. Its recommended to torque but I don't think you need to if you get it on tight without the nut stripping. I just couldn't fit my big ass torque wrench in such a small space. Frotns are alot easier than the rears. Do the rears first. Not too many bolts to take off but just follow the directions and get that spring and strut assembly out! This is where I ran into a couple of problems. The main big nut on the top of the upper mount cannot be taken off with regular hand tools. You need a special tool to take it off. The entire strut will spin when you try to loosen it up. Oh yeah, make sure your spring is compressed before you take off that big nut. About that nut again.. I recommend taking the struts assembly, your new struts and springs to an auto place. They will compress the spring for you and take off that nut with a powertool. And put your new strut and spring together with the old hardware and the shortened boot. Then you are ready to go. They shouldn't charge you much for this, and its alot less hassle then getting a crappy spring compressor that can blow up in your face and trying to get that nut off w/o powertools. When you have the new strut and spring put it in there, you will probably need another person to help you so you can put it on the upper mount. Make sure you have the upper mount on right! The left and right ones are different! I found out the hard way.

this is when I got pissed off... The damn strut wouldn't line up with the clevis bracket so I could put those damn bolts in. so I had to take my jack and jack it up under the strut with a piece of wood and mess around with it so the holes would line up. This took me forever! Try to get one bolt in, preferebly the bottom one first and then put the top one in. Make sure you get the upper mount bolts on tight! Cause I didn't get mine on tight and I got this crappy noise coming form my trunk and all of them were loose... Very scary.

Hope this helps. Just stay patient. I hope it goes smooth with you.

2k2patriotblueneon · Post by **2k2patriotblueneon** » Fri Jun 23, 2006 1:14 pm

raul-01 wrote:
orangeblastsxt wrote:im getting ready to start some serious research on doing my struts and springs. ordered up the tokico blues yesterday and the pro kit is still sittin in my room. anyone have any good tips for doing the job? im gonna borrow a spring comp from my gfs stepdad, and the rest is just basic handtools from what i understand. any and all help is appreciated, with cars, there's ALWAYS something that goes wrong, or little things that people know that make things a LOT easier.
I never did struts and springs and am not really automotively inclined. Here is some info from a newbie to a newbie. Make sure you have all the tools, the correct size sockets etc. I didn't torque anything when I did my rears and they are doing great. Its recommended to torque but I don't think you need to if you get it on tight without the nut stripping. I just couldn't fit my big ass torque wrench in such a small space. Frotns are alot easier than the rears. Do the rears first. Not too many bolts to take off but just follow the directions and get that spring and strut assembly out! This is where I ran into a couple of problems. The main big nut on the top of the upper mount cannot be taken off with regular hand tools. You need a special tool to take it off. The entire strut will spin when you try to loosen it up. Oh yeah, make sure your spring is compressed before you take off that big nut. About that nut again.. I recommend taking the struts assembly, your new struts and springs to an auto place. They will compress the spring for you and take off that nut with a powertool. And put your new strut and spring together with the old hardware and the shortened boot. Then you are ready to go. They shouldn't charge you much for this, and its alot less hassle then getting a crappy spring compressor that can blow up in your face and trying to get that nut off w/o powertools. When you have the new strut and spring put it in there, you will probably need another person to help you so you can put it on the upper mount. Make sure you have the upper mount on right! The left and right ones are different! I found out the hard way.

this is when I got pissed off... The damn strut wouldn't line up with the clevis bracket so I could put those damn bolts in. so I had to take my jack and jack it up under the strut with a piece of wood and mess around with it so the holes would line up. This took me forever! Try to get one bolt in, preferebly the bottom one first and then put the top one in. Make sure you get the upper mount bolts on tight! Cause I didn't get mine on tight and I got this crappy noise coming form my trunk and all of them were loose... Very scary.

Hope this helps. Just stay patient. I hope it goes smooth with you.

Actually you can do this with everyday hand tools. Take a 1/4 inch ratchet with a socket small enough to fit on the top of the strut itself...pop a 1/4 inch extention on that an place it on the strut....then take a spark plug socket and place it over that with the extention going up and through the hole in the center of the socket...then use a wrench to turn the socket and a 1/4 inch ratchet to hold the center bolt thing....

MyNeonSaysHi · Post by **MyNeonSaysHi** » Fri Jun 23, 2006 1:51 pm

I had that setup, but I wasn't strong enough to turn the sonabitch.

OB · Post by OB » Fri Jun 23, 2006 2:32 pm

hmm im confused, id have to see this to know what you guys are talkin about. anyone have pics of this install? man that would help. thanks tho raul, ill have the spring comp and i have an impact wrench and the works, but i havent taken the neons suspension apart yet so i wanted to know the odds and ends.

2k2patriotblueneon · Post by **2k2patriotblueneon** » Fri Jun 23, 2006 2:34 pm

orangeblastsxt wrote:hmm im confused, id have to see this to know what you guys are talkin about. anyone have pics of this install? man that would help. thanks tho raul, ill have the spring comp and i have an impact wrench and the works, but i havent taken the neons suspension apart yet so i wanted to know the odds and ends.

Check the haynes manual they tell you how to make the contraption....raul said it didnt work for him....it did for me....so I would say for a day or two before you do the job spray some penetrating fluid on the upper nut....

scfreshy · Post by **scfreshy** » Sat Aug 12, 2006 10:12 pm

Diablo's post is "no longer there". Anyone else have it. Im planning on putting some springs on on monday. Thanks

bad04srt · Post by **bad04srt** » Sat Aug 12, 2006 11:45 pm

sorry to hijack.....but go get the haynes manual.....best $15 i've ever spent

Nick Drake · Post by **Nick Drake** » Sun Aug 13, 2006 12:12 pm

Here are two good threads that may help clear things up:

http://forum.2gn.org/viewtopic.php?t=10212&highlight=

http://forum.2gn.org/viewtopic.php?t=10341

And I don't care what anyone says, this how-to helped me a lot when I swapped my suspension out. http://chetcpo.tripod.com/miscstuff/id2.html

Post by **Diablo0** » Sun Aug 13, 2006 1:40 pm

Nick Drake wrote:And I don't care what anyone says, this how-to helped me a lot when I swapped my suspension out. http://chetcpo.tripod.com/miscstuff/id2.html

I agree... that how-to has been around for years and one of the first that I saw and used just to learn how to pull the struts off.

kc2005ptgt · Post by **kc2005ptgt** » Sun Aug 13, 2006 10:02 pm

I have to admit, I did not end up using either of those how-toos, because the haynes manual was so much more clearer... I did one side at a time, and it took me quite some time to do the first one, but the next one was about half that time. When I moved to the rear it took me almost an hour to figure out how to get the camber bolts out behind the damn calipers...

I heard that drums are easier to do.

So anyway, after I found out I can remove the calipers without removing the brake lines and doing all that bleeding crap

I got it done in about 15 minutes. I didn't even have to use the spring compressors to install the r/t springs.

I also did the install in 100+ degree heat