Fitting/Installation Of Springs

[V15NEV]

Hello All,

Recently purchased some Jamex lowering springs for my Ibiza, i successfully fitted the rear springs last night which was pretty simple.

I am just after some guidance/directions on how to go about installing the front ones as i have been told its a bit more difficult - is this true?



If anyone can help it would be really appreciated as i'm gonna try and get them done tonight.

Thanks

Simon

 

[Myki da Pyki]

Ummm i dont know how to explain it in a way you would understand. Do you know about compressing springs?

 

[V15NEV]

Yup, did that on the rears just for safety - is it not an easy thing to explain?

 

[Myki da Pyki]

Yeh its easy to explain if you got experience in it but other wise u mite get confused but here goes:

Open bonnet - undo the big bolt (19mm iirc) on top of the shock enough so it will come off freely once off the car, then undo the 3 bolts around the shock (13mm)

Jack car up and remove wheel - undo the 2 bolts on the hub casing, shock should then fall out.

Now compress the springs and remove the big bolt on the top and the top cap should pop off.

Take compressed springs off and uncompress slowly. Compress new springs and put onto shock, put top cap back on and do the big bolt as far as you can, uncompress spring and put back on the car just as you took it off, being sure to put the 3 13mm bolts back on.

Once wheels back on and jacked down you can then do the big bolt up as tight as you can.

Repeat the same on the other side

thats basically it mate

 

[Myki da Pyki]

If ive missed anything please add on lads

 

[V15NEV]

Perfect thanks - Got the following guide from Adam1.4biza too

"hello simon.

Yes unfortunatly after i purchased my car one of my shocks went and had to replace all 4 and was able to pick up a second set very cheaply.

with the front shocks you need to do this...

1) take the top mount plastic cover off. generally this is very hard and you will end up cutting them off like i had to.

2) jack the car up and remove the front wheel

3) get the correct size socket and wrench and undo the top mount bolt (only undo the centre one first). you may find the central strut starts to rotate so wrap a cloth around it then use a pair of mole grips to stop it from rotating... use the cloth to stop damage to the strut.

4) dont worry about spring compressors or anything as they are not needed ( i didnt need them).

5) once the nut is off the top of the strut undo the two bolts that hold the bottom of the strut to the wheel hub.

6) remove the old shock and spring.

7) remove the top mount if needed or go straight ahead and try and install the new strut and spring but make sure it seats properly on the top mount or you could have problems in the future.

8) re seat the bottom of the spring in the correct place then re install the two bolts at the bottom of the mount.(only loosley though)

9)start to do up the nut on the top of the strut in the engine bay. here you will find that the strut will rotate as you try and do up the nut. if you have a torque drill then use it, if not use some cloth and a pair of mole grips again to stop it from rotating.

if you have to use mole grips make sure that where you position the mole grips about midway down the damper (in the wheel arch) so the damper will be forced to stop rotating.

10) once the top strut is then tight, tighten up the camber bolts. then take it to a garage asap to get the tracking and camber done or you will wreck your tyres.



it took me about 6 hours to do the whole car and thats with help from a mate who had done it once before.
so if you really need to save £60 then DIY but if not the garage is always a good bet for this stuff. "


should be ok to do it now, my dad is a mechanic but lives away and he made it sound alot harder than you say but he has never worked on an ibiza before....

Cheers fellas

Simon

 

[V15NEV]

maybe this is worth going in the FAQ's bit as its very helpful???

 

[Myki da Pyki]

3) get the correct size socket and wrench and undo the top mount bolt (only undo the centre one first). you may find the central strut starts to rotate so wrap a cloth around it then use a pair of mole grips to stop it from rotating... use the cloth to stop damage to the strut.

Do not hold it with a set of mole grips, use a 6mm (i think) allen key to hold it right at the top

4) dont worry about spring compressors or anything as they are not needed ( i didnt need them).

You should compress the springs so the shock doesnt shoot down onto the brakes or any other part down there causing damage

it took me about 6 hours to do the whole car and thats with help from a mate who had done it once before.

The way ive done it only takes a maximum of 30 minutes each side

 

[V15NEV]

Points noted thanks - gonna print this page and leave work soon and give a go - I'll post some pics on this thread and the readers ride thread to show how it looks - i'm impressed with the rear already so hopefull the fronts should be good too!!

 

[Myki da Pyki]

Camber and tracking will need to be done properly after fitting aswel mate

 

[Adam R]

3) get the correct size socket and wrench and undo the top mount bolt (only undo the centre one first). you may find the central strut starts to rotate so wrap a cloth around it then use a pair of mole grips to stop it from rotating... use the cloth to stop damage to the strut.

Do not hold it with a set of mole grips, use a 6mm (i think) allen key to hold it right at the top

4) dont worry about spring compressors or anything as they are not needed ( i didnt need them).

You should compress the springs so the shock doesnt shoot down onto the brakes or any other part down there causing damage

it took me about 6 hours to do the whole car and thats with help from a mate who had done it once before.

The way ive done it only takes a maximum of 30 minutes each side

looking at your post and wanting to say a few things....

i undid the top bolt with the car still on the ground then raised the car up and the spring did not shoot off or any of that malarky.

when i put the springs back on i did not even need the compressers due to the shock rod being longer (even with the top mount on) than the complete length of the spring.

if your removing the shocks and springs, then putting lowering springs on you deffo wont need compressors.


Do not hold it with a set of mole grips, use a 6mm (i think) allen key to hold it right at the top

how can you use a 6mm allen key if you have a torque driver on there at the same time ?

also my 6 hrs was including the time needed for my mate to drive home and get stuff like the torque driver.

 

[Myki da Pyki]

i undid the top bolt with the car still on the ground then raised the car up and the spring did not shoot off or any of that malarky.

Yes i would also do this, if i didnt write it i meant to lol

when i put the springs back on i did not even need the compressers due to the shock rod being longer (even with the top mount on) than the complete length of the spring.

When i did it i did it the way i did to be safe. When the springs are compressed they are so more than the amount you get from undoing the bolt. To do it any other way isnt practical or recommended

how can you use a 6mm allen key if you have a torque driver on there at the same time ?

Ah yeh forgot to write to use a spanner on the top bolt which then you hold the top with the allen key

 

[Myki da Pyki]

Im not starting a row saying im right and your wrong adam im just pointing out the way i did it as are you.

 

[pepper]

how can you use a 6mm allen key if you have a torque driver on there at the same time ?

also my 6 hrs was including the time needed for my mate to drive home and get stuff like the torque driver.

The way i have done this in the past is use an angled ring spanner then you can use the allen key as mentioned.

 

[Adam R]

Im not starting a row saying im right and your wrong adam im just pointing out the way i did it as are you.

thats fair enough mate im not wanting to start a row either.

we all have different ways that we do things since it was my first time doing it when i did it, i probably got got things wrong, and i was unaware that there was an allen key hole in the top of the strut.... but thats me not looking as usual

 

[Myki da Pyki]

thats fair enough mate im not wanting to start a row either.

we all have different ways that we do things since it was my first time doing it when i did it, i probably got got things wrong, and i was unaware that there was an allen key hole in the top of the strut.... but thats me not looking as usual

Either way he knows how to do it now lol. I can imagine him doing it now in the dark lol poor bugger

 

[V15NEV]

Managed to get home for bout 4 from work and was done and dusted for about 5.30...

Was quite easy - instructions from all really helped, i know what you mean about tracking & camber now, tracking is slightly off at the mo but i'll drop it at a garage near work tommorow to have it tracked etc.

Looks ten times better than before and wasnt to hard to do - I'll post some pics in readers rides tommorow...

Thanks for your help myki & adam!!!

 

[Adam R]

glad you got it sorted mate.... at least it wont look like its trying to take off now.

 

[V15NEV]

yup - looks loads better (jus got back from havin it tracked & balanced), is there anythin i should watch out for that may go wrong in the future due to lower springs & standard shocks?

 

[Myki da Pyki]

Aslong as you done all the bolts up properly you wont have any problems.

Did you have the camber sorted out aswel as the tracking?