Coilover fitting

[ALEXZ360]

Hey guys (and girls) just out of interest how hard is it to fit coilovers?? I am looking at buying some but don't want to pay an extra £200 for fitting, I've had a look at a few guides for other cars i.e older polos and older ibizas and it looks pretty simply but I know the mk5 has a different front unit than the older versions, any guides available?

Thanks
Alex

 

[adamb87]

i havent done it. but isnt it just a case of removing the standard shock strut and spring and bolting in the coilover ? if so it should be easy

 

[ALEXZ360]

Yeh that's basically all I can figure it out to be when looking at all the guides, just take off the wheel, take off the top mount, then lower it down and take off the unit itself then put a few rubber parts from the old unit onto the new unit then attach the new unit, raise it up then re attach the top mount, looks pretty simply to be honest,

but then do I have to get them aligned and tracked??

 

[Wongy]

I just fitted mine with the help of my mate who's a mechanic, it took longer than normal because certain bolts were placed in places I've and he'd never know there to be. I could see some places charging quiet a lot. Took him to do mine about 2 hours. We're in nottingham his dad owns a big garage, i can ask if you can't find any we're cheap enough..

 

[Wongy]

For example the bolts for the top rear shocker.. Normally under the boot liner carpet like most cars they are in your wheel arch.. And one is kind of hidden behind some plastic

 

[t.oldaker]

Right so for the fronts:

get the wheels off and jack car up on axel stands.

You need to undo and take off the drop links with an 11mm spanner or socket,

You then want to loosen and remove the bottom strut bolt that uses a 14mm star key thing (will know what i mean when you see it)

Once they are removed you want to loosen the top mount with a 21mm socket attached to a ratchet spanner or mole grips and have an allen key through the centre attached to a short breaker bar.

The allen key holds the strut in place while you undo the top mount bolt. Leave it so its still slightly wound on so the strut won’t fall out.

You then want a mallet or hammer to hit the bottom of the strut off from where you just removed the rear strut bolt. This takes some force and be careful not to hit the abs or brake lines. Once the bottom arm is free the strut will be hanging by the top mount bolt you undid earlier so now you can fully undo this and remove the suspension.

you then need to use the 21mm socket and allen key assembly to remove the second top mount bolt (but remember to use some springs compressors first) so you can remove the top mount and put it on your new coilovers.

Then basically reverse the process to fit the coilovers. I did mine for the first time ever a month or so back and have since done it 3 more times to lower the car fully, remove helper springs etc...

The rears:

Alot easier just jack the car up on axel stands then use a jack to hold the shock underneat with a bit of force up so it holds it in place and makes it easier to undo the bolt holding it in place. Once this bolt is undone let the jack down and the spring will fall out.

Now the shock is hanging loosley you need to undo the 3 bolts holing it to the car in thw wheel arch. its quite hard to reach without removing all the arch lining so just cut a small section out so you can get a tool in there to undo it.

Once the shock is out screw the read adjusters in place and put new spring on the adjuster in place. then attach the new rear shock in reverse to above.

jack suspension arm back up so you can place bolt back through and then tighten it all up.

job done...

If you’re anywhere near Sandhurst give me a shout and i will give you a hand.

 

[Wongy]

Good tutorial!!

 

[t.oldaker]

Good tutorial!!

No worries i should really take pictures next time and make a proper tutorial.... maybe next time i have them off...

 

[ALEXZ360]

Cheers Thomas I was looking at a few guides that mention a hub spreader? Do I need one of those?

Alex

 

[t.oldaker]

Cheers Thomas I was looking at a few guides that mention a hub spreader? Do I need one of those?

Alex

Nope you dont need one. A few people have taken the hub off before to get more room to work in but you don't need to in my opinion. There is enough space in there to do the work without having to dissmantle everything

this is the lower strut with the bolt shown just right of the drop link with the star bolt i mentioned before. Then you hit the lower arm you see with a hammer/ mallet to release it from the strut/coilover bottom.

 

[ALEXZ360]

Looks like a TPX socket to me

 

[t.oldaker]

Looks like a TPX socket to me

Yep you may well be right as i don't know the name for it just adapted with what i had that fitted which turned out to be this.

 

[ALEXZ360]

Hmmm looks abit big for a TPX socket, ill have to see what's in my garage lol

 

[reece1591]

The socket is either a t60 shown above or use a m14 as it fits correctly due to having more splines use lots of wd40 on the bolt makes it loads easier lol

 

[ALEXZ360]

are there any markings on it? trying to find one online as i dont have one but cant seem to find one

 

[ALEXZ360]

thanks reece

 

[reece1591]

I ordered 2 replacement m14 bits off of eBay about £3-4 I think I paid then just put them in a 10mm socket and undid them that way as worked out cheaper than buying a complete socket at £10

 

[ALEXZ360]

Managed to get a quote of £140 for fitting from the place I'm buying from so just waiting for some paper work to go through and should hopefully have my AP coilovers on soon

 

[t.oldaker]

Managed to get a quote of £140 for fitting from the place I'm buying from so just waiting for some paper work to go through and should hopefully have my AP coilovers on soon

Ahhh do it yourself. so much more satisfying when you finish it

 

[ALEXZ360]

sorry to revive my own oldish thread but how do i remove the rear adjusters? need it sitting lower at the back

this is how it looks at the moment