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Home > User Content > DIY / Install Guides > DIY: Springs

DIY: Springs

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rrimportracer

Reg'd: Feb 28, 2006

Godlike Advisor

So Ive been getting questions over questions on how to do the springs install and I decided it would be easier to just do a DIY and answer all the questions there.

First off this DIY is done at each persons own risk. I am in no way responsible for anything happening to YOUR car unless I was physically there installing the springs myself


Necessary Tools needed:
1/4", 3/8", 1/2" ratchets
10mm, 12mm, 14mm, 17mm, 19mm-3/4", 22mm-7/8" sockets
14mm, 22mm-7/8" open wrench
Phillips screw driver
Flat head screw driver
Hammer
Breaker bar
Spring compressors (2 minimum)
Long pipe, or shovel
Knife

Tools that would make the job easier
Air compressor
Impact drill
Compressor hose

I always start with the rear because they seem harder to do than the front.

1. Lift the car up by the rear


2.MAKE SURE YOU USE JACK STANDS!!! I dont know how many times Ive heard of a car falling on someone because all they used to hold the car up was the jack. Please they are relatively inexpensive and can save a life or a limb



3. Remove the interior trunk flooring, and I also removed the side panels to make it a lot easier to access the hidden shock bolt

there are 3 things holding the side panel in 1 10mm bolt near the tail light, one clip that pops out with a screw driver, and a phillips screw up near the top all pointed out here





4. once the sides are removed remove the piece that covers the back seats by prying open the plastic clip to get access to the 10mm bolts, one on each side





5. loosen the 3-14mm nuts at the top of the shock



6. Next remove the 19mm-3/4" bolt here at the bottom of the shock. This bolt is really tight and would help if you used either air tools, or a breaker bar

you will need to use a screw driver and hammer to make the bolt start coming out of its hole because its in there pretty snug







7. Once removed, remove the 3-14mm nuts from the top completely



8. This is where you need the long pipe, or shovel. You need to use it to push the lower control arm down to make room to remove the shock



It can be tricky to remove this, so be patient and wriggle it around till you get it out.

9. Loosen this 17mm nut just a little
NOTE: I REALLY MEAN JUST A LITTLE BIT, IF YOU DO IT TO MUCH IT WILL SHOOT OUT POSSIBLY INJURING SOMEONE



10. Place the spring compressors onto the spring equally distanced from each other and tighten down

Again, air tools make your life so much easier!



11. Once removed its time for the new spring to go in, this part can also be a little tricky, you have to align the bottom hole of the shock with the top part where the bolts stick out



Use the spring compressors again so you can install the top part back on



And there you go!



Re-tighten the 17mm nut at the top of the shock



12. Install the shock/spring back onto the car and make sure everything gets tightened: the 19mm at the bottom, and the 3-14mm's at the top

13. Repeat steps 5-12 for the other side of the car.

Here is a pic of the shock, and bolts that must be removed



Put the tires back on, and lower the car back down once everything has been checked and rechecked to make sure its all tightened





And there you go, the rears are done!!



Now to move on to the front of the car, which I personally think is easier that's why I do it last.

1. Start off by removing the clips from the plastic cover on top





2. Then loosening the 3-14mm bolts on top of the strut tower with a 14mm open wrench



3. Remove the 12mm bolt holding the brake lines down



4. Remove the 17mm nut holding the sway bar end links



5. Now remove the 21mm-7/8" bolts from the bottom of the strut tower, these are on very tight and air tools would help, if not a breaker bar also works



6. Go back to the top and remove these bolts completely



7. Wriggle the strut out and put the spring compressors on, loosening the 19mm nut at the top of the tower

Again loosen just slightly to make it easier once the spring is compressed



8. Once removed the bump stop needs to be cut depending on what springs you have the amount needed to be cut will differ



I didnt have a pic of mine with the new springs installed but this is what it should look like with the new spring in





9. Put the strut back in tighten everything down and repeat steps 1-8 for the opposite side of the car.

Once you have checked everything to make sure its all tight put your tires back on and lower the car back down.

Depending on how low your drop is, you might have to put the jack on the sides and take each stand out individually.

My car with s techs, the front bumper was to low for the jack to fit under it.

Finished pics of my car with s-techs

Before:



After:





Jon's car on saturday




I know this wasnt the most detailed DIY but it should let everyone know what needs to be done


EDIT: in my diagram for the front suspension I accidentally put that the bolts on top of the strut tower are 17mm, they are not.

There are 3 14mm bolts not 17mm


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[#] May 07, 2008 03:37am
vastano1

Reg'd: Sep 06, 2006

Godlike Advisor

almost makes me want to take off my springs and put them back on by myself...great write-up

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[#] May 07, 2008 03:43am
rrimportracer

Reg'd: Feb 28, 2006

Godlike Advisor

hahaha.. Ive done 6 installs on the Tc, I must say I do enjoy doing it, and have gotten it down to about 2.5-3 hours of work with a little bit of help from my little brother


myspace.com/asphalt_photos check us out!!!
[#] May 07, 2008 03:45am
rrimportracer

Reg'd: Feb 28, 2006

Godlike Advisor

bump for people that missed it since I posted this late last night


myspace.com/asphalt_photos check us out!!!
[#] May 07, 2008 11:23am
Orin

Reg'd: Dec 08, 2005


sticky

thanks Allen, this is great

[#] May 07, 2008 11:29am
FrAnkRYzzO

Reg'd: Oct 21, 2005

$upervillain
for Hire

Great write up!!! It's about time we had our own. Thanx for steppin up!

...............

Donate or one of these adorable kittens WILL DIE!
[#] May 07, 2008 11:38am
LA_Tc_Rider

Reg'd: Nov 10, 2007

Detailer

damn ur my mechanic whenever i need something installed thats too complex for me, u should open up a shop with my sisters bf, yall would make hella money

[#] May 07, 2008 11:46am
dasiknes803

Reg'd: Jul 17, 2007

Chief Mechanic

Not to rain on your parade but for the rear i have learned that it is more safer if you dont remove the 3 bolts on the top. The way i have installed springs, I dont even use a spring compressor. I use a jack. This is just what i do and its easier for me this way.


Good write up though. Im glad someone finally did this.



Check out http://www.racingsolution.com/
Also Check out my car domain: http://www.cardomain.com/id/dasiknes803
[#] May 07, 2008 11:50am
da_grouch

Reg'd: Apr 18, 2008

Master Mechanic

great write up allen "thumps up"

[#] May 07, 2008 11:59am
CrashUSAF

Reg'd: Apr 17, 2008

Godlike Advisor

Is it not possible to just do 1 wheel at a time? I figured you could just do them seperately, so only 1 spring compressor would be needed.


The SEARCH feature on the site works, I promise. USE IT!!!
"I almost numchucked you, you dont even reallise!!" -Will Ferrell-
[#] May 07, 2008 02:10pm
N8thegreat22

Reg'd: Sep 10, 2007

Tech Advisor

Really Nice! Now we finally have a good DIY for springs. I should be doing this on Saturday so this will really help. My only question is how dangerous would you say the install is? I ask because my Dad talked to a mechanic he knows and he told him that if you don't know what your doing you can really get hurt. Especially when getting the springs compressed and off.

[#] May 07, 2008 03:18pm
rrimportracer

Reg'd: Feb 28, 2006

Godlike Advisor

dasiknes803 wrote:
Not to rain on your parade but for the rear i have learned that it is more safer if you dont remove the 3 bolts on the top. The way i have installed springs, I dont even use a spring compressor. I use a jack. This is just what i do and its easier for me this way.




Good write up though. Im glad someone finally did this.



This is the way I was taught by my dads buddy that owns a shop, so this is the way Ill keep doing it. There is a saying that when two roads are available, the one most known is the shortest and easiest... or something like that lol I know this way and Im sure your way works too but this is what I was taught.


If your generally knowledgeable when it comes to car stuff I would say this is probably a 3-4/5 rating job if its your first time doing it.

For me personally since I've done 6 of them its probably a 2.

If anyone feels I left anything out please pm me and ill update the DIY as I see fit.


myspace.com/asphalt_photos check us out!!!
[#] May 08, 2008 01:16am
rrimportracer

Reg'd: Feb 28, 2006

Godlike Advisor

CrashUSAF wrote:
Is it not possible to just do 1 wheel at a time? I figured you could just do them seperately, so only 1 spring compressor would be needed.


you still need 2 spring compressors if your doing one wheel, look at the way i have the spring compressors set up, youll see that I have two of them. If you do not have two you risk causing damage to the springs, and maybe even injuring yourself.

Just go to autozone and rent out spring compressors, they come in a pair anyways and cost $40 until you return them then you get all your money back


myspace.com/asphalt_photos check us out!!!
[#] May 08, 2008 01:18am
danyo

Reg'd: Mar 05, 2008

Detailer

great DIY. quick question, are the pictures for the front install from another diy cuz i think i've seen those pictures about 3-4 years ago when i did my springs. absolutely true that everyone keeps askin spring install questions but don't go out and search for one. unfortunately, i have not seen a perfect tC spring install guide so this one will help others more. good job!

[#] May 14, 2008 03:36am
Web

Reg'd: Apr 17, 2006

THE SHADOW

Good job bro.


Ignorance is bliss....305 fo life!...haha...Poser
[#] May 14, 2008 08:21am
rrimportracer

Reg'd: Feb 28, 2006

Godlike Advisor

thanks, hope to be doing some more diys in the future


myspace.com/asphalt_photos check us out!!!
[#] May 14, 2008 11:35pm
O5_TRD_tC

Reg'd: May 16, 2008

Vehicle Designer

nice DIY!

The 4 LED_Headz:
Ed (etli), Trung (SquallLHeart), Alan (O5_TRD_tC), and Paul (Dakine)
[#] May 20, 2008 03:26am
MacGuy87

Reg'd: Mar 24, 2008

Chief Mechanic

Very nice!

There is more work to it than I imagined! lol...

How long did this take you?

About how long do you think it would take the average person who has never done this before?



2006 Scion tC
[#] May 20, 2008 11:39pm
danyo

Reg'd: Mar 05, 2008

Detailer

my very first time to do any car mod were springs that took me about 9 hours without an air compressor, a c- DIY i found, and yah... =]. Takes about.. 3 hours now with little breaks.

[#] May 21, 2008 01:33am
MacGuy87

Reg'd: Mar 24, 2008

Chief Mechanic

danyo wrote:
my very first time to do any car mod were springs that took me about 9 hours without an air compressor, a c- DIY i found, and yah... =]. Takes about.. 3 hours now with little breaks.


Thats good!

i dont have air compressor or air tools... lol..

I got hundreds of other tools tho! lol..

I dont think i'm rdy for something like this yet, I dont have anyone to help me right now anyway and i wouldnt want to do it alone.. lol



2006 Scion tC
[#] May 27, 2008 12:13am
Amanda22

Reg'd: Jul 13, 2008

Oil Changer

about how long does this take?

My friends gonna do them for me and I was just wondering

[#] Aug 07, 2008 12:01am
JRod_TC

Reg'd: Apr 18, 2008

Master Mechanic

it all depends if ur friend has an air gun and a lift or not.


http://clubsciontc.com/fo...ion-System-Launched-.html
[#] Aug 07, 2008 12:07am
Mayo

Reg'd: Feb 14, 2007

The Guru

web, RouletteTc and a few people did Roulette's springs in like 3.5 hours. I came in late, so I didn't see them from the beginning, but apparently they did it without a spring compressor too!


"gonna wash my car before i take a nap.. can't rest well knowing i've got the entire cast of A Bug's Life on my bumper" - Vicious
-- Want to post a "For Sale" thread? Check out the rules first.
[#] Aug 07, 2008 12:11am
Amanda22

Reg'd: Jul 13, 2008

Oil Changer

Yeah he has both.

[#] Aug 07, 2008 12:34am
blaszczykl

Reg'd: Jun 16, 2005

Detailer

first springs I did was 7hrs.. the 2nd spring was 5hrs.. thats by myself taking my sweet time.. It will take atleast 7hrs for someone that didnt do springs before... I just think do your research before digging into it.. remember the rear springs have to be align perfectly or the wont fit

[#] Aug 07, 2008 12:42am
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