These instructions may apply to other vehicles as well.
PRECAUTIONS: There is a great amount of energy stored in a compressed coil spring. NEVER release a suspension component that quickly releases the tension on a compressed coil spring or severe personal injury can result. The removal of compressed coil springs requires special spring compressors and safety precautions. Pick up a rental tool spring compressor from your local auto parts store and know how to use it before beginning your lowering spring installation.
TOOLS REQUIRED:
- Air tools are almost a must have.
- Coil spring compressor
- Pry Bar or Puller
- Tool set of wrenches and sockets
TO REMOVE (detailed instructions are given first to get you started):
1) Measure your stock ride height for fun, so you can see how far your lowering kit drops the car after you are done.
2) Raise up the front suspension of the Volkswagen. A lift would be great here, but if you don't have access to one, jack it up and be sure to use jackstands to support the car. Remove the tires when the vehicle is off the ground.
3) Make your alignment marks to make sure your camber won't be off when you're done. If you have a camber gauge, get a reading from it first and write it down. If you don't have a gauge, mark the relationship of the car strut to the steering knuckle using a sharpie to mark the outline of the car strut to the knuckle. If you aren't replacing the struts, you can also mark around the bolt on the strut. This will make sure you know the relationships before you put it back together.
4) Remove the nuts that hold the strut to the steering knuckle. You might want to spray them down with some PB Blast first, especially if you are using handtools. Once you get the nuts loose, back them off, but leave them attached to the end of the bolt for the time being.
5) Remove the cotterpin from the tie rod bolt using pliers or to slowly work it out and remove the nut. Using a pry bar or a 2-jaw puller, separate the tie rod from the arm of the strut. Be careful not to tear the boot.
6) Hammer out the steering knuckle bolts that you already loosened the nut on. Be careful that you do not over extend the CV joint, once the shaft drops free of the strut. You may want to secure it with tiewire so it does not hang down too far and break something. You could also damage the brakes if the steering knuckle falls down too far.
7) Now take off the three bolts holding the strut mount into the tower on the top . Once you get these three out, the strut should be free and you can take it off.
8) Clamp a spring compressor in a vise. If you don't have one, you should be able to rent a spring compressor from your local auto parts store.
9) Install the strut in the spring compressor
10) Pry off the mounting bolt cap
11) Compress the coil spring and remove the self-locking nut from the piston rod.
12) Matchmark the position of the spring retainer and spring mount.
13) Remove the spring seat and related components noting the order of removal.
14) Remove the strut from the spring compressor.
15) Release the tension on the coil spring, and remove the spring out of the compressor.
TO INSTALL:
1) Install the new spring into the compressor
2) Compress the spring and insert the strut through the spring.
3) Install the spring seat and related components in the reverse order as they were removed and aligning the matchmarks.
4) Install a new self-locking nut.
5) Reinstall the mounting bolt cap.
6) Release the spring compressor and install the strut into the vehicle.
You are done! Now sit back and admire your newly dropped Volkswagen Golf, GTI, or Jetta enhanced with the increased handling capacity and lower center of gravity.
|