Help with fitting springs

phoenixv6quattro

phoenixv6quattro

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Alright Gents. This is a bit necky as I've only been a member for a few months and have never met any of you(except Geeman)! I need some help(well a lot) to fit my new lowering springs. Never done it before and dont have a spring compressor. If anyone can help me within a 50 mile radius of London it would be massively appreciated, and rewarded for their help.

Cheers

Ollie
 
If you were closer fella, I'd come and do it for you... no problem.

You DO need some spring compressors though... Halfords do them for not a lot of money.
 
machine mart specials about £20
 
Some advice, get a can of plusgas, and spray the top pinch bolts twice a day, every day between now and when you do the job. Might just save you a big headache!
 
phoenixv6quattro said:
Alright Gents. This is a bit necky as I've only been a member for a few months and have never met any of you(except Geeman)! I need some help(well a lot) to fit my new lowering springs. Never done it before and dont have a spring compressor. If anyone can help me within a 50 mile radius of London it would be massively appreciated, and rewarded for their help.

Cheers

Ollie
Click to expand...
Hi mate, i'm based in N. London and could fit them springs for you...Do as instructed above, spray the pinch bolts thoroughly as they are quite a pain to remove ! Regards, Chris- 077 899 12128.
 
Gents, many many thanks. Ref pinch bolts will do thanks for the advice! Chris your a legend, just started work, will give you a buzz tomorrow around 2100.
Thanks again guys!
 
audi upgrades
Ye i guess you dont need to, its just easier having that whole plate sitting on the floor if it DOES come off, and stops you having to burst up the paint in your engine bay.
 
to remove the whole plate he will have to remove the 3 big bolts in the engine bay i never damaged any paint but to remove the shock without the plate which is what i did he will have to remove the 2 gromets which are painted over and undo the 2 13mm nuts i would not remove the whole plate because he will have to remove the brake caliper and disc remove the drive shaft unplug the abs sensor to get it in a position for removing and replacing the springs a lot of trouble when you can just remove the shock
 
prizing those grommets out busts the paint up though, that was my point.

I think you should be able to get the top plate and shock out without removing the brake caliper etc.

Either way, you must put something underneath the upright to support its weight, or you'll kill all the bushes.
 
The bushes are tightened with the car on the floor at its normal ride height.

When you jack the car up and the suspension drops, the bushes twist (just like they do when driving), because the centre sleeve of the bush is bolted tightly to the subframe/top plate, and the outer is bonded to the suspension arm. The amount of twist is limited by the shock reaching full extension, and thats perfectly acceptable.

Once you unbolt the shock, the weight of the hub/brake disk/caliper/upright etc is no longer being supported by the shock, and the bushes will twist even further, waay outside their normal range of operation.
 
to solve the bush twist all he as to do is loosen the bolts that attach the bottom arms to the sub frame that way they will move inside the mounting point and no twist will occur then when all is done he can jack up under the bottom arm balljoints till the car just starts to rise the suspenion will rise as if the car was sat on the floor but allows better access to tighten the bolts
 
To be honest, once the shock is removed the drop on the lower arm is negligable and won't be like it will hang like that for a long time.

i like to remove the pinch bolt and whole carrier as it allows the arms to be replaced if nec at a later point for a small amount of extra work for me.
Copper grease FTW
 
Keep it all coming...
I'm doing my springs next weeks so as many tips as pos.
I'm doing the 3 bolt option not the grommet way.
I've seen the pinch bolt so will spray that as much as pos before hand.
So as long as i support the hub, undo the 3 main bolts at the top, the pinch bolt with the two top arms and the one at the bottom of the strut, thats it?
Then use spring clamps and undo the top plate?
Or is there more to it?
 
OllyS4 said:
Keep it all coming...
I'm doing my springs next weeks so as many tips as pos.
I'm doing the 3 bolt option not the grommet way.
I've seen the pinch bolt so will spray that as much as pos before hand.
So as long as i support the hub, undo the 3 main bolts at the top, the pinch bolt with the two top arms and the one at the bottom of the strut, thats it?
Then use spring clamps and undo the top plate?
Or is there more to it?
Click to expand...

just one more word of advice mate undoing the pinch bolt if it as not been moved for a while is a complete nightmare if you have not got the right gear for starters you will need heat and a stout vice if you do it like this get yourself 2 new pinch bolts because you will destroy them i just dont want you to get stuck when there is a much more easier way
 
Its all luck of the draw.

On craigs S4 they both came out without a fuss.

One of mine came out easily, the other required drilling out after many hours of screaming at it.
 
Nez said:
Hey chris what happened to my car you changed the front but you never changed the rear and you just left me with old rear springs and I send you so many text messages and call but never get any replies or call back. I don't know what happen but thats not good service man :no:
Click to expand...
Left Adamss24 a few messages both on here and his mobile. Has not got back to me.............
 
Hello mate. Yeah that sounds good! Have been soaking the pinchers/rear bolts.
Thanks mate.

Ollie
 
You could always just cut the bolts off and replace them, unless you mean the ones that hold the upper mounting to the car?

The upper mounting bolts seem to have a very coarse thread, and as they go into the body of the car, the thread doesnt get corroded and they dont seize up. As long as you can get a socket on and grip the head then your good to go.
 
Guys, can we please take this to PM's I am going to remove the comments spoiling this thread. so we can continue
 
aragorn said:
You could always just cut the bolts off and replace them, unless you mean the ones that hold the upper mounting to the car?

The upper mounting bolts seem to have a very coarse thread, and as they go into the body of the car, the thread doesnt get corroded and they dont seize up. As long as you can get a socket on and grip the head then your good to go.
Click to expand...
Yeah, bought new bolts(still in me boot!) but Nez painted every bit on the rear subframe including bolts, nuts, brake pipes, etc wich combined with the rust and grime does not work well when attempting to undo said bolts...especially without an impact driver! And to be fair, it looked that too much work for very little money. I do work cheap and fast but NOT that cheap for that long ! Anyway, with the money he saved he can pay someone else to give-it a go...
 
I've finished fitting mine. One big thing to point out is jack both sides of the car up at the same time other wise you'l be fighting the antiroll bar. Apart from that it all went well and easy id say an hour (ish) per corner.
 
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