So after umming and ahhhing for a while and some great advice from guys on here, ordered some Raceland coilovers for my car. They didnt have the Ultimo in stock but I wasnt too fussed so got the standard ones.
Arrived super fast and over the last 3 days ( yes you read that right ) I fitted them. It took that long because work kept getting in the way and so it was mostly afternoons , friday, saturday and today. I have watched the official Raceland video several times and a few others but I just wish my install had gone that quick or smooth. All I can say is what an absolute ballache of a job.
Rears
These are meant to be the easier to do (well that what the video would make you believe ) but literally around 6 hours to do one side ! Taking the strut out was easy, two bolts at the top, one at the bottom and something else. Cant recall. Then dropped the hub down and that is when you come across your first issue. In the video they say drop the two sub frame mounts but only by an inch. doing that is meant to give you enough slack to bring the hub down...nope
1. You need to loosen your rear anti roll bar
2. You need to disengage the two bolts holding the brake hose to the body or else it will be way to tight on the hose...
3 Then you need to literally have someone bounce the hub whilst yanking on the rear spring to bring it out...*******
Finally it came out with loads of swearing .
The old knackered struts ( both were shot and didnt retract and extend )
Then it was a case of swapping over the top, added in new bump stops and covers and guess on the setting for the adjustment.
Spring was easier to get in because it was shorter but strut was a bit harder as trying to align all the bolts meant up and down like a yo-yo with a jack. Then ARB bolts, remember the brake lines and drop the car.
Then realise it was too high so you have to literally do the same process again because there is no way you can wind down the spring as it is on so much tension. Anyway adjusted and all back together and then did the same on the other side .
Now onto the fronts so day two.
Again never as easier as the video ( I wanted to smack the guy in the video in the face when he made it look so easier ) but added into the mix was the fact I had to sort out an MOT advisory as one of the Tie-rod ends was perished.
So before
So undoing the strut, drop link for ARB and tie-rod end was fairly striaght forward but those two turkey arms thingys were a PITA. Once undone from the engine bay literally had to wiggle it out enough I could get a spanner and socket on the bolts. Then discovered that you need to get someone ( the wife came in handy as she said she had eaten enough cakes to make a differnce
) bounce the hub again to get the strut out.
Clamped the springs to take the tension meant I could work on the top nut but had to shock the strut as I didnt have a swan neck spanner to get enough grip. Replaced the bump stops and left the pre-load spring height as they came which turned out to be a big mistake.
Finally got it back in , all buttoned up , dropped the car to discover it was way too low. More on this later but it was dark so another day
Day three ( yes I know ) came out to do other side. Much quicker this time but once dropped, could see where the problem was.
My driveway is on a slope and the road also slopes so makes it very tricky when coming on/off the driveway as with the splitter it is close. So could see I was way too low and scraped the splitter. Back on and off with the wheel , and started adjusting. Wind up, wheel on, back down, try again. Repeat about 17 million times. Finally as the light was going and my wife shining a torch on the splitter as I came off the driveway got it spot on.
So no shots of how it sits now but have been for a drive and already feels much better, not crashing and just so much nicer.
oh and the tie-rod end replaced
Arrived super fast and over the last 3 days ( yes you read that right ) I fitted them. It took that long because work kept getting in the way and so it was mostly afternoons , friday, saturday and today. I have watched the official Raceland video several times and a few others but I just wish my install had gone that quick or smooth. All I can say is what an absolute ballache of a job.
Rears
These are meant to be the easier to do (well that what the video would make you believe ) but literally around 6 hours to do one side ! Taking the strut out was easy, two bolts at the top, one at the bottom and something else. Cant recall. Then dropped the hub down and that is when you come across your first issue. In the video they say drop the two sub frame mounts but only by an inch. doing that is meant to give you enough slack to bring the hub down...nope
1. You need to loosen your rear anti roll bar
2. You need to disengage the two bolts holding the brake hose to the body or else it will be way to tight on the hose...
3 Then you need to literally have someone bounce the hub whilst yanking on the rear spring to bring it out...*******
Finally it came out with loads of swearing .
The old knackered struts ( both were shot and didnt retract and extend )
Then it was a case of swapping over the top, added in new bump stops and covers and guess on the setting for the adjustment.
Spring was easier to get in because it was shorter but strut was a bit harder as trying to align all the bolts meant up and down like a yo-yo with a jack. Then ARB bolts, remember the brake lines and drop the car.
Then realise it was too high so you have to literally do the same process again because there is no way you can wind down the spring as it is on so much tension. Anyway adjusted and all back together and then did the same on the other side .
Now onto the fronts so day two.
Again never as easier as the video ( I wanted to smack the guy in the video in the face when he made it look so easier ) but added into the mix was the fact I had to sort out an MOT advisory as one of the Tie-rod ends was perished.
So before
So undoing the strut, drop link for ARB and tie-rod end was fairly striaght forward but those two turkey arms thingys were a PITA. Once undone from the engine bay literally had to wiggle it out enough I could get a spanner and socket on the bolts. Then discovered that you need to get someone ( the wife came in handy as she said she had eaten enough cakes to make a differnce
) bounce the hub again to get the strut out. Clamped the springs to take the tension meant I could work on the top nut but had to shock the strut as I didnt have a swan neck spanner to get enough grip. Replaced the bump stops and left the pre-load spring height as they came which turned out to be a big mistake.
Finally got it back in , all buttoned up , dropped the car to discover it was way too low. More on this later but it was dark so another day
Day three ( yes I know ) came out to do other side. Much quicker this time but once dropped, could see where the problem was.
My driveway is on a slope and the road also slopes so makes it very tricky when coming on/off the driveway as with the splitter it is close. So could see I was way too low and scraped the splitter. Back on and off with the wheel , and started adjusting. Wind up, wheel on, back down, try again. Repeat about 17 million times. Finally as the light was going and my wife shining a torch on the splitter as I came off the driveway got it spot on.
So no shots of how it sits now but have been for a drive and already feels much better, not crashing and just so much nicer.
oh and the tie-rod end replaced
