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Old 03-31-2013, 11:49 AM   #1
jeebus
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A simpler spring/strut install DIY -- no compressor needed

I recently installed a set of RCE Yellow springs. I read through a number of guides, including this well written one from DarrenDriven on here: http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=10842

I also took note of the people that have damaged their stock struts by spinning the shaft during hat removal/install. I wanted to make sure that didn't happen.

There's no need to write another complete guide here, but I want to introduce a few short cuts that work BEAUTIFULLY on the BRZ/FR-S. Do not use this method on other vehicles as it may be dangerous, but for this particular car it is plenty safe.

The first thing you want to do, while the car is still on the ground, is get out your hollow ratchet. I picked up a Kobalt XtremeAccess. You need to have a 17mm and a 14mm socket for this. (The $39 kit at Lowes includes them). You also need a relatively long 6mm and 5mm allen wrench. I used vicegrips to hold them, but you could get one with a t-handle as well.

Now remove the top nut from the front and rear strut piston using said tools (hold the allen in place so the piston can't spin):

(see attached image 3)


After this step, you can go back to the other suspension DIY, loosen your lug nuts, etc, etc...and jack the car up. While you jack the car up, the front suspension will slowly unload itself and ALL spring tension will be released. This is not violent or dangerous with THIS CAR. It is very lightly loaded.

After the car is up in the air you can see what I mean:

(see other attached images)



The rear suspension doesn't unload completely until you remove the swaybar endlink and the bottom bolt. But once again, this isn't violent or dangerous. It's braced in there well enough and it just unloads by itself.

Now you can go back to using the other DIY. But you do not have to remove the strut hat from the front or the back. Yes, you read that right. Don't even bother removing them. Go ahead and follow everything else in the other guides though. Assemble your spring/shock/bump/cover without the hat. Once it's ready to go, feed it up into the top hole and put a few threads on with the top nut by hand. Put everything else back together and then re-tighten the top nut using the same socket and allen combo you used to remove it.

It's really that easy. I did all 4 on the BRZ, by myself, without a lift, in 2 hours from start to finish. That includes prep time.
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Last edited by jeebus; 12-01-2013 at 05:04 PM.
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