front suspension tips?

[mustangtomiata]

I bought 10AE suspension from 4sevens and installed the rears which was easy and trouble free, I then went to do the fronts and couldn't devise a way to get the assembly out, so any tips out there on getting front shock/spring assembly out? I don't have a spring compressor and I am leaving tomorrow for little tally so if it's a pain then I'm not going to bother.

[oldgrayfrog]

Need a spring compressor, worst case go to auto parts store for the kind you can hook up to a drill. Otherwise.. no go.

[amaff]

Stand on the Hub / rotor, it'll swing the control arm out of the way

[ben91]

2nd person to yank down on hub and/or operate pry bar makes it much easier.

Re-installing is much easier than removal if you're using lowering springs.

[oldgrayfrog]

Pushing down you must be very big or very strong.

[mustangtomiata]

Stand on the Hub / rotor, it'll swing the control arm out of the way

I tried that and couldn't make it happen, i'm no light weight either at 200. I also tried taking the bottom bolt out of the spindle/control arm and it then didn't want to come free.

2nd person to yank down on hub and/or operate pry bar makes it much easier.

Re-installing is much easier than removal if you're using lowering springs.


No lowering springs but the back was much easier to take apart than it was to put back together.


I'll give it a shot again tomorrow, maybe try the other side.

[amaff]

I tried that and couldn't make it happen, i'm no light weight either at 200. I also tried taking the bottom bolt out of the spindle/control arm and it then didn't want to come free.

Yeah, there's a 2nd bolt under the bottom of the shock... you'd have to take the castle nut off the ball joint for that to work with the shock still in place.

[lazybones]

Derek put mine in..it took like 4-5 hours just to get one of the front ones in. He couldn't get it either and it took forever for us to figure out how. Soo he just unbolted part of the control arm..hahah. Definitely needed an alignment after that. Definitely.

[nolift]

It is a pain in the ***, mine took strength and patience. I had to walk away from it for a bit. I also disconnected the end links to get a bit more movement. I was a bit more aggressive because I knew they would get repainted by Pro Parts so I wasn't concerned about messing up the paint. Dito on the castle nut. They go in a lot easier then they come out!
http://memimage.cardomain.com/ride_images/3/1911/361/29775180008_large.jpg

[wildfire0310]

Well the correct way is to remove the upper control arm to install.

The cheap, easy way is to get a long crow bar and have a friend pry down with all his strength. Unhooking the sway bar is a must.

[matredd]

Just disconnect the sway bar and then slide out the long bolt from the upper control arm. You'll have plenty of clearance at this point. I think we live fairly close. I could drop by tonight after work if you need some help.

[Jack-MX5ATLanta.com]

Just disconnect the sway bar and then slide out the long bolt from the upper control arm. You'll have plenty of clearance at this point. I think we live fairly close. I could drop by tonight after work if you need some help.

That's what I've done every time and never had a problem. Pretty quick at switching suspension these days.

[RotorNutFD3S]

That's what we did at the tech day too. Works great!

[mustangtomiata]

Thanks mat and yeah we do live close but I am literally about to leave for little talladega, Wish me luck I'll let yall know now it goes, never even had time to mess with the car today, was at the exhaust shop I just picked it up. 2.5" straight FTMF...deaf.