[SuziBlu]

I just received some coil spacers, thanks Bruce, for my fathers car, now, how do I put them on.

Do I need to use spring compressors, or can I jack her up, drop off the shocky, and lower the whole lot, insert the spacer and then lift it back, or what.

Maybe if spring compressors needed, simply wire the coils and do the drop.

Im doing this for dad, goodo, an I am really unsure of vitaras, so, whats the thoughts.

Quick an easy, or compressors/wired, or just a drop.

[DarkHorse]

If the springs are original or stock length you will be able to do it without compressors - are you doing front, rear or both?

Things that will help:
- Do one end at a time (unless you have access to a hoist I guess)
- Remove the wheels
- Slip the brake line clips off the body/struts before you jack it up so they have room to move
- Remove the rear control arm bottom bolts to give it more flex
- Remove the front swaybar and A-Arm bolts, same deal
- Unbolt the shocks, jack the car up by the chassis and the spring should pretty much fall out. Slip spacer in over the bump stop, then get the spring back in. It will be a lot harder refitting than removing, but you should be fine. Do everything back up, then test each wheel at full droop to make sure the springs stay seated.

[SuziBlu]

Thank you. Most excellent news.

[royce]

Rear;

Remove bottom shock mount
jack up under chassis and put on stands (both sides) so diff drops
stick head in through wheel arch above tyre and push down on tyre, drag spring and pull out from bottom end
Slip spacer over top mount / bumpstop
slip spring back in top first, push down on tyre to get bottom of spring back in
take off stands and put shocks back on
check the diff breather hose hasnt come off

Front
jack stands under chassis again
remove swaybar links from teh control arms
remove the freewheeling hubs and the circlip holding the driveshaft on
put a jack under the control arm and put some pressure on it so its taking the weight
now either undo the strut at the top mount or the balljoint, if you go at the strut top undo the brake hose clip on the strut too (balljoint is easier)
now its released lower the jack so the arm swings down and the spring goes loose, rip it out and stick the spacer in the top and stick the spring back in, sometimes needs a kick
do it all back up and you are done

[SuziBlu]

Royce, thanks a million, very clear an simple explanation.

The front sounds like dad will owe me, lol yea right.

[DarkHorse]

Why the freewheeling hubs?

[royce]

you need to be able to slide teh driveshafts out a bit to get the arm to drop, either pulling the bottom balljoint clear of the arm or to lower the whole lot down

[DarkHorse]

Ah, OK. I managed without, but I did have to jump up and down on the hubs to get the springs back in.

[atari4x4]

i usually unbolt the ball joint from the wishbone, saves having to belt the snot out of the ball joint to get it to pop off.

[SuziBlu]

Well yesterday arvo, done the rears, was so easy, but legs hurtin, so had a beer, then a pain killer, maybe packed it a bit too full, so had a look at the front, but no way was I going too attempt it, so had a few more beers, an painkillers yaaaa.

Had a look this morning at the front, an um, will do that little job, arrr, later.

Crikey that looks so very tight n cramped, an my size does not like tight n cramped work spaces, oh well, soon.

[banga]

atari4x4 wrote:

i usually unbolt the ball joint from the wishbone, saves having to belt the snot out of the ball joint to get it to pop off.

that would have to the worst way to get a ball joint out i bought a ball joint and tie rod joint remover yesterday best $30 i have ever spent saves crap loads of time take 30sec to pop a ball joint out.

[royce]

banga wrote:

atari4x4 wrote:

i usually unbolt the ball joint from the wishbone, saves having to belt the snot out of the ball joint to get it to pop off.

that would have to the worst way to get a ball joint out i bought a ball joint and tie rod joint remover yesterday best $30 i have ever spent saves crap loads of time take 30sec to pop a ball joint out.

Till it squishes the thread on the end a bit, which when you are working on a car that you build the balljoint into teh hub and have to lap and shim it to the correct preload is damn annoying