How to Install Your Own Lowering Springs

There are times when your vehicle just does not look the way you want it to and here is where a lowering springs can help. Lowering your car will make it look a lot different and also improve your drive by making corners easier to navigate. You do not want to lower it to the point where the tires rub on the frame, therefore be careful with the size of your lowering spring. You should not attempt to do this project yourself if you are a novice in vehicle maintenance and mechanics. If you lower the car too much it will scrape on speed bumps as well.

Step 1: Raise the Car

Set the emergency brake anytime you jack up your car. The emergency brake will keep the car from rolling when the drive wheels are in the air. Place the jack stands in the correct position on the frame of the car and jack the front end up.

Step 2: Remove the Strut and Spring Assembly

Remove the old strut and spring assemblies from your car. For the purpose, spray penetrating fluid on the nuts. Once the bolts are soaked, detach the wheel from the car. Once done, remove ABS wire from the strut. Now loosen the bolts by removing the rotor and brake caliper. Now you can easily remove the strut, but make sure that you are removing them in pairs.

Step 3: Compress the Spring

Use the spring compressor to compress the spring. Leave room to use your wrench. Be very careful to follow the instruction that came with the spring compressor as a compressed spring is under a lot of pressure and you could get seriously hurt.

Step 4: Loosen the Nut at the Top of the Strut

You will need to hold the smaller side of this nut and bolt combo while turning the other side. The larger nut is the nut you will need to turn while holding the smaller one still with a second wrench.

Step 5: Place the New Spring

Remove the upper spring pad, nut and the spring. Remove the compressor from the older spring so you can use it to compress the new spring. Put the new spring in place on the strut and settle it so that it sits in the indents from the old spring in the spring pad. Replace the spring pad and tighten the nut. Make sure the nut is very tight so there is no risk of it coming undone while driving.

Step 6: Remove the Spring Compressor

Remove the spring compressor and replace the strut assembly on the car. You will need to be just as careful when removing the spring compressor as you were when you put it on. The spring will jump a little to settle into place and if you are not paying attention to where your fingers are you could get hurt.