172 Lowering Guide by Fred!!!

[rustybolt]

I read a lowering guide for the MK2 172 that fred2001dynamic wrote, cant find it anywhere

anyone got the link?????????

 

[|dan]

http://www.cliosport.net/forum/showthread.php?t=125395

 

[Fred@BTM]

god i make it sound so easy (it is)

 

[rustybolt]

cheers, but that isnt the indepth one i read before?

fred help!!

 

[len_beach]

The hardest part of fitting springs Freds way is refitting the nearside strut. As the driveshaft is shorter on the nearside, it is very difficult to relocate the lower strut bolts as you can't get the wishbone low enough. I ended up popping my CV boot off.

 

[Fred@BTM]

you have to be very careful with the driveshafts

 

[16v_jon]

The hardest part of fitting springs Freds way is refitting the nearside strut. As the driveshaft is shorter on the nearside, it is very difficult to relocate the lower strut bolts as you can't get the wishbone low enough. I ended up popping my CV boot off.

its easy if you have 2 jacks and jack the car up on either side then the anti roll bar isnt working against you

 

[Fred@BTM]

exactly

 

[16v_jon]

do you ever sleep fred?

 

[Fred@BTM]

na, sleep when yer dead

 

[len_beach]

its easy if you have 2 jacks and jack the car up on either side then the anti roll bar isnt working against you

I never thought of that Jon. D'oh

 

[doddy]

when your fittin coilovers on the front, what do you need from the standard suspension, to put on the top of the coilovers, just those two big rubber donut things??

 

[Fred@BTM]

coilovers come with a "delivery nut" on top of them

remove it and discard

all you need off your old suspension is:

large rubber doughnut
bearing
steel spacer
17mm nut

 

[rustybolt]

link to guide fred?? or just a brief recap for me?

 

[Fred@BTM]

easy peasy

i'll start with the rear (always a winner LOL)

rear (30min job)

stick head under car
undo 18mm bolts on bottom of rear shocks (1 per side)
jack up rear of car
rear springs will fall out
put in new springs
you will have to lower the car bit by bit until the springs locate ( a mate is useful here)
put bolts back in, job done (use jack to help you line shock holes up with rear subframe holes)

front

BEFORE you jack the car up undo the 2 21mm top mount caps under the bonnet (soak them in WD40 the night before) don't remove them completley yet

jack up BOTH sides of the car (do this off the box section under the car, NOT ON THE SILL!)

remove wheels

undo lower shock bolts (21mm or 19mm, i can't remember, i've been on the stella)

when the shock is free, remove it by pushing the lower part towards the rear of the car (between the steering arm and the wishbone)

once off the car undo 17mm top nut (if its a 172/182, there's no need for compressors)

bang on new spring and reverse the above process

 

[Djw John]

easy peasy

i'll start with the rear (always a winner LOL)

rear (15min job)

stick head under car
undo 18mm bolts on bottom of rear shocks (1 per side)
jack up rear of car
rear springs will fall out
put in new springs
you will have to lower the car bit by bit until the springs locate ( a mate is useful here)
put bolts back in, job done (use jack to help you line shock holes up with rear subframe holes)

front

BEFORE you jack the car up undo the 2 21mm top mount caps under the bonnet (soak them in WD40 the night before) don't remove them completley yet

jack up BOTH sides of the car (do this off the box section under the car, NOT ON THE SILL!)

remove wheels

undo lower shock bolts (21mm or 18mm, i can't remember, i've been on the stella)

when the shock is free, remove it by pushing the lower part towards the rear of the car (between the steering arm and the wishbone)

once off the car undo 17mm top nut (if its a 172/182, there's no need for compressors)

bang on new spring and reverse the above process

thats pretty much as simple as it is, biggest problem is the top mounts if they are stuck solid!

 

[Fred@BTM]

go down halfords and buy an electric impact gun for £15 = job done

 

[rustybolt]

top man fred, thanks

 

[Matta_88]

I was digging a few minuites ago and found this gem of a thread but just like to clarify something that Fred said before i harpoon myself to the garage wall...

"once off the car undo 17mm top nut (if its a 172/182, there's no need for compressors)"

Does that mean i need compressors for my 1.2 16v? :O

 

[Djw John]

Yes it does

 

[Matta_88]

Poon Tang

Will i take my face off if i dont then? lol

any one wana lend me some

 

[Fred@BTM]

if you're feeling a bit dangerous, then you can do it without, but on your head be it!!!

i've done it a few times and ended up spending an hour finding the bits that flew off!

 

[HartZ]

Ive been having so much trouble trying to get that 21mm drop down bolt off the strut in the engine bay.. am i right in saying that you have to put an allen key into it aswell?

 

[Final Maxim]

i ended up using allen key, swan neck spanner and a jack handle on the spanner as a cracker bar

 

[Day]

I tried the above method and broke a load of tools.

As already suggested get hold of an impact wrench if you can.