How I installed lowering springs on my '08 C4S
#1
How I installed lowering springs on my '08 C4S
Since this is my third go at springs, (stock, HR, Techart) I thought I should do a bit of a write up on the installation process. I know I know... like Schwabe said, "your like my wife with shoes". I would have to agree And DJ putting up with my OCD for wheels, I wont even start again with the springs. After talking with E55AMG in length about Techart springs vs. Damptronics, I came to the conclusion (also with the help of Dan & Alex at Sharkwerks, they all listened to me bitch about HR springs, etc.. I hope your ears are doing better ) that the Techart's were designed for my liking. I cannot tell the difference from stock ride/springs/height, and these springs; absolute perfection.
There is no track anywhere near where I live, the closest one is about 6.5 hours away. I'm one of these guys that likes my car to feel like a three ton Lincoln, but not look like an SUV. The Techart's definitely deliver! Once I made up my mind, Dan and Alex had the springs on my doorstep in two days... They are true professionals, (read between the lines) I love Sharkwerks!
So after getting my Champion RF67's on, I thought maybe I could live with the stock ride height. NOPE.
Again, I thought it only fair in good conscious to do a write up on the installation.
Dana, please make a note: I am not a professional installer, If you choose to do the installation yourself, get to it. This thread or myself is not to be held accountable for any action or impairment you may receive, mentally or physically while performing said procedure (does that sound legal and scary enough?) I've just always liked to tinker with cars on a the weekend myself; simple enough.
The first time I did the install, I scoured the internet for any bit of info that might help. Didn't find much at all... I suppose there is a better way to do it, this is how I did it. Any other pointers or suggestions are welcome.
First off is the proper footwear; if you don't own a pair of Vans, you should; go out and buy a pair now, or go to vans.com (I am not a paid spokesperson, although that would be really cool) otherwise, its just not a fun project at all.
Jack up the car, USE JACK STANDS people (I know it should be common sense, you know how the saying goes...)
Take off all the wheels and tires, we are of course going to do them all at the same time, or if you like, you can just do the fronts, and install a set of airbags in the rear... I kidd
pop the hood, unplug the trunk lamp, and take all the plastic off the top rear area of the trunk
Unplug the PASM from the harness. When plugging it back in, the male and female plugs are both numbered "1" and "2", if your like me, you'll have to get your glasses on, because I didn't see it at first. I plugged one of the PASM wires in upside down, ask me how I know
Back under the fender well, flip this metal collar back and unplug the two leads
After those are unplugged, there is one 10mm nut, and one 10mm bolt that allow the harness to be separated and hang free
Take off the steering tie rod end. I always do this with an impact; makes very quick work of things. After the nut is off, thread it back on by hand a few threads, hit the top of the nut, out it comes, unthread the nut by hand again, and the joint is out. DO NOT EVER HIT A THREADED BOLT
Back up top, take off the three nuts that hold the top of the strut to the car (mark the bolts with a pen or something so that you can put it back where it was before; you will still need to do an alignment afterward, but this gets it back very close)
Take the nut off of the top part of the drop link, then push the drop link back
Take off the Axle nut (notice in this photo, what is already taken off, etc...)
Take off the 18mm nut 16mm bolt, that hold the strut in place; its not going anywhere just yet, it will rest on its own built in arm until we pull it straight up and out...
Loosen the two bolts on the brake caliper with a 10mm allen wrench about halfway
Wrap a wire around the caliper, then take it off; let it hang. If you leave the caliper on the rotor, you will bend the brake lines; not good.
At this point, everything is pretty much free floating, almost ready to come out. I don't take the lower ball joint off of the knuckle, I want that part to stay where it is (plus its a major pain in the ass, under the axle shaft) Now in a seemingly "one fell swoop" motion, I'm going to pull the rotor off of the axle shaft, which will let the assembly drop down (but not all the way, because I left that ball joint on the bottom). Hanging onto the top of the strut, pull the rotor off the axle, careful not to let the strut bolts hit the fender arch, and mind the wire...
from here, it will lift straight out; done with this one...
Out
Strut assy goes into the spring compressor. Take off the top nut after compression, nut plate and top bushing; pull the strut housing out of the bottom
In goes the new Techart spring
Reassemble in the compressor; insert the housing up from the bottom, take care to line up the seat correctly, slide on the top bushing, plate, nut; then tighten the nut. Release the pressure, and this is what you get
Now do everything backwards, and this is what it should look like
This is a shot of the rear. It is very simple; climb in the back of the car, remove the "Bose" plates off the speaker housing, remove the back seat strikers in the quarter panel trim, remove the torx bolt just under the outlet of the subwoofer, pull sub out, pull bottom carpet trim out, two 10mm bolts hold mounting plates that need to come out; remove small bits of trim, unplug the PASM. This is where the top of the rear struts are hiding. Back under the car, remove both latteral arms at the knuckle only, remove the rear sway bar (4 13mm bolts, and two drop links) remove lower toe link, get back in the car, remove all six strut bolts at the top. Remove the bolt at the bottom of the strut; out it comes. Also for the rears, you don't have to remove the calipers or the axle nut, etc...
Done
Again, I'm not a professional installer; just a hobby. I wont be liable for any damages or injury. Probably didn't need to say that, but you know how some can be...
Takes 6-8 hours start to finish, with lunch, beer, a bit of rest, etc...
There is no track anywhere near where I live, the closest one is about 6.5 hours away. I'm one of these guys that likes my car to feel like a three ton Lincoln, but not look like an SUV. The Techart's definitely deliver! Once I made up my mind, Dan and Alex had the springs on my doorstep in two days... They are true professionals, (read between the lines) I love Sharkwerks!
So after getting my Champion RF67's on, I thought maybe I could live with the stock ride height. NOPE.
Again, I thought it only fair in good conscious to do a write up on the installation.
Dana, please make a note: I am not a professional installer, If you choose to do the installation yourself, get to it. This thread or myself is not to be held accountable for any action or impairment you may receive, mentally or physically while performing said procedure (does that sound legal and scary enough?) I've just always liked to tinker with cars on a the weekend myself; simple enough.
The first time I did the install, I scoured the internet for any bit of info that might help. Didn't find much at all... I suppose there is a better way to do it, this is how I did it. Any other pointers or suggestions are welcome.
First off is the proper footwear; if you don't own a pair of Vans, you should; go out and buy a pair now, or go to vans.com (I am not a paid spokesperson, although that would be really cool) otherwise, its just not a fun project at all.
Jack up the car, USE JACK STANDS people (I know it should be common sense, you know how the saying goes...)
Take off all the wheels and tires, we are of course going to do them all at the same time, or if you like, you can just do the fronts, and install a set of airbags in the rear... I kidd
pop the hood, unplug the trunk lamp, and take all the plastic off the top rear area of the trunk
Unplug the PASM from the harness. When plugging it back in, the male and female plugs are both numbered "1" and "2", if your like me, you'll have to get your glasses on, because I didn't see it at first. I plugged one of the PASM wires in upside down, ask me how I know
Back under the fender well, flip this metal collar back and unplug the two leads
After those are unplugged, there is one 10mm nut, and one 10mm bolt that allow the harness to be separated and hang free
Take off the steering tie rod end. I always do this with an impact; makes very quick work of things. After the nut is off, thread it back on by hand a few threads, hit the top of the nut, out it comes, unthread the nut by hand again, and the joint is out. DO NOT EVER HIT A THREADED BOLT
Back up top, take off the three nuts that hold the top of the strut to the car (mark the bolts with a pen or something so that you can put it back where it was before; you will still need to do an alignment afterward, but this gets it back very close)
Take the nut off of the top part of the drop link, then push the drop link back
Take off the Axle nut (notice in this photo, what is already taken off, etc...)
Take off the 18mm nut 16mm bolt, that hold the strut in place; its not going anywhere just yet, it will rest on its own built in arm until we pull it straight up and out...
Loosen the two bolts on the brake caliper with a 10mm allen wrench about halfway
Wrap a wire around the caliper, then take it off; let it hang. If you leave the caliper on the rotor, you will bend the brake lines; not good.
At this point, everything is pretty much free floating, almost ready to come out. I don't take the lower ball joint off of the knuckle, I want that part to stay where it is (plus its a major pain in the ass, under the axle shaft) Now in a seemingly "one fell swoop" motion, I'm going to pull the rotor off of the axle shaft, which will let the assembly drop down (but not all the way, because I left that ball joint on the bottom). Hanging onto the top of the strut, pull the rotor off the axle, careful not to let the strut bolts hit the fender arch, and mind the wire...
from here, it will lift straight out; done with this one...
Out
Strut assy goes into the spring compressor. Take off the top nut after compression, nut plate and top bushing; pull the strut housing out of the bottom
In goes the new Techart spring
Reassemble in the compressor; insert the housing up from the bottom, take care to line up the seat correctly, slide on the top bushing, plate, nut; then tighten the nut. Release the pressure, and this is what you get
Now do everything backwards, and this is what it should look like
This is a shot of the rear. It is very simple; climb in the back of the car, remove the "Bose" plates off the speaker housing, remove the back seat strikers in the quarter panel trim, remove the torx bolt just under the outlet of the subwoofer, pull sub out, pull bottom carpet trim out, two 10mm bolts hold mounting plates that need to come out; remove small bits of trim, unplug the PASM. This is where the top of the rear struts are hiding. Back under the car, remove both latteral arms at the knuckle only, remove the rear sway bar (4 13mm bolts, and two drop links) remove lower toe link, get back in the car, remove all six strut bolts at the top. Remove the bolt at the bottom of the strut; out it comes. Also for the rears, you don't have to remove the calipers or the axle nut, etc...
Done
Again, I'm not a professional installer; just a hobby. I wont be liable for any damages or injury. Probably didn't need to say that, but you know how some can be...
Takes 6-8 hours start to finish, with lunch, beer, a bit of rest, etc...
#6
Did you get your Vans yet?