[skim7x]

Originally Posted by BzsBimmer

Okay... I started this thing at 10 AM and I just got done around 7PM.
Multiple problems. The first main one was that I didn't have a rear spanner wrench.

I thought I raised the rear by turning CCW. I don't know how much travel it moves per turn but I feel that it's lower. The drivers side kept spinning with each turn so it was going nowhere.
I ended up taking off the lower control arm and I think I stripped the large 21MM bolt with the "E" shaped washer on the nut side. I marked it the best way I could and put it back the best way I could. I think that bolt controls the alignment?
The 19mm or 20mm nut on the LCA feels snug but it keeps spinning when I tighten it. I felt some resistance and then it felt loose again.

I adjusted the fronts 5 spins CCW and it's definitely higher because I can fit one finger under the fender now.
The rear I adjusted 5 spins CCW and it looks lower

I took it out for a spin and now my steering wheel is pointed more to the left and my DSC and RFT error lights came on.

I think when I took apart the lower control arm it messed up the alignment more than if I just raised the car. I'm going to go at it again tomorrow but I don't look forward to having to remove the lower control arm again.

Oh and I tried to get a wrench to adjust the rear but I ended up filing down an extra front one I had.

Wow... yeah putting coilovers on is definitely not a cake walk... especially if it's your first time... I can vouch for that.

Truthfully, if it's your first time, I would recommend letting a shop do it... I attempted it as you did, and ran into many-a-problems... I ended up paying a local performance shop to do the install for me, and they actually let me hang out and watch while they did the install... and now I could say that I can competently install coilovers, but only after seeing it done right for the first time... otherwise, it makes it very difficult. Also, having the right tools makes a WHOLE lot of difference (as does having a lift).

Well, good luck to you... if you have any more problems, feel free to post up and I'll help you out as much I can... although I don't know how much help I can be...

[Turkishexpress]

Yea definitely get it done professionally if you want the most out of them. You paid a premium price for those coil-overs so its worth waiting a while to install and corner balance them if money is the issue.

[BzsBimmer]

I did have the shop put them on but they settled and I started to rub.
All I was trying to do was adjust them.

How much spacing do you have between your rear black stop and the purple nut? You probably won't know without taking off your rim

I'm going to try it again tomorrow

[skim7x]

Originally Posted by BzsBimmer

I did have the shop put them on but they settled and I started to rub.
All I was trying to do was adjust them.

How much spacing do you have between your rear black stop and the purple nut? You probably won't know without taking off your rim

I'm going to try it again tomorrow

wait wait wait... you're just trying to adjust the height? why are you even messing with control arms and stuff? All you gotta do is take the wheel off, loosen the locking bolt on the purple ring, and turn the ring with the spanner wrench... you'll see the ring move up and down quite easily... then just tighten the locking bolt and you're done!

For my rears, I have the height adjustment at full max because I didn't really want much of a drop... my fronts are about 1/4" drop from their full max as well...

[BzsBimmer]

Originally Posted by skim7x

wait wait wait... you're just trying to adjust the height? why are you even messing with control arms and stuff? All you gotta do is take the wheel off, loosen the locking bolt on the purple ring, and turn the ring with the spanner wrench... you'll see the ring move up and down quite easily... then just tighten the locking bolt and you're done!

For my rears, I have the height adjustment at full max because I didn't really want much of a drop... my fronts are about 1/4" drop from their full max as well...

I did the front with no probs
The rear... you mentioned full max. Do you remember how much black thread was showing in bewteen the black thread and the purple collar?
On mine I have the black threaded rod so that it sits pretty flush on the bottom of the purple threaded ring. I guessing yours has a lot of black thread showing. This will tell me if I have to spin it CCW or CW. The more black showing means I have to move it CCW


My black piece spins when I try to adjust the purple ring so it doesn't adjust height. I tried everything I could but in the end I had to undo the lower control arm.

I'm going to rent some spring compressors tomorrow so I can try to clinch down the springs and take out the threaded caps. It'll make adjusting them so much easier.
I still need to check out and see if I stripped the camber bolt on the control arm. I have a service appt this Wednesday so I'll have them do an alignment

[skim7x]

Originally Posted by BzsBimmer

I did the front with no probs
The rear... you mentioned full max. Do you remember how much black thread was showing in bewteen the black thread and the purple collar?
On mine I have the black threaded rod so that it sits pretty flush on the bottom of the purple threaded ring. I guessing yours has a lot of black thread showing. This will tell me if I have to spin it CCW or CW. The more black showing means I have to move it CCW


My black piece spins when I try to adjust the purple ring so it doesn't adjust height. I tried everything I could but in the end I had to undo the lower control arm.

I'm going to rent some spring compressors tomorrow so I can try to clinch down the springs and take out the threaded caps. It'll make adjusting them so much easier.
I still need to check out and see if I stripped the camber bolt on the control arm. I have a service appt this Wednesday so I'll have them do an alignment

Yes, mine has ALL of the black thread showing... maybe one thread at the top is in the purple ring just to make sure they don't slip apart =P But yes, I have almost all of the black thread showing...

Hmm... the black piece shouldn't really spin, as it should be pressed up against the car pretty firmly... but yes, if the black part is spinning when you turn the purple ring, you will probably need to take the whole spring assembly out, adjust the height, and put it back together...

You shouldn't need spring compressors for the rears... just undo the control arm, and they will decompress... and when you put them back in, they will compress as you bolt the control arm back into place.

[BzsBimmer]

Well the thought was that I could compress the spring so I don't have to unbolt the control arm but I'll see how I fell tomorrow.
I feel like crap today. I thought it was going to be all good... and I got all bad

[BzsBimmer]

What part of SA are you in?
I love SA. I bought some property there a couple of years ago as well as some lots at Dancing Bear Ranch up by Lake Medina

[skim7x]

Originally Posted by BzsBimmer

What part of SA are you in?
I love SA. I bought some property there a couple of years ago as well as some lots at Dancing Bear Ranch up by Lake Medina

I live by the medical center (North SA)... it's nice -- a little slow-paced for my style, though =P People here actually drive under the speed limit!! haha

[BzsBimmer]

All better today.
Still had to loosen the lower control arm bolt but I did the one closest to the wheel hub.

I still have DSC error lights but I'll have the dealer do the alignment this Wed.

[skim7x]

Originally Posted by BzsBimmer

All better today.
Still had to loosen the lower control arm bolt but I did the one closest to the wheel hub.

I still have DSC error lights but I'll have the dealer do the alignment this Wed.

Do you have your ABS light on, too? You may have disconnected/damaged the ABS sensor in one of the front wheel wells... a damaged ABS sensor will cause the ABS, Traction control, and Brake light to come on...

[BzsBimmer]

I don't think so. I didnt have any issues with the front. Just removed the wheels and adjusted

[BzsBimmer]

Great news for me anyways
Going to work today the error lights turned off automatically. I pulled the e-brake last night when I parked the car as the "BRAKE" lamp was yellow or orange. When I pulled it up it turned red as it's supposed to.
I don't know if that meant anything to reset but not even 3 miles into my 15 mile commute, it shut off.
Alignment at Big O tomorrow
$100

[zsapphire7]

Is there any way to prevent that black disc from spinning when adjusting height in the rear? (aside from uncompressing the spring by unbolting the control arm?)

[tapengl]

By adjusting the height, does the spring get compress or expand ?

[remmib]

Originally Posted by tapengl

By adjusting the height, does the spring get compress or expand ?

No.

[zsapphire7]

Originally Posted by remmib

No.

Um..to elaborate when you lower the car the spring will compress the same but where it sits will be moved