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Spring swap walkthrough - Tein H-Tech's


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Well.. I got my H-techs last week and did the install this past Friday night. It would've been fairly easy except for the two lower shock bolts in the rear!!!! :icon_mad:

 

But... we got it after some time. More on that later.... here's my walkthrough....

 

First... a shot of the springs.....

 

http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l263/smccorry/H-tech%20spring%20install/HtechSprings.jpg

 

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Front strut spring swap......

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1.) I decided to do the front spring swap first. Raise the vehicle off the ground and support it with jack stands. The stand must NOT be under the control arm... as you need this to drop so that you can get the strut out.

 

2.) Remove the front wheel.

 

3.) Once the wheel is removed... you will clearly see the front strut assembly.

 

4.) Remove the brake line from the strut assembly.....

 

http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l263/smccorry/H-tech%20spring%20install/Brakelinemount.jpg

 

5.) Next, remove the other line (I think it is the ABS sensor line) from the strut bracket.

 

http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l263/smccorry/H-tech%20spring%20install/ABSsensorwiremount.jpg

 

6.) Once both of these lines are loose from the strut... you will need to locate the two attachment bolts on the lower end of the strut. The top bolt can be seen in the above photos. The lower one is about 1" below it. The bottom bolt is just that... a bolt and nut assembly. The upper bolt is an eccentric assembly that is used to adjust the camber of the front wheel. MARK THE UPPER BOLT LOCATION with respect to the strut assembly BEFORE loosening the nut and removing the bolt.

 

7.) Once the two lower mount bolts have been removed... you can loosen and remove the three retainer bolts from the top hat. This is located under the hood (on top of the shock tower). You can seen them on either side in this photo....

 

http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l263/smccorry/H-tech%20spring%20install/Enginenocover.jpg

 

I recommend loosening all three first.... to where they can be removed by hand. Then.. grab the strut and remove the nuts... the strut will fall out at this point if you aren't holding it.

 

8.) Here is what the factory strut looks like....

 

http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l263/smccorry/H-tech%20spring%20install/Frontstockassembly.jpg

 

9.) Remove the shaft nut cover at this point.

 

http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l263/smccorry/H-tech%20spring%20install/Shaftnutcover.jpg

 

10.) *** BE VERY CAREFUL and TAKE YOUR TIME .... A COMPRESSED SPRING CAN SERIOUSLY INJURE or KILL YOU IF IT GETS LOOSE **** Using spring compressors (you can rent them from Autozone), compress the springs until the pressure is off of the top spring pad. When this happens... use a pass through socket to remove the nut (you will need to hold the shaft with an allen key inserted through it).

 

11.) Remove the nut, the top hat, the top spring washer, the top spring plate, the spring, and the shaft cover.

 

12.) Decompress the stock spring VERY CAREFULLY and set it aside.

 

13.) Here is a picture of the completely disassembled front strut.... for reference. The strut body is on the right and the other pieces are in order that they go on (towards the left)

 

http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l263/smccorry/H-tech%20spring%20install/Frontstrutexploded1.jpg

 

14.) Reassemble the strut vertically (I put mine in a vice) by placing the new H-tech spring in the lower pocket, the shaft cover on the shaft, the top spring plate on, and the top plate washer. Have a friend pull down on the top spring plate (about 1/2") and then drop on the tophat and start the nut.

 

15.) Tighten the nut fully... while holding the shaft still (otherwise it will spin).

 

16.) Here is the completed assembly with the H-tech installed.

 

http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l263/smccorry/H-tech%20spring%20install/FrontH-techassembly.jpg

 

17.) Reinstall the strut back into the car in the reverse order you removed it. Top hat nuts, lower strut bolts, ABS line, and Brake line. Here is the strut back in the car....for reference.... Be sure to try and re-allign the top strut bolt to it's original orientation. This will ensure that the camber is as close as possible to factory...

 

http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l263/smccorry/H-tech%20spring%20install/FrontH-techinstalled.jpg

 

18.) Reinstall the wheel and then do the other side.

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Rear strut spring swap......

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1.) For the rears... I jacked up the rear of the car underneath the rear differential... then slid jack stands underneath the rear cradle beams. The stand must NOT be under any of the the control arms... as you need this to be movable so that you can get the strut out and back in. Remove the wheels at this point. This is what the rear suspension will look like (passenger side shown)...

 

http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l263/smccorry/H-tech%20spring%20install/Rearstockinstalled.jpg

 

2.) You will need to pop the trunk and remove the spare tire cover from the car... as well as peeling back both felt side covers (that go around the trunk hinges. The top mounts of the rear struts are up near the back seat. Here is photo of the passenger side top mount location....(the back seat is to the left of the photo).

 

http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l263/smccorry/H-tech%20spring%20install/Rearshocktopmount.jpg

 

3.) Next up... you will need to remove the lower strut nut and bolt. This sounds MUCH easier than it is. Mine took a 19MM socket, a 1/2" breaker bar, and a 4' cheater pipe... with my buddy's 240 lb. body bouncing on it. Needless to say.... they were VERY TIGHT. These 2 bolts took us 2 hours to remove. :rolleyes:

 

Here is a photo of the passenger side one.... It is wet with penetrating oil sprayed on it....

 

http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l263/smccorry/H-tech%20spring%20install/Lowershockmountbolt.jpg

 

And here is my buddy Eric.. the breaker bar.. and the cheater pipe! :lol:

 

http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l263/smccorry/H-tech%20spring%20install/SUPERbreakerbar.jpg

 

4.) One the lower nut is off... use a punch to knock the bolt out through the shock. **** The rear suspension is under load (downward) at this point. When the bolt comes out... the suspension will POP up about 1". Try to stay clear of it.

 

5.) Now that the lower strut mount is loose... you can remove the top two bolts from inside the trunk. Have a friend hold the strut... as it will fall when the bolts are removed. Here is a photo of the stock rear strut assembly out of the car.

 

http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l263/smccorry/H-tech%20spring%20install/Rearstockassembly.jpg

 

6.) Just like the fronts... compress the spring... remove the shaft retainer bolt. the washer, the top mount plate, and then the spring. Decompress the spring, remove the top rubber isolator, and set the spring aside.

 

7.) Set the new H-tech spring on the lower spring pocket and push the top rubber isolator onto the top of the new spring.

 

8.) Again.. have a friend put the top retainer plate on the shaft and pull down about 1/2" at which point you can put the washer on the shaft and start the shaft nut.

 

9.) Make sure that the top plate is orientated so that the two studs are PERPENDICULAR to the lower mounting bolt before tightening the shaft nut.. The photo below is NOT the correct orientation. I made that mistake by accident.

 

http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l263/smccorry/H-tech%20spring%20install/RearH-techassembly.jpg

 

10.) Re-install the strut in the reverse order that your removed it. For the lower mounting bolt... you will need to use a floor jack to compress the rear strut so that you can get the bolt holes on the strut and the suspension knuckle to line up. At this point... install the bolt and nut... and tighten down. Here is the strut and new H-tech back in the car... for reference (drivers side).

 

http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l263/smccorry/H-tech%20spring%20install/RearH-techinstalled.jpg

 

11.) Do the other side.

 

12.) Put the rear wheels back on, remove the jack stands, and lower the vehicle back down.

 

13.) Re-tighten the 4 top plate nuts (2 on each side) in the trunk to ensure they are fully tightened.... then re-install the trunk liners.

 

14.) Congratulations... you're all done.

Edited by mccorry
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Nice write-up and pics!

 

Going to install my Bilsteins in week or two. Question - is vice necessary to remove/install the strut top nut? I don't have and I am close to deciding on putting Pinks on those Bilsteins right away - so I'll have to swap springs.

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So you discovered that the rear lower bolts are a bitsssshhh :lol: I could have told you that! ;) Still, I've done quite a few spring and coilovers installs and I usually only fight then for 30-40 minutes or so. I can always pop them loose with a 24" breaker bar, and I'm only 165lbs. Just a lot of grunting involved.

 

If I wasn't so cheap I'd get a better air impact gun and just spin those lower nuts like nothing. The rest of the job is only about a 1 hour affair with a bit of practice.

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So you discovered that the rear lower bolts are a bitsssshhh :lol: I could have told you that! ;)

 

no fockin shit

the inside ones you have to like push it in and screw it in...

 

hardest part of the install was takin thse bolts off on the rear...

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Great write-up with excellent pix! :D Awesome job, bruddah! :)

 

If I may, a little contribution from my end. ;)

 

On the rears, since that lower bolt is under load (cited in step 4 of the rear assembly procedures), as you mentioned, you can use a spare jack/jackstand to effectively lock the strut in-place while the bolt is being extracted. I recommend a spare jack, as it will allow you to ease off the pressure and relax the spring load without worry. ;)

 

---

 

Oh, and definitely - get to a buddy's with airtools if at all possible. It makes life a WHOLE lot easier! :lol:

<-- I love Winky, my "periwinkle" (ABP) LGT! - Allen / Usual Suspect "DumboRAT" / One of the Three Stooges

'16 Outback, '16 WRX, 7th Subaru Family

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Excellent writeup!

 

The factory manual suggests using the car's jack to force the rear suspension arms down when reinstalling the shock, rather that trying to compress the spring/shock up to meet the mounting hole.

 

-- Steve

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^ Damn, something I missed in the manual?!

 

Time to re-read that sucker !

 

Good spot! :)

<-- I love Winky, my "periwinkle" (ABP) LGT! - Allen / Usual Suspect "DumboRAT" / One of the Three Stooges

'16 Outback, '16 WRX, 7th Subaru Family

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I wish everyone who swaps springs on the ground with jacks/jackstands would read this post to save hours of frustration. Spray some PB Blaster on the bolts and let them sit for a few minutes. Slap a wrench on the bolts and then put a floor/bottle jack under the wrench. Jack up the wrench, VIOLA! Bolts are loose.
I forgot what I was supposed to remember.
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I wish everyone who swaps springs on the ground with jacks/jackstands would read this post to save hours of frustration. Spray some PB Blaster on the bolts and let them sit for a few minutes. Slap a wrench on the bolts and then put a floor/bottle jack under the wrench. Jack up the wrench, VIOLA! Bolts are loose.

 

 

Good idea... why didn't I think of that! DOH!

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I would also add on the rear shocks that when you reassemble them, to tighten the top bolt on the shock down completely (i.e. until it stops and then tighten it down some more). This is the mistake I made and the first test drive revealed clunks from both rear shocks because I did not tighten them down far enough.
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If you are using an impact gun, throw the 19mm socket on a 6in extention and the rear lower nut will blow right off (gives you just enough clearance outward to still use the impact and get the socket on the nut). :D

 

Overall a spring swap takes about an 1hr-1hr 20min.

OBAMA......One Big Ass Mistake America!
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I would also add on the rear shocks that when you reassemble them, to tighten the top bolt on the shock down completely (i.e. until it stops and then tighten it down some more). This is the mistake I made and the first test drive revealed clunks from both rear shocks because I did not tighten them down far enough.

 

Something I did for the front and rear shocks was tighten the top bolt on the shock during assembly and then tighten them a little more after everything was installed and the weight of the car was compressing the spring..worked fine for me.

 

BTW shouldn't this great write up be moved to the walkthrough section???

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If you are using an impact gun, throw the 19mm socket on a 6in extention and the rear lower nut will blow right off (gives you just enough clearance outward to still use the impact and get the socket on the nut). :D

 

Overall a spring swap takes about an 1hr-1hr 20min.

 

 

Um... nope. I tried 3 different impact guns (@ 130psi air pressure). No dice. I even heated it up with a torch to try and get it to loosen up with the impact... no dice....

 

Then I hit it with the air chisel to try and "vibrate" it loose. Nope.....

 

It took the 4' cheater bar.

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BTW shouldn't this great write up be moved to the walkthrough section???

 

You're probably right... I just put it in here for the suspension category.

I'll move it over to walkthroughs and leave a link here....

 

;)

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Um... nope. I tried 3 different impact guns (@ 130psi air pressure). No dice. I even heated it up with a torch to try and get it to loosen up with the impact... no dice....

 

Then I hit it with the air chisel to try and "vibrate" it loose. Nope.....

 

It took the 4' cheater bar.

Weird. I used my DeWalt Electric Impact Gun and it came off without too much trouble.

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Um... nope. I tried 3 different impact guns (@ 130psi air pressure). No dice. I even heated it up with a torch to try and get it to loosen up with the impact... no dice....

 

Then I hit it with the air chisel to try and "vibrate" it loose. Nope.....

 

It took the 4' cheater bar.

 

 

Get better impact guns. :lol: Mine hits 680 ft/lbs in reverse. :D

OBAMA......One Big Ass Mistake America!
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I think I'm going to try this myself, but how driveable would the car be if I only did the front springs one weekend, then the rears the next weekend ?

 

Yeah, the car will look pretty odd, and the handling will likely be crap, but I will drive accordingly.

 

 

If your worried about time, start on the rears, you get those done in 45min, figure the front is easier.

OBAMA......One Big Ass Mistake America!
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