How to change springs?
- Thread starter markbehr
- Start date
Racebrewer
Member
- :
- Mazda, Mazda 2 Touring MT
Cool. Just like a BFH, an impact driver solves a lot......
John
John
kcdirtbro54
Member
- :
- mazda2
There ya go Mark! Have any issues with the install? Pretty simple isn't it.
Max Archer
Member
- :
- '12 Mazda 2 Touring 5MT/'87 325IS 2DR 5MT
Are those the H&Rs? The drop looks pretty nice with those stock wheels. Just goes to show how different the car looks from standing height. People worry so much about fender gap but that's only 'cause pics are all taken from a low angle you'll never see the car at in real life.
My Racing Beats will be here next week and I'll be installing them when I can. Interested to see how the car looks with the more moderate drop.
My Racing Beats will be here next week and I'll be installing them when I can. Interested to see how the car looks with the more moderate drop.
Racebrewer
Member
- :
- Mazda, Mazda 2 Touring MT
Hi Mark,
Looks good. How does it feel when you drive it around corners? Pretty well balanced?
And,,,,,, how did you eventually get the strut nuts loose?
John
Looks good. How does it feel when you drive it around corners? Pretty well balanced?
And,,,,,, how did you eventually get the strut nuts loose?
John
Yea from what ive felt it handled the corners pretty well, eventhough i havent really tested it out yet. I got the nuts loose by using a extended socket with a allen wrench through the socket and turning the socket using a pipe wrench. Its kinda difficult for one person to do, so my uncle helped me and we both got it done. Other than that bolt the whole thing is very easy even for a newbie like me.
Max Archer
Member
- :
- '12 Mazda 2 Touring 5MT/'87 325IS 2DR 5MT
Hopefully I'll be able to do mine easy with an impact gun.
If I can I'll take pics and put them up as a tutorial thing, depends how dirty I get doing it. (Don't wanna get grease all over the camera haha.)
If I can I'll take pics and put them up as a tutorial thing, depends how dirty I get doing it. (Don't wanna get grease all over the camera haha.)
kcdirtbro54
Member
- :
- mazda2
impact gun blasts that top nut off with no problem. super quick install with air tools
Racebrewer
Member
- :
- Mazda, Mazda 2 Touring MT
I used an electric (110 volt) (Sears) impact on mine. Didn't have to fire up the compressor and run the hose.
Works like a charm on lug nuts too.
Easy-peasy..........
John
Works like a charm on lug nuts too.
Easy-peasy..........
John
robmilkshakes
Member
- :
- Mazda2 Touring 5MT
The springs will settle a bit so you may get a bit more drop coming.
I'll have to see your car one day, see if it can convince me to lower mine as well.
I'll have to see your car one day, see if it can convince me to lower mine as well.
Max Archer
Member
- :
- '12 Mazda 2 Touring 5MT/'87 325IS 2DR 5MT
Just did mine, didn't get the chance to take pics.
Went to a friend's place, and he has a whole shop worth of tools. A t-handled allen wrench and one of those ratchets with a hole in the middle are a necessity for doing the shock tops on this. I took the nut off with an impact gun but those two tools made a huge difference getting it back on.
Impact gun was a huge help with getting some of the lower bolts off of the suspension, too. Made the job go a lot quicker.
Not too many tricky parts other than dealing with the spring compressor and all that. One thing to note is that what I assume must be the TPMS cable is clipped to the front struts, and you have to use a pair of needlenose pliers to squeeze the inside of the little plastic clip that holds it on so you can pop it out of the hole in the strut. The only other thing is that you have to drop BOTH sides of the rear end to get the springs out. I wasted 30 minutes trying to compress the right spring to get it out before I realized that.
Having ramps is a huge help in this job, if you're going to center lift with a floor jack. Even with a high-end low profile racing jack, it was barely possible to get the front lifted off the ground, and would be impossible once lowered. The front bumper is just low enough that you only have like 1" of travel on the jack handle when it's under the front subframe to lift the car. I actually lifted the car onto a set of ramps at the end of the job, and then drove it off of those, and it'd be much easier to start the job that way too.
One other thing worth noting is that the strut tops are put on with blue loctite, so remember to have some on hand for the job.
Went to a friend's place, and he has a whole shop worth of tools. A t-handled allen wrench and one of those ratchets with a hole in the middle are a necessity for doing the shock tops on this. I took the nut off with an impact gun but those two tools made a huge difference getting it back on.
Impact gun was a huge help with getting some of the lower bolts off of the suspension, too. Made the job go a lot quicker.
Not too many tricky parts other than dealing with the spring compressor and all that. One thing to note is that what I assume must be the TPMS cable is clipped to the front struts, and you have to use a pair of needlenose pliers to squeeze the inside of the little plastic clip that holds it on so you can pop it out of the hole in the strut. The only other thing is that you have to drop BOTH sides of the rear end to get the springs out. I wasted 30 minutes trying to compress the right spring to get it out before I realized that.
Having ramps is a huge help in this job, if you're going to center lift with a floor jack. Even with a high-end low profile racing jack, it was barely possible to get the front lifted off the ground, and would be impossible once lowered. The front bumper is just low enough that you only have like 1" of travel on the jack handle when it's under the front subframe to lift the car. I actually lifted the car onto a set of ramps at the end of the job, and then drove it off of those, and it'd be much easier to start the job that way too.
One other thing worth noting is that the strut tops are put on with blue loctite, so remember to have some on hand for the job.
