DIY: 370Z Lowering Spring Install

onzedge · 11-10-2011, 06:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WxMan

OK I went with the H&R springs for price mostly. From all the pictures I've seen for comparison I liked the H&Rs. Ordered mine nearly a month ago. They were on back order but came in today. Can't pick up a spring compressor till Saturday so I'm putting the rear on tonight.

Little help Please...with maybe a stupid question here but which way is up on the springs? I've seen photos of Swifts with the tighter coils up and then I've seen other images where it appears they are at the bottom. The OEM springs are evenly spaced coils!

The tighter coils go up.

WxMan · 11-10-2011, 07:49 PM

Thank you. Hoping the front goes as easily as the rear did.

onzedge · 11-10-2011, 09:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WxMan

Thank you. Hoping the front goes as easily as the rear did.

The fronts are not as easy as the rears, but not too bad -- difficulty-wise. Good luck and send pics when youa re done.

kk370 · 11-14-2011, 10:38 AM

cool guidance for me to do so...

WxMan · 11-15-2011, 07:33 AM

Job is done. They feel and look awesome!

Pics of the new look should be up in the next couple days. Rain today and I need to bathe and wax.

Job review
I didn't take any pictures. Don't see the need as this thread covers almost everything. An impact wrench is your friend!!! Wish my compressor would push one. That was the only real hindrance for this backyard mechanic. The back springs were easier to complete than changing the oil (which I did while the car was up off the ground) though I was confused on which way is up for the springs. The fronts were a different story. Without an impact wrench I had a very hard time getting the nut off the bottom of the strut. I didn't round them but they not as pretty as new!! Other than wishing for some of the latest in tools I got the struts off with no other problems. No impact wrench means I was cranking down on the spring compressor with a 19mm opened ended wrench. I finally grabbed a lifeline and called a friend who does have an impact wrench and compressor to push it. Mine only manages 4.5scfm@90psi. With his help we got the new springs on the struts in about an hour. For a backyard mechanic this was probably the spookiest part. The thought of a failure of some kind while compressing the springs - Painful. Back in my garage 40 miles away about 7pm last night. I figured 30 minutes each side to put them back on. First one was on in 20 minutes. No extra hands available so simply grabbed the brake caliper and pulled up to get the 3 nuts on the top started. Torqued that pesky bottom nut to 75fp. Passenger side has some wire harnesses that run under the brace and make getting the 3 top nuts on a bit challenging. Dropped one. 15 minutes to find it. B@*s!a^d. Finished up with no issues after that. One last look at everything. Put the wheels back on, off the jacks and a 10 mile run around the block to test everything. No shimmies, shakes or rattles. Drove in to work this morning (26 miles) and feels just great. I'm stoked.

I started this job Friday evening and finished Monday night. Total working time was about 4 hours.

WxMan · 11-15-2011, 10:37 AM

I posted a picture taken on my phone in my album

TypeOne · 11-16-2011, 02:14 PM

I'm glad you found the write up helpful! Give me some rep if you don't mind!! :-P

alejo · 12-08-2011, 12:46 PM

So if I tighten the piston rod lock nut to specs (44 ft/lbs) the spring and everything else should be settled properly with in the entire strut? and I notice a lot of ppl saying to align the top hat as it was before. shouldn't you be able to move the the strut around to position it even when the top hat lock nut is in place?

WxMan · 12-09-2011, 07:06 AM

Yes you can rotate the strut.

alejo · 12-09-2011, 03:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WxMan

Yes you can rotate the strut.

Thanks bro... I will be installing swifts, wheels spacers, and camber arms. I have the camber bolts but I'm not sure I will need them, i really don't want to make the stock camber bolt-hole bigger unless i really need to.

TypeOne · 01-11-2012, 04:51 PM

Sweet!

CBRich · 01-30-2012, 12:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alejo

Thanks bro... I will be installing swifts, wheels spacers, and camber arms. I have the camber bolts but I'm not sure I will need them, i really don't want to make the stock camber bolt-hole bigger unless i really need to.

I'm assuming you're talking about the TOE bolts. The rear camber install requires no modification of the vehicle. And if you use the camber kit it doesn't hurt to use the toe bolts. Enlarging that hole really isn't an issue.

Nissanboy · 05-06-2012, 12:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WxMan

Yes you can rotate the strut.

How can you rotate the strut once it is assembled with the spring & top hat nut in place? Mine won't budge and the shock isnt lining up correctly on the lower control arm

tjlazer · 05-06-2012, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nissanboy

How can you rotate the strut once it is assembled with the spring & top hat nut in place? Mine won't budge and the shock isnt lining up correctly on the lower control arm

you have to compress it. I took a pic of it before so I could align it properly.

Nissanboy · 05-07-2012, 04:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tjlazer

you have to compress it. I took a pic of it before so I could align it properly.

I know that, thought you mean't you could rotate the strut once it's already assembled without the compressor, then I got confused

11-10-2011, 07:49 PM	#2 (permalink)
WxMan Base Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Cordova, TN Posts: 75 Drives: 09 370Z White M6 Tou Rep Power: 15	Thank you. Hoping the front goes as easily as the rear did. __________________ Dennis Stillen 2nd Gen CAI/Z1 HFMC/FI Catback Exhaust w/18" resonators/Akebono Brake Upgrade/TSW Jarama 18" Wheels/15mm rear spacers/Stillen Sway Bars/H&R Sport Springs

11-15-2011, 07:33 AM	#5 (permalink)
WxMan Base Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Cordova, TN Posts: 75 Drives: 09 370Z White M6 Tou Rep Power: 15	Job is done. They feel and look awesome! Pics of the new look should be up in the next couple days. Rain today and I need to bathe and wax. Job review I didn't take any pictures. Don't see the need as this thread covers almost everything. An impact wrench is your friend!!! Wish my compressor would push one. That was the only real hindrance for this backyard mechanic. The back springs were easier to complete than changing the oil (which I did while the car was up off the ground) though I was confused on which way is up for the springs. The fronts were a different story. Without an impact wrench I had a very hard time getting the nut off the bottom of the strut. I didn't round them but they not as pretty as new!! Other than wishing for some of the latest in tools I got the struts off with no other problems. No impact wrench means I was cranking down on the spring compressor with a 19mm opened ended wrench. I finally grabbed a lifeline and called a friend who does have an impact wrench and compressor to push it. Mine only manages 4.5scfm@90psi. With his help we got the new springs on the struts in about an hour. For a backyard mechanic this was probably the spookiest part. The thought of a failure of some kind while compressing the springs - Painful. Back in my garage 40 miles away about 7pm last night. I figured 30 minutes each side to put them back on. First one was on in 20 minutes. No extra hands available so simply grabbed the brake caliper and pulled up to get the 3 nuts on the top started. Torqued that pesky bottom nut to 75fp. Passenger side has some wire harnesses that run under the brace and make getting the 3 top nuts on a bit challenging. Dropped one. 15 minutes to find it. B@*s!a^d. Finished up with no issues after that. One last look at everything. Put the wheels back on, off the jacks and a 10 mile run around the block to test everything. No shimmies, shakes or rattles. Drove in to work this morning (26 miles) and feels just great. I'm stoked. I started this job Friday evening and finished Monday night. Total working time was about 4 hours. Zbrah likes this. __________________ Dennis Stillen 2nd Gen CAI/Z1 HFMC/FI Catback Exhaust w/18" resonators/Akebono Brake Upgrade/TSW Jarama 18" Wheels/15mm rear spacers/Stillen Sway Bars/H&R Sport Springs

11-15-2011, 10:37 AM	#6 (permalink)
WxMan Base Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Cordova, TN Posts: 75 Drives: 09 370Z White M6 Tou Rep Power: 15	I posted a picture taken on my phone in my album __________________ Dennis Stillen 2nd Gen CAI/Z1 HFMC/FI Catback Exhaust w/18" resonators/Akebono Brake Upgrade/TSW Jarama 18" Wheels/15mm rear spacers/Stillen Sway Bars/H&R Sport Springs

12-09-2011, 07:06 AM	#9 (permalink)
WxMan Base Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Cordova, TN Posts: 75 Drives: 09 370Z White M6 Tou Rep Power: 15	Yes you can rotate the strut. __________________ Dennis Stillen 2nd Gen CAI/Z1 HFMC/FI Catback Exhaust w/18" resonators/Akebono Brake Upgrade/TSW Jarama 18" Wheels/15mm rear spacers/Stillen Sway Bars/H&R Sport Springs

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11-14-2011, 10:38 AM	#4 (permalink)
kk370 Base Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: taiwan Posts: 33 Drives: 09-370z-white-a7 Rep Power: 14	cool guidance for me to do so...

11-16-2011, 02:14 PM	#7 (permalink)
TypeOne A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Baton Rouge, LA Posts: 2,682 Drives: BSM 370 Rep Power: 1851	I'm glad you found the write up helpful! Give me some rep if you don't mind!! :-P

12-08-2011, 12:46 PM	#8 (permalink)
alejo Base Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Pensacola, FL Posts: 107 Drives: 10 T/S,NAV,MT, 08 R6 Rep Power: 15	So if I tighten the piston rod lock nut to specs (44 ft/lbs) the spring and everything else should be settled properly with in the entire strut? and I notice a lot of ppl saying to align the top hat as it was before. shouldn't you be able to move the the strut around to position it even when the top hat lock nut is in place?

01-11-2012, 04:51 PM	#11 (permalink)
TypeOne A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Baton Rouge, LA Posts: 2,682 Drives: BSM 370 Rep Power: 1851	Sweet!