DIY: Coilover Install!! StepbyStep BoltbyBolt

Hey, Ill get right to the point ...take a deep breath

Tools: 13mm, 16mm, 17mm, 18mm, 21mm, Hammer (tierods)egh Sockets and Wrenches are needed as well as Impact Gun...hmm what else...Ham sandwich mayb..

Coils: Bavarian Autosport $699.95 http://www.bavauto.com


- Drive car with lots of wheel gap on to lift ( I've done this install with out a lift before but that was on a Coraddo)


- Before you lift up the car take off the the rear shock tower bolts theres 2 on each shock 13mm





Now lift the car and take the wheels off. The rear shocks fall down



Now take out the bottom shock bolts, one on each shock. 18mm



Pull down on the rotor and pull out the spring



New Coils - We mesured an inch differance from the stock one



Put the Hat on the top of the shock and put it all in place.



Then take the new rear shocks and cut the old bump stops.



Place the new mount on top and screw it down


Ready!

Now Put the new shocks In



Screw in Buttom Bolt



Put new Gasket on top of the new mount








Now a lil tricky and theres probably a safer way ..but hey! lol. Put the Rear Wheels on and lower the car with jack stands under the wheels.



Guide the Shock bolts into the wholes



mmmm now tighten those bolts

Bammmm the rear is done....here comes the front!

hella pimp! do you think this could be done w/ only jackstands?

Okay Take the Mount Bolts off 13mm Theres 3 for each strut



Unscrew the 18mm Bolt on the bottom now Theres 1 on each



Carefull with your lines



Unless your real clever take the tierod bolts out 18mm. If they dont budge hit the rod with a hammer.



Take out the Sway Bar links - You need a 16mm or 17mm I forget - but you need to hold the inner part with an open end wrench while you loosein the bolt with a socket. 2 bolts on each strut



Now Lift and turn the strut untill you can yank it out of the car



wheww

Okay now check it out this is the old strut mount - notice the angles of the bolts.



This is how they should be like the new ones



So you have to hit the top of the strut case with a hammer and piece of wood to even out where the bolts go.



Or don't its up to you....the guys that are helpin me are pros and all they do is brakes, suspension, and tires for sport cars...so I trust them.

Now take the Front Coils and put the New strut Mounts on top of them.



You need to put this washer inbetween the strut mount and coilover before you tighten them. You can use a new washer or get it off your old struts.



Now you can put it back in the arm.



Tighen the bolt and hook your lines back up 18mm



Do the Sway Bar Links - The new ones are smaller - they were included in the kit- Again 16mm or 17mm







Put your tierod back in 18mm



Put a jack underneath the control arm and jack it up lineing up your bolts



Tighten the bolts up Top 13mm

BAMM ur golden





Now we measured the front an inch from coilover screw to base of threads and we lowered the rear like 1/2 inch more.



Put your wheels on!



Some wood in the front will help you get the lift out from underneath




This is how it sits.

they ahve a 335 on the lift int he final picture, know wht they're up to?

funny u mentioned it lol i was about to start raving about it
http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthr...31#post4951931

if i only had jackstand id attempt the install as long as i had the impact gun

how is the feel of em? can u go any lower?

Can you go any lower? if so how much?

Cool DIY..

yea i could deffintly go lower--but first i wanna fill the car with ppl and see if i rub - the car feels solid everywhere

Originally Posted by 5speedsteve

yea i could deffintly go lower--but first i wanna fill the car with ppl and see if i rub - the car feels solid everywhere

Niceee... I terms of thread left on the coils..how much more do you have to go?

Thanks for the write-up!

theres a lil more then an inch on the front and rear coils

I could have used this a month ago....damnit but o well...I don't reccomend the install unless you have an impact gun...otherwise the nut on top of the hat on the front strut is a BITTTTTTTTTCH to get off....but sick write up anyway

hows the ride quaility?cause i have a baby and i dont want nothing to stiff.lmk thanks

well its deffintitly stiffer in some degree however my old setup had 125,000 miles on them so anything new would be stiffer....i really dont think theyre harsh the ride seems very nice...i try to go over bumps and railroad tracks real slow but when I dont see one coming its not a hard thump or anything its a soft stiff sturdy feel.

nice DIY
drop looks great

nice write up

I thank you for taking the time to do this write-up.
Props.

nice write-up...I am thinking about installing my tein ss pretty soon as well.