My new coilovers should be here soon--today hopefully (eibach) and I'll be installing them this week. I'm wondering if I can pretty much just go by the MCS spring install how-to that was stickied? What will be different about the install? Any special tools/things I should look out for? Do I need a spring compressor? How long should it take an average DIY mechanic?

 

The one difference will be measuring ride height from a fixed point at all 4 corners to the ground before installing the coilovers... and then, setting the ride height on the coilovers accordingly (e.g. driver's front = 5.5" before, passenger front is 5.75", dropped with the coilovers to DF = 4.5", PF = 4.75" or whatever). Measuring and adjustment are both best done with someone sitting in the driver's seat (or the equivalent weight). This will at least get you somewhat close on the corner weights.

IMHO, once it's done, I'd check the corner weighting or get it done at a good performance shop - and, I'd definitely get an alignment...

We're lucky here in that one local performance tuner is bringing their scales and Smartstring setup out to autocross events and only charging people $20 to check corner weights AND alignment! Best part is, you tweak settings and check it again for free!

With springs and struts, there's no ride height to adjust!

 

and a spring compressor isn't really needed, but can be helpfull. Here's a hint...

Get some locking canvas or nylon tie downs (locking ones that can form a loop). Jack a corner up, route the strap around the most turns of a spring you can. Let the corner back down and tighten the strap, using the weight of the car compress the spring. Then when you take the strut off, the spring will be comressed. Move that to the new strut and you should be able to put it all together. If this sounds scary, rent a spring compressor to do it right.... It won't cost much to rent it for a day or a weekend.

Also, you ought to be able to get some preliminary settings from the tuner or manufacturere about where to set the coil over to replicate a stock set up. You can set them there before you start.

OR you can set the height adjustment at the lowest setting possible, and this will then lessen the amount of compression needed to put the strut back together. Then use the adjustment wrenches to set the corner height as needed.

The basic process is jack a corner...
Take off a wheel.....
Unclip the brake and speed sensor lines from the strut
Undo the two big bolts that clamp the strut at the bottom. Note you'll need to remove them as there's a tab one of the bolts goes through to keep everything from falling apart if the bolts were to work them selves loose on thier own.
Work the bottom of the strut free.....
Undo the top three bolts (for the front, from the top. The rear is two bolts, accessed from the bottom).
Drop the strut out.
Undo the top bolt (watch out, the spring is still under some compression... If you hadn't restriained it before do it now) and take the spring and spring perch off the stock strut.
Move the parts to the new strut and put it all together.
Do the other three corners.

Matt

 

I will be getting an alignment afterwards, to save the new tires I'm getting and I will be corner balancing as well.