ECS Struts and Springs

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=200 BGCOLOR="#333366" TEXT="#080000" background="040c8c00dkcfsz.png"> <div> <A HREF="id31.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="1995 3000GT Spyder VR4"><U><B>Back</B></U></A></div> </td> <td valign="top" BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#666633" FACE="Arial" ><B>JNS Engineering</B></FONT>     |     <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="JNS Engineering"><U>home</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id36.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Powder Coated Calipers"><U>Powder Coated Calipers</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id38.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Remote Top / Remote Start"><U>Remote Top / Remote Start</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id37.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Custom Leather Seats"><U>Custom Leather Seats</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id39.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Lash Adjusters"><U>Lash Adjusters</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id40.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Throttle 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Gear Covers"><U>Clear Cam Gear Covers</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id42.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Pics"><U>Pics</U></A></div> <div> <I>ECS Struts and Springs</I></div> <div> In preparation for lowering the Spyder I made a few measurements:</div> <bR> <div> The tail sits at 38 inches with a rear wheel gap of 2 3/4 inches.              The nose sits at 33 1/2 inches and the front wheel gap is 3 1/4 inches.</div> <div> <IMG SRC="199e03f0.jpg" border=0 width="480" height="319" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"><IMG SRC="19be03f0.jpg" border=0 width="480" height="319" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <bR> <div> Rear and Front stock suspension.</div> <div> <IMG SRC="19de03f0.jpg" border=0 width="480" height="319" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"><IMG SRC="19fe03f0.jpg" border=0 width="480" height="319" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> <B>Strut Assembly Removal</B></div> <div> To dissassemble the rear suspension on the Spyder open the tonneau, disconnect the object in trunk sensor and remove the panel.  Then go behind the rear seatbacks and pop the four plastic retainers holding the carpet behind the seatbacks.  Then pop the five plastic retainers inside the trunk (2 on the drivers side and 3 on the passenger side) and remove the carpet and the hard liner.  Now you should have access to the shock towers.</div> <div> <IMG SRC="1a5e03f0.jpg" border=0 width="480" height="319" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"><IMG SRC="1a7e03f0.jpg" border=0 width="480" height="319" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> For the rear struts, loosen the 14mm retaining nuts near the ECS connectors, disconnect the ECS, and pop open the ECS caps to carefully pry up the ECS connectors on the top of the shocks.  Break the 17mm nut loose at the bottom of the shock (you may need a cheater bar), then pound the shock off of the knuckle with an old screwdriver.  Then remove the two 14mm nuts at the top of the strut and pull the rear strut assembly out.</div> <bR> <div> For the front struts jack up the lower control arm, then remove the three 14mm nuts at the top of the strut and unplug the ECS caps and carefully pry the ECS connectors on the top of the shocks.  Then replace the 14mm nuts and finger tighten.  Now go to the lower 19mm eccentric bolts.  Mark the camber position, then break the 19mm bolts loose.  Next, remove the cotter pin on the steering tie rod end and break the 19mm castle nuts loose and pound out the tie rod ends.  Loosen and remove the 12mm nuts and bolts holding the brake and speedometer cables to the front struts.  Now remove the 19mm bolts and release the jack holding the control arm, seperating the strut from the knuckle.  Finally remove the three 14mm nuts on top and lower and remove the front strut assembly.</div> <bR> <div> Rear and Front stock suspension dissassembled.</div> <div> <IMG SRC="1a1e03f0.jpg" border=0 width="480" height="319" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"><IMG SRC="1a3e03f0.jpg" border=0 width="480" height="319" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> <B>Strut Dissassembly</B></div> <div> The front struts have a tall and very stiff spring and require two sets of spring compressors to remove.  First, loosen but do not remove the 19mm retaing nut at the top of the strut using a deep 19mm socket.  Note the spring force is needed to keep the top of the shock from turning when the nut is turned.  I used an impact driver to get the nut to start turning.  Once the nut starts turning go ahead and compress the spring to relieve the pressure on the strut top and remove the nut.</div> <bR> <div> The rears are done similarly although only two spring compressors are needed for the rear springs.</div> <bR> <div> Front strut with four spring compressors applied.                                       Strut, spring compressors, and impact driver tool</div> <div>  <IMG SRC="1b3e03f0.jpg" border=0 width="480" height="319" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"><IMG SRC="1b5e03f0.jpg" border=0 width="480" height="319" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> Front strut dissassembled.                                                                           Rear struts, one dissassembled</div> <div> <IMG SRC="1b7e03f0.jpg" border=0 width="480" height="319" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"><IMG SRC="1b9e03f0.jpg" border=0 width="480" height="319" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> Front Spring Comparison, Stock, Tein H Tech, Tein S Tech                     Rear Spring Comparison, Stock, Tein H Tech, Tein S Tech</div> <div> <IMG SRC="1bbe03f0.jpg" border=0 width="480" height="319" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"><IMG SRC="1bde03f0.jpg" border=0 width="480" height="319" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> <B>Strut Assembly</B></div> <div> Assembly is pretty much the reverse of the dissassembly process.  I'm using Tein S Tech springs on the front and Tein H Tech springs on the rear in order to keep the rear end from squatting too low.  The rear springs are now short enough that spring compressors are not required to reassemble since the nut can be threaded on, but I used the compressors to hold the spring so I could get leverage to tighten the retaining nuts to the required spec.</div> <bR> <div> New springs, ECS struts, bump rubber, and dust covers                         Assembly of new struts and springs completed</div> <div> <IMG SRC="1bfe03f0.jpg" border=0 width="480" height="319" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"><IMG SRC="1c1e03f0.jpg" border=0 width="480" height="319" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> New rear suspension installed.                                                                   New front suspension installed.</div> <div> <IMG SRC="1c3e03f0.jpg" border=0 width="480" height="319" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"><IMG SRC="1c5e03f0.jpg" border=0 width="480" height="319" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <bR> <div> Front wheel gap is now only 1 1/2 inches                                                   Rear wheel gap is now only 1 1/2 inches</div> <div> <IMG SRC="1c7e03f0.jpg" border=0 width="480" height="319" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"><IMG SRC="1c9e03f0.jpg" border=0 width="480" height="319" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> To my surprise my 15 year old ECS struts were completely shot.  My lowered ride is at least as comfortable as it was previously.  The front dropped about 1 3/4 inches while the rear dropped about 1 1/4 inches.  Overall the car looks and rides much better.</div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="1cb00a80.jpg" border=0 width="1024" height="680" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>