The front seems to be a bit higher than the rear after the install. Im wainting a week or so to see if they settle in. But after the install I read about needed to preload the suspension before you install the struts. Is this correct for OEM struts with tein springs?

The ride seems fine other than the look which the front is about half an inch higher than the rear.

Thanks.

 

Unless I did it backwards...mine is lower in the front slightly than the rear.. almost even. But when I first installed the springs, the front never looked higher than the rear

 

btw. Never preloaded any springs i've installed and never had a problem.

 

ok what do you mean preloaded

 

preload the SUSPENSION bushings. Search it. It's been discussed before.

https://www.s2ki.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=441565

 

OH... you mean before tightening to specs you load the suspension. I was gonna say that should always be done and common sense.........but then I realized people don't do this lol.

OP. Yes when you install everthing back, did you tighten everything down BEFORE you loaded the suspension? or did you at least lower the car before tightening everything up?

 

yeah people mistaken preloading suspension with springs or bushings all the time. That is why I emphasized bushings and not springs. If not done correctly bushings will prematurely wear out but before that car will have "floaty" feeling. Reason why??? Been there done that!


It actually states to do this in the HELMS.

 

Actually tightened up everything while the car was jacked up.

Steps we did after strut was out,

Car was lifted, attached strut back with spring, had to push down on the control arm to get it to fit properly, once I was able to get the bottom screw in, then tightened the top and bottom of the strut first. When tightened the rest of the parts.

So since its installed, at least for the front, should i lift the car and put it on a jack stand, then remote the tire, loosen all the bolts(struts upper 2 and bottom, control arm, etc) then just my jack to lift the brake assembly and then tighten everything back up?

Is that pretty much how it goes?

 

actually you only preload with rubber bushings. if using poly you dont need to

 

^ you need to preload any non floating bushing. Whether it's poly or rubber. USUALLY poly ones are full floating. But...to be correct, it's any bushing that's not a floating type.

OP: You need to loosen all the affected bolts and re-tighten them when the car is on the ground. Some of them will be done during an alignment like some of the LCA bushings...so don't worry so much about those.

All other affected bushings must be clocked/preloaded. Your car was clocked at ride height when it was new. Now you made the bushings into a torsion spring at static height by tightening them up in the air.

You always always always tighten non floating bushings at ride height. You have to do it when you change ride height and you have to do it if you remove suspension components that require you to remove bolts off affected bushings.

There's also a bushing on the RLCA that attatches to the chassis...kinda like where the seat ends. It's the front most portion of the RLCA. You have to loosen and retighten than bolt at ride height even though you didn't need to remove it for the spring install. Same with the RUCA bolts.

Good luck...refer to that link posted. Then PM me if you need more help.