Coilovers (crosspost)

[petrified.rabbit]

DO NOT JUST GO WITH FIRST POST <<THIS WAS A DISCUSSION>>

crosspost from aveonetwork.

This is the how to for installing mk2/mk3 VW (1985-1999 Jetta, Golf, Corrado) onto your Aveo. EDIT BETTER TO INSTALL MK1 COILOVERS FROM 1975-1984(requires more grinding in front)


Step 1: Put car on jack stands and remove wheels (whole car, front or back doesn't matter)


For the rear:

1. Put a jack under the axle to support it, not enough to raise the car but to keep the axle from falling.

2. Remove the 14mm bolt at the bottom of each shock on the end of the swing arm.



3. Remove the two 14mm bolts from the top of the shock (this is the upper shock mount).



4. Pull shocks out of wheel well. (ziptie gas plumbing cover tighter, yellow zipties in finished pictures)

5. Lower beam, it should drop enough that the springs will pull out, if not you will need to loosen the brake line bracket so the axle can drop further.

6. Remove stock springs.

7, Remove the upper mount from the shock. you will need an impact to make this easier, but turning it by hand is possible as well.

8. Put upper mount in same order on top of coil over. USE the nuts that come with the coil overs!!
(this is also the time to eliminate the smaller helper spring if you want more clearance)



9. Turn the spring perch collars to the same position and turn them towards each other to jamb them in place.

10. Install the coil over into the upper mount on both sides.

11. Raise rear axle so the bottom of both coil overs go into the shock holder cups. And reinstall the 14mm bolts.

12. Put tires on, and check selected height. Adjust the collars until desired height is achieved. (this will be covered later).



For the Front:

This section requires a kit for the sway bar to be retained. Also some grinding of the upper spindle.

1. Since you have it up and the wheels off already. Remove the two bolts and nuts joining the strut to the spindle. And also remove the nut holding the sway bar endlink to the tab on the strut. It will spin, but on the side of the rubber boot is a stamping for a 15mm wrench to hold it in place.



2. Using an impact, remove the top 19mm nut (in the engine compartment). Hold the strut while you do this as they will drop out.

3. Remove the strut from the wheel well.

4. Using an impact, remove the nut that holds the upper mount together.

5. Assemble mount onto coil over in the same order as removed (eliminate the sleeve the coil over comes with). Preset the collars to a desired height (keep in mind my slammed picture has about 2" of threads at the bottom), and jamb them together.



6. This is where you need to modify the spindle: Attempt to install the coil over onto the spindle. you will see it is too wide. When you look at the spindle you will see the casting is wider where the oem bolts go through. However the top of the spindle is narrower than those two plateaus. Using a grinder (4" angle grinder was my choice) grind the 4 plateaus until they are almost even with the rest of the spindle, test fit the coil over often so you just take off enough so that it fits.

TIP: to keep everything cut a hole through a garbage bag and cover the rest of the spindle / brakes etc.

TIP: You need to be very careful grinding near the brake line, be aware of where it is the whole time you grind. you do not
want to nick it. Removing the caliper from the spindle and placing it out of the way, if you want to be extra careful is
a good idea ( just like if you were doing brakes, do not remove the line).







7. Once the coil over slides onto the spindle, Install the upper nut to hold it in place.

8. (This is where the kit comes in) Using the longer bolts, matching nuts and two lock washers supplied in the kit, install the lower coilover. The bolt should go in from the front of the car, and nuts should face the back of the car (this is important for installing the sway bar end link bracket (not yet pictured, but will be added at the bottom).



9. As you tighten the bolts and nuts, preset your camber Pull the top of the spindle out as you tighten the bolts if you less camber, push it in if you want more. (you will want to check this when again after you lower the car. it is the "tilt" of the wheel.

10. Puts tires on and lower car. Adjust height and camber as necessary.

11. I recommend getting an alignment once you have your "permanent" height decided.


Installing Sway bar endlink kit.

What comes in the kit:



1. The two bolts on the lower spindle attachment of the coil over. You will notice extra threads pointing toward the rear of the car on both sides. Slide the bracket onto those bolts as pictured. install the lock washers and nuts, and tighten.

2.Remove the old sway bar endlink from the sway bar, Again It will spin, but on the side of the rubber boot is a stamping for a 15mm wrench to hold it in place. (The other side was removed with the strut).

3. Set the length of the bar to reflect the height change. (Longer if closer to stock height, shorter the lower you go) This is kind of a guess, but in any position it will not interfere with anything. However it is important to match the length on both sides. Use the jamb nuts to lock its position.

4. Install the adjustable end links in the order of the pictures (ALL HARDWARE PROVIDED) to the sway bar and the bracket.
(now Listed below)


YOU ARE FINISHED!


(more pictures will be posted soon).

finished install pictures:











I will answer questions and edit, add to the thread as i answer them.. End link Kit pictures available when the "production" kit is available.


END LINK install!

Where we left off installing the coil overs you will notice we have quite a few threads left on the strut bolts.


The bolts for the struts should be tight, Now put on another washer, the L shaped end link bracket, a lock washer and another nut.

Should look exactly like this, with the smaller hole pointing in and towards the top.


Next, Assemble the end links, One jamb nut on the fixed side of eack end joint (included in packet) then thread into the rod. (one side is reverse threaded for easy adjustments).


Install in the sway bar first, and then into the bracket, finger tight. Once both are started tighten the nut down.


You are all finished.





Disclaimer: do at your own risk, off road use only, i can't say this will pass inspection (for your state), etc.
Since i am not doing the install i can not guarantee your work. I will give you all the help i can, and it has been driven on my car over 200 miles so far. it works, but thats as far as my liability goes. Your coil overs if bought direct come with a warranty, since they are not modified you will be able retain that suspensions warranty.. The end link kit is all that i am providing you with. It will not fail. It is at least twice the strength of stock. But part failure will be fixed if it occurs.


Thank you.

when it comes to aftermarket coil overs, they are the same set up.

BUT if they have a choice, not that i know a company it matters, the part numbers are usually the same, mk2 weigh less than a mk3 so it would be more "comfortable" of a ride, while the mk3 would be "stiffer" suspension.

Like i said though they are the same for the coilover brands i am familiar with.

These are what are on my car:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Rokkor-C ... 3439wt_962

they went up $20 since i bought mine, another set in that price range is raceland. which is actually cheaper than the rokkor.

http://www.racelandus.com/p-57-raceland ... b3-b4.aspx

but you can pick any set up really. the only ones you might need more clearance with it the threaded body design like b&g since the shock body is so much bigger, it will be closer to the components than the standard body coilover.

you can get better setups used on vwvortex. but used suspension is at your discretion.

updates when i get back from florida.