PSS-9 Installation
06-04-2002, 06:13 PM
#1
Racer
Thread Starter
PSS-9 Installation
My PSS-9's are on the way from Gert. After reading Robin's DIY, I'm about convinced to install them myself but had a few questions:
1) I plan on lowering the ride height by about an inch overall. My plan for a "starting point" is to lay the old stock assembly next to the new PSS-9 and adjust it to be an inch shorter before I install it. I'll then have it fine-tuned when corner balanced and aligned. Is this the best approach?
2) Do the clips for the abs wires, etc. transfer to the PSS-9's relatively cleanly? Any tricks?
3) Other than a big TORX bit for the rear arm, any special tools needed?
4) How much time should I budget? The Alldata book says 4.6 hours for front and rear, so I figure I can get it done in a day, right?
Anything else I need to be aware of?
Curtis
1) I plan on lowering the ride height by about an inch overall. My plan for a "starting point" is to lay the old stock assembly next to the new PSS-9 and adjust it to be an inch shorter before I install it. I'll then have it fine-tuned when corner balanced and aligned. Is this the best approach?
2) Do the clips for the abs wires, etc. transfer to the PSS-9's relatively cleanly? Any tricks?
3) Other than a big TORX bit for the rear arm, any special tools needed?
4) How much time should I budget? The Alldata book says 4.6 hours for front and rear, so I figure I can get it done in a day, right?
Anything else I need to be aware of?
Curtis
06-04-2002, 07:00 PM
#2
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Did mine a couple of months ago with the help of a couple of friends. To answer your questions.
1. You probably will not get very close this way. When you receive the shocks look in the documents you get with the shocks. You have to measure from the bottom of a certain point on the shock. Just set it at its heightest range length from this point. This will get you somewhat close. The best way is to measure from certain points on the bottom of the car once it is installed. Be sure and count the threads from the bottom of the shock. Make sure the rear swaybar link mount point has the same number of threads from the bottom on both sides. I counted 6 threads from the bottom of the shock to the bottom of the link on mine.
2. Yes very simple.
3. You may want to get a spaner to adjust the springs to the correct height. Also make a small dent in the heat exchanger on the left side in order to get the lower control arm bolt out.
4. It took me about 2-3 hours for the front and 4-6 hours for the rear. I would make sure you set aside an entire weekend for this job unless you are a pro or have done it before.
Good luck
Mark S.
1. You probably will not get very close this way. When you receive the shocks look in the documents you get with the shocks. You have to measure from the bottom of a certain point on the shock. Just set it at its heightest range length from this point. This will get you somewhat close. The best way is to measure from certain points on the bottom of the car once it is installed. Be sure and count the threads from the bottom of the shock. Make sure the rear swaybar link mount point has the same number of threads from the bottom on both sides. I counted 6 threads from the bottom of the shock to the bottom of the link on mine.
2. Yes very simple.
3. You may want to get a spaner to adjust the springs to the correct height. Also make a small dent in the heat exchanger on the left side in order to get the lower control arm bolt out.
4. It took me about 2-3 hours for the front and 4-6 hours for the rear. I would make sure you set aside an entire weekend for this job unless you are a pro or have done it before.
Good luck
Mark S.
06-04-2002, 08:12 PM
#3
Curtis,
I installed my PSS-9's by myself and it was my first real DIY on any car other than an oil change. It is not that difficult. However, depending on your tool set you may need to pick up a couple of wrenches. My tool set did not have two of the bigger sizes metric wrenches needed. I want to say 18 or 19 mm and a something like a 21mm. I bought one and borrowed one. The Hazet tool is nice for the front shocks. This reminds me. The top nut on the PSS-9's is a different size than the factory nut. Since I had the Hazet tool I reused the factory nut.
I did not have to put a dent in the heat exchanger to get the rear control arm bolt out I just followed the procedure outlined on Robin’s site. Which by the was is very helpful tutorial.
Follow Mark’s advice and study the instructions included in the PSS-9's. They are somewhat confusing but with a little attention you can figure out where to set the lock nuts. I set my at the low end of what was allowed according to the instructions. My front was too low but the rear was perfect according the shop who did my corner balance. The fronts are easy to adjust if you want it higher or lower and can be done after installation. However, the rears, due to the drop link pick-ups and the suspension subframe, can not really be adjusted once installed. To adjust the height the coilover must be taken off. The spanner wrench would be nice (I used a rubber mallet and large flat screw driver to move the lock nuts - PITA).
When putting the PSS-9's together be careful and make sure to “seat” the hats correctly onto the damper shaft. Once you get the shocks you will notice on the under side of the hats there are little lips that the top of the damper fits into. These must be set correctly. You will know what I am talking about when you get the parts.
There was also another thread about tips on the installation of the PSS-9's about a month ago which had some good informative tips and tricks to make a couple of things easier.
One last thought, I ended up borrowing an impact wrench which made working on the rears significantly easier. I found a couple of the rear suspension bolts “frozen” (part of the problem was my rear shock had leaked oil on everything and it was covered with a grime that made cement on things) that I don’t know if I would have got off without the impact wrench.
Feel free to email me if you have any questions. Have fun. I can’t give you a time reference because I did it over the course of a couple of evenings and half a day. (which involved putting one rear completely back together and then taking it apart again).
<img src="graemlins/beerchug.gif" border="0" alt="[cheers]" />
I installed my PSS-9's by myself and it was my first real DIY on any car other than an oil change. It is not that difficult. However, depending on your tool set you may need to pick up a couple of wrenches. My tool set did not have two of the bigger sizes metric wrenches needed. I want to say 18 or 19 mm and a something like a 21mm. I bought one and borrowed one. The Hazet tool is nice for the front shocks. This reminds me. The top nut on the PSS-9's is a different size than the factory nut. Since I had the Hazet tool I reused the factory nut.
I did not have to put a dent in the heat exchanger to get the rear control arm bolt out I just followed the procedure outlined on Robin’s site. Which by the was is very helpful tutorial.
Follow Mark’s advice and study the instructions included in the PSS-9's. They are somewhat confusing but with a little attention you can figure out where to set the lock nuts. I set my at the low end of what was allowed according to the instructions. My front was too low but the rear was perfect according the shop who did my corner balance. The fronts are easy to adjust if you want it higher or lower and can be done after installation. However, the rears, due to the drop link pick-ups and the suspension subframe, can not really be adjusted once installed. To adjust the height the coilover must be taken off. The spanner wrench would be nice (I used a rubber mallet and large flat screw driver to move the lock nuts - PITA).
When putting the PSS-9's together be careful and make sure to “seat” the hats correctly onto the damper shaft. Once you get the shocks you will notice on the under side of the hats there are little lips that the top of the damper fits into. These must be set correctly. You will know what I am talking about when you get the parts.
There was also another thread about tips on the installation of the PSS-9's about a month ago which had some good informative tips and tricks to make a couple of things easier.
One last thought, I ended up borrowing an impact wrench which made working on the rears significantly easier. I found a couple of the rear suspension bolts “frozen” (part of the problem was my rear shock had leaked oil on everything and it was covered with a grime that made cement on things) that I don’t know if I would have got off without the impact wrench.
Feel free to email me if you have any questions. Have fun. I can’t give you a time reference because I did it over the course of a couple of evenings and half a day. (which involved putting one rear completely back together and then taking it apart again).
<img src="graemlins/beerchug.gif" border="0" alt="[cheers]" />
