Pre-Lift Install Questions (Plus Some Extra Pics!)

[Ron Burgundy]

I am finally committed to lifting the Path - but I know i'm going to have a lot of questions...

This one being the first:




The strut seems to fall a bit short compared to the height of the spring (as seen in the above picture). I have read/seen nothing about having to compress the spring in order to install the spring onto the strut, however, this is the only way I can fathom this feasible considering the top of the strut needs to attached to the spring seat. What am I missing here? Does the strut extend? Cut me some slack - I'm new to suspension.

And because everyone loves pics, I cleaned my engine bay!



















And yes, I know that elbow is cracked in the air intake.

[fueler]

yup you gotta compress it with a heavy duty mc pherson spring compressor

[WPGQX4]

Anyone else have a kink in ther neck after looking at the engine bay pics. lol

[01silvapathy]

Well of course you have to compress the springs, otherwise when you think about it, you wouldnt have any upwards flex if you installed them as is. It also seems that from the look of it you have the rear lift spring on the strut. The front spring should be wider on one end I believe

[Ron Burgundy]

Well of course you have to compress the springs, otherwise when you think about it, you wouldnt have any upwards flex if you installed them as is. It also seems that from the look of it you have the rear lift spring on the strut. The front spring should be wider on one end I believe

Yeah, the more and more I thought about it compressing the springs would make perfect sense. I said cut me some slack ok!?

Next question:

Once the spring is compressed to the point where I can put on the spring seat and the piston rod nut is tightened - where do I go from here? Just picturing it in my head, it seems as though removing the spring compressors from the spring would be a good step, but that would be relying on soley the piston rod nut to keep the spring compressed. I know that thing is under a lot of pressure, but jeez that would be A LOT!

Anyone else have a kink in ther neck after looking at the engine bay pics. lol

When I saved them I rotated them - appearntly photobucket didn't pick up on that. I'll be damned if I go through photobucket and rotate each one. Tell you what... turn your monitor sideways. That should do the trick

[ch_1nk]

not trying to hijack your threads, but how did you go about cleaning your engine bay? it looks freeesh

[oasisx]

Anyone else have a kink in ther neck after looking at the engine bay pics. lol

was thinking the exact same thing lol

[miamiheat3332]

damn i love my 2 inch lowering springs, compressing the stock springs was a pain in the a** to get them off the old struts so it wouldnt kill anyone when there laying there, i can only imagine a lift spring and fitting it onto the strut, as for my 2in lowering coils, i didnt even have to compress them, : ]

[Ron Burgundy]

not trying to hijack your threads, but how did you go about cleaning your engine bay? it looks freeesh

No worries. I did it pretty half a**/ghetto rigged. I used a hose with a typical squeeze attachment, some engine block cleaner leaf blower to dry it.

It works but I would've rather used a pressure washer, an engine bay detailer and.....a leaf blower.

/end thread jack

[fueler]

yes, the suspension relies solely on the strut shaft (when fully decompressed) to stay together

set the truck down on the ground on its own weight and that all changes, now its resting on the spring and it'll only rely on the shock shaft if you extend the suspension all the way (jumps) or if you jack your truck up off the ground.

It sounds like youre pretty new to this, i wouldnt try this without a knowledgeable friend around to help.

[fueler]

also - where is your battery tie down?? whats holding the battery in place?

[Ron Burgundy]

yes, the suspension relies solely on the strut shaft (when fully decompressed) to stay together

set the truck down on the ground on its own weight and that all changes, now its resting on the spring and it'll only rely on the shock shaft if you extend the suspension all the way (jumps) or if you jack your truck up off the ground.

It sounds like youre pretty new to this, i wouldnt try this without a knowledgeable friend around to help.

Extremely new. But it honestly doesn't seem that difficult. I'm just covering as many bases as possible, before I get down there. I got a friend who has done it a few times I can rely on. I appreciate your concern!

So lets see if I got this down...

1. LOOSEN FRONT WHEEL LUG NUTS.
2. RAISE THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE.
3. PLACE ON JACK STANDS.
4. REMOVE THE WHEELS.
5. UNCLIP THE BRAKE HOSE FROM THE STRUT BRACKET AND DETACH IT FROM THE BRACKET.
6. REMOVE THE BOLT SUPPORTING THE ABS SPEED SENSOR HARNESS AND UNCLIP THE SENSOR.
7. REMOVE THE NUT AND DETACH THE STABILIZER BAR LINK FROM THE STRUT.*
8. REMOVE STRUT-TO-KNUCKLE NUTS AND KNOCK THE BOLTS OUT WITH A HAMMER AND PUNCH.*
9. SEPARATE THE STRUT FROM THE STEERING KNUCKLE. (BE CAREFUL NOT TO OVEREXTEND THE INNER CV JOINT AND DON’T LET THE KNUCKLE FALL OUTWARD)
10. REMOVE THE THREE STRUT UPPER MOUNTING NUTS (IN ENGINE BAY). SUPPORT STRUT FROM THE BOTTOM WITH AT LEAST ONE HAND BEFORE REMOVING THE LAST NUT.
11. REMOVE STRUT THROUGH THE FENDER WELL.
12. INSTALL SPRING COMPRESSORS ON OPPOSITE ENDS AND ALTERNATELY COMPRESS.
13. WHEN FULLY COMPRESSES REMOVE PISTON ROD NUT AND SPRING SEAT.
14. REMOVE COMPRESSED SPRING AND SLOWLY REMOVE SPRING COMPRESSORS.
15. COMPRESS NEW COIL SPRING AND PLACE ON NEW (OR USED) STRUT.
16. INSTALL SPRING SEAT AND PISTON ROD NUT.
17. SLOWLY REMOVE SPRING COMPRESSORS.
18. RE-INSTALL THROUGH FENDER WELL.

With of course replacing worn parts throughout and tightening to torrque specs. How's that?! Missing anything?

also - where is your battery tie down?? whats holding the battery in place?

It's just off in those pictures. Funny enough though, I didn't have one for the longest time!

[Ron Burgundy]

Bump with another question...

What parts should be replaced when the lift is installed?

Front Suspension:



Rear Suspension:

[Ron Burgundy]

Bump...