how to pre-load springs
 

I was just wondering what the best way to preload springs are. I installed vogtland springs and i barely can tell that it is lowered. I was thinking i have to preload them

Never fear, Jedi is here!

All you need to do is loosen the following bolts while it's on the ground, let it sit to 'load' the weight on the suspension and then tighten everything back up.



http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d3...54/preload.jpg

or when the car is on jack stands, take a floor jack and jack up the car by the knucle and when the car starts to come off the jacks, tighten everything down. I did it this way and I immediately noticed the drop.

Thanks i got the front done. is the rear the exact same way?

If it's this easy to just loosen a bolt to properly load them, why do I hear about people using special spring pre-loading tools?

I don't have lowering springs, I'm just curious.

because they are stupid.

this is the correct method for pre-loading.

you have to also loosen the bolt on the other side of the a arm..

it can be done with the car on the ground. just turn the wheel to one side.

i find it helpful to drive around the block. speed bumps help. then tighten them up.. once again. the two bolts on the lower a arm..

beers :beer:

I can't find any good instructions for this....but what about the rears? I would imagine that it's just as necessary....but there are way more points of rotation....

The only way I know of to preload the rears is to use a spring clamp and compress the springs as much as you can then, slide on the upper spring perch and tighten down the nut as much as possible. There are no external ways to adjust the rears.

i know tis post its a bit old but i have a question do you loosen up both bolts on the control arm or just that one jedi is pointing at?

For the record: that's not actually me pointing at the bolt, it's a picture by another member but I found it useful so I post it for such ocassions.

Here's your answer:

oops i shouldve read.. oo well

I use a jackstand to push it up and put the bolts back on ... :)

ok so i did this and damn what a difference

I have just done the preloading procedure n the difference is astonishing...

Even the people who think they know how, don't.

It has to be on jackstands with all four wheels up in the air.

you have to have at least one swaybar endlink end taken loose on each swaybar.

Once this is done you can jack any corner up into compression easily and then retighten the suspension arm bolts

it can be done on the ground rather than on jackstands, but the suspension needs to be settled first which means driving it around some withe everything loose and it's more of a PITA to reach in and around to tighten everything. Using the jackstand method above allows you to compress the suspension to whatever position you want, including almost full compression, before retightening it easily.


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Is it possible to preload the stock springs in the front since the car sits higher in the front than in the rear?

the car is higher on the front than the rear for a reason.

please excuse my ignorance, but why?

it has to do with the weight, brake distribution, Aerodynamics, and balancing around corners.

Thats exactly what I do.

Guess I did it right the whole time :)

I guess that makes sense but it just looks so weird. For a daily driver, do you think there would be a noticeable difference in handling by preloading the front stock springs if that's even possible?

I dont think so.

Im playing around with the height lately. it does affect the handling, but u not gonna notice it for DD.

hmm I'm not sure if I did it correctly but I took a jack while my car was on stands, sways still connected and tight, and for the rears: jacked up the car under the rotor somewhere, I forget exactly and then tighted the bolts down.

for the fronts I just loosened the front control arms and jumped on the car a little to settle them, granted the springs have had like 10K on them so they were already settled.

But after reading this thread I'm wondering if I did this all correctly... I'll post pics of my car from the side and see if yall think it looks correct

That good info team posted, I have always done it the other way but since the car is on stands anyway, why not. I had another local guy here call me all upset because he was in a rush to get them on and did them himself and was pissed because he was not lower. I asked him if he preloaded them and he was like, "preload, what's that?"

I told him what to do and he was a happy camper afterward.