Hi guys, going to dropping my 8 on tein s-techs fairly soon. I've installed springs on 3 different brands of cars but obviously never an 8. I've never had to use a spring compressor in the past so long as I took extra care when loosening the top bolt on the struts. My question is, I know it's ALWAYS recommended, but is it pretty much the same setup on our 8's as it is with other cars and I probably won't need them again?

I'm just afraid this might be the one time where I'm dealing with a more compressed set of springs then I have in the past. Although the springs I replaced on a friends WRX were aftermarket and quite compressed. Still no extravagant ricochet effect of any magnitude.

Thanks in advance.

 

They come apart OK.....not too bad...but you will have a difficult time getting the stiffer springs hooked up....although if they are short enough you might be OK

Can usually borrow them from an autoparts place

 

They let you rent them, but they don't explicitly say you have to bring them back within 3 months. I now have a set of spring compressors as a result.

 

Use a compressor, rear is less trouble than front. Safe is good.

I would read the recent posts about S-Tech before installation. Some were having trouble.

 

I replaced my RX3 Mc Pherson struts by compressing the spring with about six large hose clamps. Use rachet on the clamps and you can compress the spring in about 10 minutes or less. Just don't ever aim it at anything, and of course its not safe, but none of those clamps broke, and I even reused them on other stuff later. Everything is a calculated risk!

 

Cool thanks guys. I remembered I was REALLY scared the first time I installed a set of springs, but the explosion that many talked about was sooo anti-climactic for me that after that every install went smoothly without using a SC. Was such a pain in the *** from what I remember which was the original decision to not use them. I think I'll be daring and careful as I always am and go without a SC.

 

Please use a spring compressor. I would rather read about how sweet your ride is now. Than read about you in the hospital in a coma and brain damage.

 

Yeah, don't listen to me; I was the kid that liked to shoot arrows straight up, and hope you could see them coming down.

 

I would definitely use it. The fronts are tight, and I'd have never got the front Racing Beat springs on without compressing the crap out of them first.

 

always be safe when working on your car. Always.
Go to Autozone and rent it, it's FREE.

If not, then why not just work on your car without jack stands either, it'll be more exciting that way...

 

^+1

do not be the idiot that everyone talks about when something goes wrong

 

LOL I guess majority rules to use a SC. This is why I asked since I figured the 8 was a little different than the cars ive replaced springs on in the past.

 

It's possible to do it without one, but why bother? I value my life more than some people I guess.

 

For the record, we took off some stock springs a month ago on phrenetiks 8 and the rears just came right off; the front did jump off. All you need to do is lay the shock on the ground and put a towel over the nut while you're wrenching it off. It will kick off but the towel catches everything. This way you dont spend an hour wrenching the spring compressors if you dont have air tools.

 

Smiley face.