Fancy lowering your mk4 but not sure how to do it? This guide will hopefully.
Heres the guide for lowering a mk4 Fiesta.
Sorry if it's not brilliant as it's my first proper in-depth guide.
Tools Needed:
Spanners
Hex key bits
Torque Wrench
Rubber Hammer
Trolley Jack
Axle Stands
Spring Compressors
Parts Needed:
lowering Springs
Uprated Suspension struts(Optional)
Rubber top mount(Optional)
Brake Cleaner
Rags
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Loow Rider
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cruising
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Firstly the REAR:
First of all chock the front wheels with bricks/blocks of wood to stop it rolling
& jack the rear of the car up, lower onto axle stands to support the
car then remove a wheel from one side.
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Go into the boot & undo the strut top nut by using a swan neck spanner & an adjustable spanner
on the flat bit on the end of the thread to stop it spinning while undoing it, then take off the top.
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Then get under the car and remove the bolt at the bottom that holds the strut onto the rear axel.
(NOTE: helps if you spray this with wd40 the night before you start the job and also just before removing)
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Now the strut should be free and should just drop out (according to the haynes manual)
but in my case (and i'm sure it will be the same for everyone) we had to use a bit
of force to get it off by having one person use a long bar in the end of the rear
beam and put pressure on it to pull it down while someone else lifts the strut and wiggles it out.
Now you have the rear strut off the car you now need to remove the Top mounting & spring seat.
For this you will need spring compressors, fit the spring compressors (one at each side)
with them opened as wide as you can get them onto the spring. Tighten them up alternating
between the two so they compress the spring equally, you want to compress them far enough
so that you can get to this circlip with ease.
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Remove the circlip & take off the Top mounting & Spring Seat from the strut then
undo the spring compressors and take them off the spring.
You now need to get hold of your New Rear Strut & lowering spring.
Start by using the spring compressors (as before) on the new spring and sit
the spring on the new strut making sure it sits in the right position.
Now put the Spring Seat & top mounting on top then put the circlip back on.
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You can now undo the spring compressors which then leaves you with your new complete rear strut.
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Now time to fit it back to the car using the reverse method of removing .
Repeat for the other side. Fit wheels back on,
jack car up to remove axle stands then lower back down to ground.
Rear now lowered
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Now the FRONT:
First of all with the handbrake firmly on jack the front of the car up,
lower onto axle stands to support the car then remove a wheel from one side
Start by spraying WD40 on the two nuts on the strut just below the bottom of
the spring that hold the drop link & hose bracket on. Also spray the pinch
bolt/nut underneath the hub carrier which holds the lower arm ball joint
in place and spray around the bottom of the strut where it fits inside the hub carrier.
Leave for a while for the oil to soak in.
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Undo all the nuts/bolts mentioned above & pull the lower arm ball joint out of the hub carrier.
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Now undo the pinch bolt that holds the bottom of strut into the hub carrier.
Prise open carefully the gap at the back to allow the strut to come out
easier using a rubber mallet on the carrier if required to help it come out.
Open the bonnet and remove the plastic cover over the strut top & undo the strut top nut,
for this you will need a swan neck spanner and an Allen key to go in the end of
the threaded bar to stop it spinning while removing the nut.
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Once you’ve removed the nut take off the Strut top and rubber bush. The strut should now easily fall out from underneath.
Now you have the front strut off the car you now need to remove the Thrust bearing & upper spring seat.
For this you need the spring compressors again, fit the spring compressors as before
(one at each side) with them opened as wide as you can get them onto the spring.
Tighten them up alternating between the two so they compress the spring equally,
you want to compress them far enough so that the upper spring seat is loose.
Undo the nut at the top of the thrust bearing using a spanner with an Allen key in the end of the threaded bar again to stop it spinning.
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Once the nut is off, take off the thrust bearing and upper spring seat as you need
these for the new strut then undo the spring compressors and take them off the old spring.
You now need to get hold of your New Front Strut & lowering spring.
Start by using the spring compressors (as before) on the new spring and sit
the spring on the new strut making sure it sits in the right position.
Now put the upper Spring Seat & thrust bearing on top then put the nut back on.
You can now undo the spring compressors which then leaves you with your new complete front strut.
Now time to fit it back to the car using the reverse method of removing .
(NOTE: It is highly advisable to replace the Lower arm pinch bolts with new ones when reassembling)
Repeat for the other side. Fit wheels back on, jack car up to remove axle stands then lower back down to ground.
Car now fully lowered
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I do not take any responsbitility for any damage or injury that may be caused and you do this at your own risk.
Guide Written and © On 25 May 2009 Dave Hill (davedarave89) For Fiestaguides.co.uk
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