gns30
Active Member
- Joined
- October 12, 2008
- Messages
- 51
- Reaction score
- 3
- City, State
- Clarksville, TN
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 01 Bullitt
This is a basic DIY to lower your truck at no cost. Cutting springs has been a technique used for years and I'm not here to argue the good or bad in it. This is for the guys who don't wanna spend 250 to 300 bucks on springs to do the same thing.
Tools needed
15mm socket
18mm socket
19mm socket
21mm socket
24mm socket
Breaker bar
Pry bar
Ratchet
Mallet
Strut spring compressor
Cut off Wheel
Jack
Jack stands
Front:
1. Loosen the Lug nuts with a 19mm socket. Jack up the front of your Explorer, place it on jack stands and remove the lug nuts with a 19mm socket.
2. Remove the Sway bar nut with a 21mm socket and impact wrench (easy way) or 21mm wrench and 10mm socket(hard way)
3. Use your jack to raise the control arm enough for the sway bar end link to easily come out, push it over to the side
4. Grab your 24mm socket or 15/16 and a breaker bar to remove the spring/strut nuts. The bolt is splined so no need to hold the bolt side.
5. Take your Mallet and tap the bolts out, don’t worry you won’t break anything.
6. Either cut or pop out the sensor cable that is zip tied to the strut, do not cut the actual cable!
7. Remove the 4 15mm nuts from the top of the strut in the engine bay, the strut should still be support by the spindle.
8. Lower the jack, and push down on the spindle to get the strut free.
9. Compress the spring with the spring compressor, rented from your local parts store.
10. I used a 21mm socket and impact gun to remove the nut. If you have to do it the hard way you can use a socket and a 10mm socket and extension inside of each other.
11. Cut the spring 1.25 coils from the bottom. Less if you want less of a drop.
12. Trim the bump stop, just pull it out from the accordion tube.
13. Reassemble. The spring will be a bit tricky until you get tension on it. I placed the cut end towards the back of the vehicle. Don’t forget to place the arrow pointing forward on the top of the strut.
Rear:
1. Loosen the rear lug nuts with a 19mm socket, raise the rear, place on jack stands and remove the wheel.
2. Remove the small 6 inch sway bar end link with a 15mm socket and impact gun or a crescent wrench and 15mm socket. Raise the control arm with your jack to relieve tension and remove the end link. Now remove the other side, it should be loose, and rotate the sway bar down.
3. Grab your 18mm socket and remove the shock bolt.
4. Use a 21mm socket to remove the bolt holding the lower control arm to the spindle. You will need to use a crescent wrench to hold the cut in place as you turn it.
5. With a jack still supporting the control arm, slowly lower it removing all tension from the spring. Remove the jack, push down on the control arm and remove the spring.
6. Cut 1.25 coils from the spring and reinstall.
7. Reassemble.
8. Loosen the top spindle bolt and use a pry bar to push the spindle out for additional camber and tighten.
Now go for a test drive, enjoy your new look and know you saved some money with no ill effects! Go get an alignment done as well! FYI I am not liable for any damage you do to your vehicle, this is just for information purposes, so all work on your vehicle at your own risk, thanks!
Tools needed
15mm socket
18mm socket
19mm socket
21mm socket
24mm socket
Breaker bar
Pry bar
Ratchet
Mallet
Strut spring compressor
Cut off Wheel
Jack
Jack stands
Front:
1. Loosen the Lug nuts with a 19mm socket. Jack up the front of your Explorer, place it on jack stands and remove the lug nuts with a 19mm socket.
2. Remove the Sway bar nut with a 21mm socket and impact wrench (easy way) or 21mm wrench and 10mm socket(hard way)
3. Use your jack to raise the control arm enough for the sway bar end link to easily come out, push it over to the side
4. Grab your 24mm socket or 15/16 and a breaker bar to remove the spring/strut nuts. The bolt is splined so no need to hold the bolt side.
5. Take your Mallet and tap the bolts out, don’t worry you won’t break anything.
6. Either cut or pop out the sensor cable that is zip tied to the strut, do not cut the actual cable!
7. Remove the 4 15mm nuts from the top of the strut in the engine bay, the strut should still be support by the spindle.
8. Lower the jack, and push down on the spindle to get the strut free.
9. Compress the spring with the spring compressor, rented from your local parts store.
10. I used a 21mm socket and impact gun to remove the nut. If you have to do it the hard way you can use a socket and a 10mm socket and extension inside of each other.
11. Cut the spring 1.25 coils from the bottom. Less if you want less of a drop.
12. Trim the bump stop, just pull it out from the accordion tube.
13. Reassemble. The spring will be a bit tricky until you get tension on it. I placed the cut end towards the back of the vehicle. Don’t forget to place the arrow pointing forward on the top of the strut.
Rear:
1. Loosen the rear lug nuts with a 19mm socket, raise the rear, place on jack stands and remove the wheel.
2. Remove the small 6 inch sway bar end link with a 15mm socket and impact gun or a crescent wrench and 15mm socket. Raise the control arm with your jack to relieve tension and remove the end link. Now remove the other side, it should be loose, and rotate the sway bar down.
3. Grab your 18mm socket and remove the shock bolt.
4. Use a 21mm socket to remove the bolt holding the lower control arm to the spindle. You will need to use a crescent wrench to hold the cut in place as you turn it.
5. With a jack still supporting the control arm, slowly lower it removing all tension from the spring. Remove the jack, push down on the control arm and remove the spring.
6. Cut 1.25 coils from the spring and reinstall.
7. Reassemble.
8. Loosen the top spindle bolt and use a pry bar to push the spindle out for additional camber and tighten.
Now go for a test drive, enjoy your new look and know you saved some money with no ill effects! Go get an alignment done as well! FYI I am not liable for any damage you do to your vehicle, this is just for information purposes, so all work on your vehicle at your own risk, thanks!
Do it right, or don't do it at all. Have fun replacing your stock struts much earlier than anticipated.
