New Caprice - Discussion forums

Just ordered the H&R springs for my PPV. Any tips or things I should know to help with install? Approximate amount of time needed? Just wanted to ask before I tear into it and there's something I wasn't prepared for haha. Thanks!

It's not that bad. The worst part about the job is how much you have to compress the springs to get them on and off. Another interesting part was trying to get the rear springs over the lower rubber insulator. I lubed mine with dish detergent and it eventually went, but it was a pain. Before you take the front springs off, note how the top of the spring is clocked and put the new ones on the same way. I didn't have much time when I did mine and had to it in installments, so I'm not sure exactly how long it took.

I'm doing mine next weekend (springs arrive Monday). I also ordered a pair of Whiteline W41772 Strut Mount Bushings (comes with new bearings) and a couple Moog K750561 Stabilizer Bar Links for the rear. My plan is to take everything off the car and then bring it all with the new springs to a shop where they can easily swap the springs out for me on their bench. And as others advise I will make double sure they clock them correctly. I'm also considering getting new struts as I've read the stock struts won't perform as with lowering springs.
I've also been reading on the G8 board that some people have trouble with the upper nut and the rod that goes into the strut, holding the one while loosening the other. Crossing my fingers that this will not be a big deal.
I'm also pretty sure my jack won't fit under the car anymore so probably gunna get one of those lightweight low pro race car jacks.

It took me a full day and a half because I had family "responsibilities". LOL. In reality, it took about 6 hours taking my time.

As long as you follow the service manual procedures it was straight forward. The things I recall as "tricks" are:

1) Use an impact gun: It makes the job so much easier on the big nuts and bolts.
2) The strut nut at top of the is strut assembly can be tricky to get off. Some claim the damping rod that the nut is threaded onto can rotate when turning the nut. Don't over compress the spring and allow the bottom of the nut to still touch the cap. Use an impact gun to break the nut loose and remove it.
3) Use a silver sharpie to mark the orientation of all the parts relative to strut. There is some play to allow misalignment but not that much.
4) Remove the wheel sensor and hang it out of the way. The strut assembly is heavy and the last thing you want to do is snag the strut assembly on the cable.
5) To remove the brake line from the stay bracket on the strut body, rotate it 90 degrees and slide it up and out of the bracket. The plastic brake line fitting is keyed to the steel bracket coming off the strut.
6) Before torquing the bolts down, put a jack underneath the knuckle and put the car's corner weight on it.
7) When removing the sway bar end fittings, make sure the other side of the car is also lifted to remove the torsion on the sway bar. This is important when reassembly as well. This only applies if you are lifting one corner at a time.
8) Ensure that the sway bar end link is properly seated on the mating hole/lug on the end of the sway bar when tightening the nut.

After I changed to a H R lowering spring and installed New struts the rearend seems very twitchy. It feels like a solid axel with the panard bar broken would feel.

1964409 wrote:After I changed to a H R lowering spring and installed New struts the rearend seems very twitchy. It feels like a solid axel with the panard bar broken would feel.

did you get it aligned? Should not feel twitchy unless something is loose?

To the OP, if you have 2011 struts your ride will continue to be very stiff and the lowering is just going to enhance that effect.

I put it on the lift and did not see anything that was broken or loose. I like the ride stiffness.