Originally posted by Got5onItNote: My vehicle is a 2012 with Performance Package. This procedure should work for any 2010+I tried to take pics through the process and thought I'd write up a how-to for anyone willing to tackle their own spring install. First, I must complain and give ford 2 big thumbs down for making the lower shock mount part of the wheel hub/spindle assembly. I've installed springs on many cars and have never had to deal with removing the wheel hub/spindle assembly for a spring swap. With that said, it wasn't as difficult as it first looked. Total install time (minus a couple of tool runs) ~4.5 hours.
You'll need various metric deep sockets, wrenches, & jack stands. I cant remember the sizes and should've written them down, but I do know a few important tools you'll need.
- 32mm deep socket for the axle nut
- 10mm socket and 13/16 spark plug socket for the shock/spring removal (unless you have an open/pass through socket which I did not have)
- breaker bar & rubber mallet
- spring compressor
- 200 ft/lb torque wrench
FRONT1. Remove wheel center cap to gain access to axle nut. I jacked the car up, removed the wheel, and popped the center cap. Reinstalled wheel and lowered.
2. With the 32mm deep socket, breaker bar, and the car fully back on the ground, loosen the axle nut. Do not remove completely.
3. Jack the car up and remove the wheel. Place jack stand underneath.
4. Remove caliper and set aside somewhere ensuring the brake line is free from strain. I set mine on a small step stool.
5. Remove nut that mounts lower control arm to the wheel spindle assembly. Here's a pic of the nut removed. Sorry for the blurry pic, but you get the idea. Make sure to use something to hold the shaft in place as you loosen the nut. I used a small adjustable wrench.
6. Remove the tie rod nut and move the rod out of the way. Remove the shock/sway bar link nut and move the link down and out of the way. Loosen the lower shock mount nut but do not remove. Pic with red arrows shows what was just described. There's also a black tube/line running to the back of the wheel hub/spindle assembly. I'm pretty sure this is the ABS sensor (not 100%). Remove the bolt holding it in and move the line out of the way.
7. Remove the axle nut.
8. Loosen the upper shock mount. Do not remove them completely, but loosen them up a bit.
9. Push the lower control arm down and out of the way, disengagng it from the wheel hub/spindle assembly. The arm has a lot of tension, so you'll have to put some muscle into it in order to get it low enough to move out of the way.
10. Put a jack under the front rotor for support.
11. Now the fun part is getting the axle to separate from the wheel hub. Turn the steering wheel TOWARDS the side you're working on. Use a rubber mallet to tap the center of the axle where it comes through the rotor back a bit. It wont fully disengage at this point, yet.
12. Remove the four upper shock mount nuts in step 8. At this point the jack is fully supporting the the shock, wheel hub/spindle assembly.
13. More fun and probably the most difficult part. I had to lower the jack at the right level, turning the wheel hub, & pulling to get the axle to fully separate from the wheel hub. This was a PITA mainly due to the weight of the entire assembly. Keep working it and you'll figure out the best way to maneuver it out of there. The shock being loose here gives you a little bit play, but you may want to remove the lower shock mount bolt completely to give you a little more.
14. Here's what it looks like when everything's out.
15. Here's the shock/spring with wheel hub removed.
16. Use the spring compressor to compress the spring enough to remove tension from the upper shock mount plate.
17. Removing the recessed nut to get the spring out will require either a pass through socket & ratchet or 13/16 spark plug socket for the nut and 10mm socket to hold the shaft. I used small 1/4 drive extension and put it through the spark plug socket, then attached the 10mm socket on the end of the extension. Place the 10mm socket on the shaft, then the 13/16 spark plug socket over that. Use a wrench to turn the spark plug socket and a ratchet on the end of the extension to hold the shaft in place.
18. Remove dust cover and old bump stop. Slide new bump stop down onto shaft and put on dust cover. Make sure the bump stop slides all the way onto the thick part of the shaft and doesn't stop near the threads.
19. Put the spring compressor on the new spring and
compress it just enough that when placed back on the shock, the threaded shaft comes all the way through when the upper shock mount plate is put back in place. Make sure the lower pig tail is matched up with the lower spring isolator.
20. Put the upper shock mount plate back on and install the nut on the shaft. Tighten until it stops. Note there is a notch & arrow on the upper shock mount plate. Make sure to turn the plate where the arrow is pointing toward the face of the rotor. When installing the assembly back into the vehicle, ensure the arrow points to the face of the rotor.
21. Reassembly is just the reverse. Easier said then done, I know.
22. When putting the shock/wheel hub/spindle assembly back in place, it was easier for me to rest the unit on a jack and raise it up into the shock tower. When the upper shock mount bolts came through the shock tower, I loosely installed two nuts. This gave me enough play near the hub to move it around and install the axle and lower control arm.
23. I don't know the torque spec of the axle nut, but my "calibrated arm" (after breaking the nut loose) along with my experience on other vehicles had me thinking it was probably at least 200 ft/lbs. When everything was back together and the front still jacked up, I torqued the axle nut a little by hand. Then installed the wheel and lowered just enough where it made contact with the pavement and torqued the nut down to 150ft/lbs. Then fully lowered the vehicle down and took my breaker bar and tightened another 1/4 turn.
REAR1. Definitely a helluva lot easier than the front. Jack the rear up, place on stands, and remove the wheel.
2. Remove the swar bar end link nut and move the link out of the way. Remove the two bolts holding the rear sway bar to the bottom side of the body. The green arrow in the pic shows the bracket holding the sway bar up. The rear sway bar will drop and rest on top of the exhaust piping. Loosen the lower control arm bolt/nut and remove the nut but not the bolt.
3. Place a jack under the lower control arm. Jack the assembly up until you hit the "sweet spot" where the lower control arm bolt slides out. You'll have to play with it to find the spot, but you'll know when you do.
4. Press down on the lower control arm and remove the spring.
5. When installing the new spring, make note of the lower pigtail position. The lower control arm isolator is molded already with the correct pigtail orientation. Make sure it sits in the groove and not on top.
6. Reassembly is reverse of removal.
Hope this is helpful. Feel free to ask any questions or comment with notes to make installation easier (things I may have missed or a better way to do it).
Eibachs installed:
