Lowering Kit

[steve6864]

I bought shocks(the ones from Hervey) from someone on this site,I believe from Canada and my springs came from Houston.I am ready to take to someone to install.Can somebody send me printable installation instructions to my E-mail [email protected] are some sort of collars in the box with the shocks.My shop though seems to be more concerned with the rears than the fronts.Any help would be greatly appreciated.Steve 6864.

[Elvis]

that's the first time I hear that a (real) car mechanic needs instructions how to install shocks.

[jawn101]

There really isn't anything special to the process. Look at the old collar when you remove the original rear shocks and the shop will see exactly what to do with the replacement. Agree with Elvis, a shop that needs instructions seems a little odd. I needed instructions when I did them myself, but it was the first time I'd ever attempted such a thing. Had another owner there helping me who knew how, and as we went through the process it was quite obvious what had to be done. Bring along the section of the workshop manual containing torque specifications though, it would be wise to provide them with that.

[Kevin]

I just emailed Steve the bits from the workshop manual, including torque specifications. Agreed that it's pretty simple. The coil spring appears difficult, but once you learn to compress/uncompress with a floor jack, it's not too bad of a job.

What you may need more help with, Steve, is alignment specifications once the lowering is done. Those can also be found in the workshop manual along with adjustment instructions. I think there's also a TSB about it released after the fact.

[jawn101]

The coil spring appears difficult, but once you learn to compress/uncompress with a floor jack, it's not too bad of a job.
.

Oh, are his springs already installed? That wasn't clear in the first post. That makes it even easier then! No terrifying coil compressors :)

[steve6864]

It took my shop,one with a very good reputation,12 hours to do my lowering kit installation! Am I missing something here?The bill is over 800!The shocks were spaxs and they say most of the time was spent wrestling with the fronts.The upper mount was too wide and the collars had to be bored out?Anyone else have such difficulty?Thanks.Steve6864.That price doesn`t include alignment which they say is way out now.

[jawn101]

It took my shop,one with a very good reputation,12 hours to do my lowering kit installation! Am I missing something here?The bill is over 800!The shocks were spaxs and they say most of the time was spent wrestling with the fronts.The upper mount was too wide and the collars had to be bored out?Anyone else have such difficulty?Thanks.Steve6864.That price doesn`t include alignment which they say is way out now.

Wow. It is hard to comment for certain on what they specifically went through but that sounds extreme. I didn't replace my shocks but they did get removed in the process of replacing the springs, and that whole job took a total of maybe 4 hours with the car on stands and not on a lift in a shop, including replacing/regreasing the lower ball joint boots and aligning the parking brake. I can't imagine putting different shocks in instead of the OEM ones would have added 8 hours of labor. Maybe a little more to get things adjusted and such, but not that much. Where did you get the SPAX from? Was it one of our vendors? I wouldn't think the collars would need to be changed if they came from a DeLorean specific vendor.

[DMCMW Dave]

I've never seen a fit issue with the Eibach springs or Spax shocks, so something is wrong with that story. They go right in like the originals. There are no collars on the front. The rear spring supports go right on adjusting nuts, no collars are used there either. the I can't imagine what they would have been grinding. 12 hours is way too high. More than 2X what we take.

Yes, it will definitely need a 4-wheel alignment.

[steve6864]

I`ll pick up the car tomorrow and get the rest of the details.The shocks originally came from Hervey I`m pretty sure,but,I bought them from someone on this blog who lives in Canada I believe.They were new,still in their wrappers.He didn`t use them,he went with the ones from England I think.steve6864.

[SIMid]

It took my shop,one with a very good reputation,12 hours to do my lowering kit installation! Am I missing something here?The bill is over 800!The shocks were spaxs and they say most of the time was spent wrestling with the fronts.The upper mount was too wide and the collars had to be bored out?Anyone else have such difficulty?Thanks.Steve6864.That price doesn`t include alignment which they say is way out now.

Several places refused to work on my D and finally got a referral from my mechanic to a suspension mob and they charged me $400 to install the Eibachs and Spaxies. They also did the wheel alignment, but took them probably 4-5 hours. I left the car there all day. They said the fronts were a bit fiddly.

Just slightly off topic, they did damage the driver's side cup on the lip. My mechanic said the old spring might had flung out and bent the lip. Looks like it may rub the spring when it is fully compressed. May need to try and bend the lip back out.

I know of several Delorean owners had their springs compressed instead. Super cheap too, removal and refitting plus wheel alignment for $220! :jawdrop:

[steve6864]

Alls well that ends well,I guess,because after picking the car up and a test drive the difference was amazing.Understand that I was driving on original everything,plus I have almost 90,000 on my "D".Here is what my receipt said...(They threw in a free alignment after they saw my shock at the price)They were KYB shocks,I might have said they were Spax ig that makes a difference.So it starts by saying the KYB had to be "fitted" to match the originals,after shock mounting,needed spacers to fit into control arms.Found upper shock bushing incorrect size,too large.Lower mount collar had to be bored out for mounting bolt.Replaced lower mounting nuts to allow for extra width of shock.So again,after a test drive the car is amazingly stiff,a good stiff,not harsh.Corners very flat and is a good bit quieter.But,still,even with the alignment,a lot of money.Steve 6864.

[jawn101]

Ah. KYB vs Spax is a huge difference. Glad you're pleased with the results though, enjoy the ride!