Install Springs?

[98six]

:eek: OK I know it's common with reverse engineering sense when it comes down to replacing parts in cars, but I wanted to see if any1 knew of any tricks in replacing the springs with after market performance springs. Thanks

[ar38070]

If you know what you are doing then this is a 4-6 hour job. It helps to have another pair of hands at times.

Theoretically you could change the springs without fully removing the strut from the car. You could just tip them out, undo the nut at the top of the strut that holds the spring, replace the spring and bolt it all back in. I took the wheel carrier and strut completely off of the car.

To pop the ball joints apart you need the porshe ball joint tool $80. There are other ways of getting them apart (you can whack on the control arm, you can use a hex bit in the head of the ball joint and whack on that, etc.)

You need 18mm tools (socket, wrench) which is not common to most tool sets. Also an 18mm crow foot is useful when retorquing one of the ball joints.

You need 8mm (I think) hex bit to remove the bolts that hold the drive shafts to the transmission.

The fronts come out easy as you can depress the control arm far enough to swing the top of the strut out of the wheel well.

The rears are a pain which is why you have to disconnect the drive shafts from the transmission. Once you have disconnected the drive shafts then you can push down on the control arm enough so that you can swing the top of the strut out of the wheel well.

I also like to loosen the nut at the top of the strut that holds the spring in place while the strut is still in the car. Trying to do this on the bench with the strut out of the car is a lot harder.

[ar38070]

Here is a recent post with pictures. It is for a 996 but the procedure is similar:

http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=2532&hl=

[Tool Pants]

http://www.smiley.net/boxster/row030.htm

[ar38070]

These are good instructions. However this method shows removing the axle nut for the rears in order to remove the wheel carrier and strut from the car. Keep in mind that the torque on this nut on reinstall is 348 ft-lbs.