Disclaimer: The following is provided as a GUIDE ONLY, and neither myself nor Ozhonda take any responsibility for the outcomes of someone else doing the following. You follow these steps at your own risk!

Aim: To install coilovers into a DC5R so it can be lowered
Required:
  • Breaker Bar
  • Rachet
  • 10mm socket, 12mm socket, 14mm socket, 17mm socket, 19mm socket
  • Pliers, Vice Grip
  • Cable ties
  • Jack
  • Jack Stands


Front Suspension

Step 1
Loosen up lug nuts and then jack up the car. Put jack stands underneath the car. Remove the wheel.



Step 2
Loosen and remove the 2 brake line bolts. After that, start to loosen the bolts/nuts that connect to the suspension directly. That is the 2 19mm bolts that connect at the bottom of the shock and the 19mm nut that connects to the tie rod (there is a clip that you bend straight and remove from the thread of the tie rod before you remove the tie rod nut). Watch out when you remove the 2 bolts at the bottom of the shock as the brake assembly will slightly move down and out. I just cable tied it so it didn’t move out as much.





Step 3
The shock will still be connected to the tie rod so you have to use wd40 and a hammer and hit the bottom of the tie rod upwards. You will have to give it a few hard hits as it’s pretty stubborn to get off. If you have a tie rod puller tool, then use that as it’s much easier. Once you get the tie rod off the shock, remove the 3 nuts from the top of the shock at the engine bay. You can now remove the shock/spring.



Step 4
Pretty much the opposite of removing the shock, we are now putting in the coilover. Put the coilover shock in and position the top 3 14mm nuts in the hole of the engine bay. Get someone to put the nuts back on at the top of the shock so that it can hold the coilover.



Step 5
Position the brake assembly and the bottom of the shock so that you can connect the 2 19mm bolts through the holes to the nuts. Tighten the 2 bolts. Next, connect the tie rod to the coilover and tighten up the 19mm nut that connects to it. It’s pretty tricky as the thread will move with the nut so I used pliers/vice grip to hold it while turning the nut. You have to watch out you don’t damage the tie rod boot while doing this. Once again if you have the tie rod puller tool, it should be easier to tighten the nut as I read online. Connect the clip back on and bend it.



Step 6
There is no slot to connect back the brake lines to the G4 coilover so I cable tied it so that it doesn’t move around and intrude other places. I know it’s dodgy but better then leaving to loose. Make sure to tighten all the bolts/nuts.

Step 7
Put the wheel back on and put the lug nuts on. Remove the jack stands and lower the jack. When the car is on the ground, tighten the lug nuts. Also tighten the 3 14mm nuts in the engine bay at the top of the shock. Repeat steps for the other side of the car.

Rear Suspension

Step 1
Go inside your car and fold down the rear seats. Now you have to move your carpet and plastic trim so you can get to the top section of the shocks. Loosen up the two 14mm nuts that connect of the shocks but don’t remove it yet. (hint: you might have to remove a metal plate to get the nut closes to the rear seat. From there it will be easier to access the nut. The metal plate has four 14mm bolts and one 10mm bolt.)



Step 2
Loosen up the lug nuts and jack up the rear section of the car. Put jack stands underneath the car. Remove the wheels.

Step 3
Loosen and remove the 17mm bolt that connects to the bottom of the shock. It’s a pretty tight bolt so use a breaker bar. Watch out when you remove this bolt as the brake assembly will fall out of position.



Step 4
Hold the shock while someone else goes in the car and remove the two 14mm nuts that connect to the top of the shock. Now you can remove the rear shock.

Step 5
Now do the opposite of put in the rear coilover. Put the coilover into position and get someone to connect back the two 14mm nuts on top of the coilover shock to hold it in place.

Step 6
This is a tricky part. Get another jack like a scissor jack and jack up slightly the hub section so that the holes will line up with the holes of the coilover. Connect the 17mm bolt through the holes. You will have to jack up or down the hub section as it is kind of tricky to get it lined up properly for the bolt to go through. After that remove the scissor jack and tighten the bolt.



Step 7
Repeat steps for the other side. Once finish, put the wheels and lug nuts on and lower the jack. Once the car is on the ground, tighten the lug nuts. Go inside the car and tighten up the two 14mm nuts that connect to the top of the shock. Connect the metal plate back if you removed it from step 1. Put the carpet and plastic trimming back.



Step 8
All done. Now get a wheel alignment done as your suspension geometry will be out of whack.

Before


After


Any positive rep points would be appreciated.