twinship

iTrader: (3)

How long did it take you to install the rears?

zman1910

iTrader: (3)

Just to give you all a heads up.....spring install is fairly simple and any professional shop charges anywhere from 150 - 200 bucks tops. Sways are an even easier install. I don't know where some of you all are getting your quotes from...but it seems even Hotchkis is ripping people off at $560. This should cost no more than $300 tops. Hope that helps. DONT PAY $500 even if it is Hotchkis themselves....this is not a hard install.

Mazinger Z

iTrader: (49)

It took me about 4 hours because I had to remove my exhaust in order to install the springs. If you have a stock exhaust, I don't think it would take that long, maybe 30-40 minutes. After I unbolted the exhaust, the first one took me about 1 hour and the second one about 20 minutes because I knew what I was doing by then. Tomorrow it's the fronts. I would say a decent shop with experience it would take about 2 hours total @ $90 an hour so about $180 sounds fair.

TheProfessional

iTrader: (14)

Just got done installing the springs/sways

I took my car over to a friend of a friend's (thanks idwin and Don!)

The rears were done in 30 mins, sways were done in another 30 mins. The front springs are beeyatch to install. The only problem with the kit was the sway instructions are old (no need to bend the front tab and we have 4 holses now not 3). And there were no instructions for the springs as well they are not marked for identification. You have to make sure the perch is matched as each spring is matched for each corner. Another gripe was that the front springs did not come with insulators installed, we had to reuse the OEM. I say this because a friend was there with his G35 and Tein H tech springs came with NEW insullators and labels!

Total time was 3.5hrs.

I only have 10 miles experience with it. I will post pics later today when I get home. The ride is similar to stock but firmer. The rear dropped quite a bit more than I expected. The front dropped about .25" and the rear is level with it... I suppose it helps that I put my old sways in the trunk (might help the drop).

We put the rear sway on lightest, and the front on the next to most aggressive hole. (#3 from the end)

The rear end feels like it is floating (waiting for the front end) now where it felt like it was kicking into turns on stock. Almost no more body roll.

Time will tell as the springs settle. But I wanted to get ready for Zdayz now.

black06z

iTrader: (1)

Can't wait for some pics on all your guys installs. The Hotchkis was actually my 2nd choice.

silverstone z

I had mine installed for almost a year now and I LOVE IT!

twinship

iTrader: (3)

Sheesh! What's up with shops, including Hotchkis, billing 7 hours work for this job?

ARMSTRONGARMS

iTrader: (65)

cause they have overhead The above was installed at a friends garage(house) and just uses the money to support his racing gas,nitrous,etc.

TheProfessional

iTrader: (14)

yeah that and they (shops) have to pay for insurance, benefits, workers comp, and all the cars they screwed up prior.

PS. idwin, you need to get your premier membership

Mazinger Z

iTrader: (49)

I just finished installing the front springs today. I had to put back my Borla exhaust...that thing is a b!tch to put back together. Anyway, that took a lot of time and the fronts took pretty long too. It's hard to take the stock strut + springs out but we used the factory jack (between the fender and the upper arm) so we got enough room to take it out. A good tip for you guys that are doing a DIY - unscrew the top hat (just loosen the bolt - do not unscrew the whole thing) of the stock front struts while it's on the car. It will save you a lot of time and effort. On a scale of 1-10, 10 being a turbo and tune... this one was probably a 3-4. 3 if you have power tools, 4 if you just use pure effort.

Nexx

iTrader: (41)

it will settle to about 1.5 fingers (normal ones)

devildoc

iTrader: (10)

I just tried installing my front sway with no luck I wasn't able to get to those five or six bolts holding the collars in place. Did you guys use an extension? I think that I may have been able to do it with a 1/2 6''-8'' extension. Those suckers are hard to get to and no less try and get some force on it.

I'm going to pick up an extension tonight and hopefully that will work out.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Ian

Mazinger Z

iTrader: (49)

Yea, you need to get an extention. It'll give you enough clearance to tighten the bolts. I didn't torque it to spec because my torque wrench was too big. I just hand tightened it.

TheProfessional

iTrader: (14)

ONLY ONE WAY TO CELEBRATE THE 500th post!!! WITH PICTURES OF MOD RESULTS!!!!!!!!!!!

See below for Stock photos last year, and then photos of the car after the Hotchkis TVS install. (I realize the car is on an incline but was not thinking level suspension when I waxed her last year)

mthreat

iTrader: (16)

1. Use penetrating spray - try to spray close to the threads, wait a few minutes.
2. Use a breaker bar / extension - I used a long-*** bar (like 4 feet) that fit over the end of the socket.

devildoc

iTrader: (10)

Thanks for all the help guys! I'm going back at it this morning with some extensions and let the pb stay on over night.

Thanks again!

Ian