Getting the Old Stuff Off
Before the shiny new stuff can go on, the old parts need to take a hike. We used a lift and a pole jack, but this could be done with a jack and jackstands-it will just take you longer.
* Raise the car on a lift. You can use a jack and jackstands, but you need to make sure you have the car high enough to allow yourself room to work. You'll also need to make sure the car is secure, since you'll be yanking and prying on parts. Once you're done getting the car airborne, pull the wheels.
* Before removing parts, spray WD-40 onto the old bolts. Remove the two bolts that attach the bottom of the shock to the shock perch mounted on the upper control arm. Then move to the engine bay and unbolt the upper shock mount. Now remove the shock from the top of the shock tower.
* Disconnect the outer tie rod by snipping the cotter pin and removing the castle nut, then remove it from the spindle. If it's difficult to separate, persuade it with a hammer; if this doesn't work, try a pickle fork-but keep in mind that this will likely damage the old part. You can also disconnect the inner tie rod from the centerlink, and the idler arm from the end of the centerlink. Next, unbolt the old idler arm from the frame.
* Unbolt the brake caliper and hang it out of the way with a piece of wire or a coat hanger. Now you won't have to re-bleed your brakes.
* Remove the front sway bar by unbolting it from the frame and from each lower control arm.
* Now mark the position of your camber/caster adjustment bolts on the lower control arm. This will make it easier to keep your alignment in the ballpark for the drive to the shop.
* The coil spring is next to go. Do it right, since it's under tension and can really mess up your day if it shoots out at you. Of all the backyard methods out there, we prefer to use a rented spring compressor.
* Remove the spindle and brake-rotor assembly. First, cut away the cotter pins from the upper and lower ball joints. Then remove the castle nut from the lower ball joint and loosen the upper nut, but don't remove it. If you're lucky, you'll be able to pop the lower ball joint loose with a hammer; if not, use a pickle fork. Once the lower ball joint has been separated, move on to the upper. Since you left the upper nut on the ball joint, the spindle won't fall on your foot when the upper ball joint pops free. Hold the spindle, remove the upper nut the rest of the way, and set the spindle to the side.
* The rest is cake. Remove the two cotter pins that secure the strut rod to the lower control arm, and remove the nuts. Next, unbolt the other end of the strut rod where it attaches to the frame crossmember.
* Remove the lower control arm by unbolting the camber/caster adjustment bolt (the one you marked earlier).
* Unbolt the upper control arm from inside the engine bay. With the two bolts removed, it slides right out. Repeat on the driver-side, and start installing the new parts.
 Next, attach the control arm...  Next, attach the control arm shafts to the control arms. The steel end caps require a 1.25-inch socket, and need to be greased before assembly. |
 Here's the new assembled control...  Here's the new assembled control arm. The ball joint, spring pad, and control arm shaft are the same for left and right, which means you don't have to worry about mixing up the parts. It's easier to fill the ends of the control arm shaft with grease at this point. If you're going to use the supplied zirc fittings on the ends of the control arm shaft, rather than the plugs that came on the old factory arms, this is the time to do it. |
 Now install the lower control...  Now install the lower control arm. Attach it to the frame using the new eccentric bolts supplied by Just Suspension, and again, to stay in the alignment ballpark, set them just like the old ones. The new control arms come unpainted, so we shot them with some Satin Black Dupli-Color paint. |
 Next up, install the new springs....  Next up, install the new springs. Ours are 300-pound linear-rate units. After a discussion with Just Suspension, we decided to try a 2-inch drop. The springs come with black silicone hose to slide over the lower end of the coil spring, which is supposed to help make the suspension quieter, but is totally optional. Compress the spring with a spring compressor, and put it in place. |
 Now move on to the strut rod....  Now move on to the strut rod. Here you can see how the new parts fit together on the old bar. The parts held in the hand go on the front side of the crossmember, and the sleeve passes through the middle. |
 The best way to install all...  The best way to install all of this is to loosely attach the strut rod to the frame, and secure the other end to the lower control arm. If you tighten it down at this point, it will make reattaching the spindle more difficult than necessary. |
 Lift the old spindle (with...  Lift the old spindle (with the rotor still mounted) into place, and attach it to the upper ball joint. It's secured with a castle nut and cotter pin. Then raise the lower control arm and bolt it to the spindle in the same manner as the upper. After making these two connections, tighten the strut rod. |
 Here's the completed passenger-side...  Here's the completed passenger-side suspension. The new sway bar (yellow arrow) mounts just like the old. Make sure you use the supplied lubricant on the poly frame mounts, per the instructions. The driver-side goes on exactly the same, except you don't have to mess with the idler arm. |
 Here we're assembling the...  Here we're assembling the VariShocks from Chris Alston. The lower mount is attached to the shock, using the included crush washer, per the instruction sheet. The design lets you point the adjustment knobs in any direction to make adjusting easier. We pointed ours to the side. |