17-inch Kosoku Sports DTM wheels and Yokohama 205/40R17 A520 tires
The tools necessary: 12mm, 14mm, and 17mm sockets; 17mm box-end wrench; flat-head screwdriver; and hammer.
Mount ’Em Up
It’s a good idea to mount the tires on the wheels first before you do anything else. We went to Savas Tires & Wheels because we knew they had a state-of-the-art mounting facility. Make sure the shop you go to has quality mounting equipment. Here our new 205/40R17 Yokohama A520s are mounted onto our equally new 17-inch Kosoku Sports DTM wheels.
It’s also important to balance the wheels and tires. Once again, Savas’ outstanding facility aptly handled our needs. Here the technician is attaching wheel weights inside the rim to balance the wheel and tire combination. The weights will be virtually invisible once the wheels are bolted onto the car.
Raise the car and support it on jackstands. Remove the rear wheels. Pull the interior panel inside the trunk (being careful of the small clips that hold it down) that covers the rear shock tower and loosen the two upper (14mm) nuts.
Remove the lower (17mm) shock bolt. You can get the strut out now, but not without a bit of tugging and grunting. It is easier to remove the lower control arm/hub assembly bolt. The control arm will then drop down easily and you can pull the assembly out.
With the control arm out of the way, the spring assembly comes nice and easily out of the wheelwell. Stop to admire all the dirt and grime that have collected on the assembly and visualize how much cooler your car will look when you’ve got the new springs in.
Compress the spring with a spring compressor (always use a spring compressor). You can rent one from any local parts shop for a minor fee. While the spring is compressed, remove the 17mm bolt at the top of the assembly.
Slide the new Eibach spring (probably named Inky) onto the spring perch, making sure that you can read the Eibach name on the spring. This ensures that you’re not installing the spring upside-down. Tighten the bolt at the top of the shock cap.
Slide the spring assembly back into the wheelwell, line it up properly, and finger-tighten the upper bolts. Install the lower shock bolts.
It may be difficult to replace the lower control arm bolt. Carefully use a long screwdriver to line up the holes so the bolt can slide more easily through. Repeat the whole process on the other side.
Front
Open the hood and remove the upper (15mm) nuts. Then remove the two lower (17mm) bolts.
Be sure to carefully remove the brake line clamp with a screwdriver. The clamp must be removed to allow the strut assembly to come free of the brake line.
As with the rear, remove the strut assembly, compress the spring, and remove the strut rod bolt. Slide the cap, dust cover, and bump stop off the factory strut. Cut approximately 25 mm off the big end of the bump stop. Reassemble the strut assembly with the now cut bump stop and new Eibach spring.
Slide the strut assembly back into the wheelwell, line it up properly, and finger-tighten the upper bolts before replacing the lower ones. Replace the brake line clamp. Lather, rinse, and repeat on the other side.
After all four springs have been replaced, and you’ve double-checked that every single bolt is tightened to factory specs and that everything is in the right place, it’s time to bolt on those pretty new wheels and tires (Do this before you lower the jackstands.--MP).
Once you slide the wheel on, be sure to torque the lug nuts with a hand wrench to factory specs. Using an airwrench here is a no-no. You don’t want to warp those dope wheels, right? When every last lug nut has been torqued, lower the jackstands and admire your new profile.
Extra Tip: We decided to include this super helpful tip that the technicians at Savas clued us into. Make sure to remove the two screws in these locations on the rear brake drums. Otherwise, the new wheels won’t fit flush. And unflush wheels just don’t cut it.
Meet Lance, our Project Mirage. He likes long walks in the forest, soft love songs, and blowing past unsuspecting bystanders on the street. But like any red-blooded stud of a car, he wants to improve his look whenever he can. Looking in the mirror, he can tell that something isn't quite right; he could use a change of profile. Enter Eibach springs, Inky, Blinky, Pinky, and Clyde. They're ready for the job. They've been specially designed for just such a task. And what's the point of lowering your stance if your shoes don't go with your new style? Exactly. So Kosoku and Yokohama teamed up to create footwear that stands up to Lance's altered appearance.
Follow along as the experts at Savas Tires & Wheels help Lance achieve a new style.