Standard Suspension

SHIMMING






On vehicles with the standard suspension, spring shims or reduced height seats may be installed on the front or rear shock assemblies. Spring shim installation increases coil spring preload, thus raising the curb height of the vehicle. Reduced spring seat installation decreases coil spring preload, thus lowering the curb height of the vehicle.
- Use only this method to obtain correct curb height.
- Install shims or spring seats only on vehicles that do not meet curb height specifications.
- Adjust either both front or both rear shock assemblies the same amount.

CAUTION:
- Do not stack spring shims. Only one shim can be installed per shock assembly.
- Do not use both a spring shim and a reduced height spring seat on the same shock assembly.

The shock assembly must be removed from the vehicle to perform this procedure. Refer to Suspension, Shock Absorber, Service and Repair, Removal And Installation for the required procedure.
For the disassembly and assembly of the shock absorber assembly, use strut spring compressor, Pentastar Service Equipment (PSE) tool W-7200, or the equivalent, to compress the coil spring. Follow the manufacturer's instructions closely.
1. If both shock absorber assemblies are being removed and serviced at the same time, mark the coil spring and shock absorber assembly according to which side of the vehicle the shock absorber was removed from.











2. Position the shock absorber assembly in the strut coil spring compressor following the manufacturers instructions. First, set the lower hooks on the coil spring, then set the upper hooks.
3. Compress the coil spring until enough room is given to remove the coil spring upper seat.






4. Remove the coil spring upper seat. To remove the upper seat, pull up on the shock absorber and remove the seat utilizing the cutout in its side.
5. Perform one of the following:






- If the vehicle was lower than curb height specification, add a maximum of 1 spring shim under the upper spring seat.
- If vehicle was higher than curb height specification, replace the original upper spring seat with a reduced height spring seat.
6. Holding the shock upward, install the upper seat (with shim where applicable) on the shock absorber utilizing the cutout in the seat.






7. Position the upper seat on the top of the coil spring so the cutout in the upper seat (and shim where applicable) is not positioned at the upper end of the coil spring.
8. Slowly release the tension from the coil spring by backing off the compressor drive completely. As the tension is relieved, make sure the coil spring, upper and lower seats, and shock absorber align properly.
9. Push back the spring compressor upper and lower hooks, then remove the shock absorber assembly from the spring compressor.
10. Install the shock assembly on the vehicle.