Audi A3: How to Install Lowering Springs

This article applies to the Audi A3 (2004-2012).

Adding lowering springs to your A3 is a nice modification that will greatly reduce that gap between the tire and the wheel well. This gives your car a true sporty look. It can also add a nice sporty feel and handling that you have been longing for. Fortunately, adding lowering springs to your A3 is a pretty straightforward and easy DIY job that you can do in your own garage. The only thing to consider is the use of a spring compression tool. You need to have a little knowledge of this tool or be aware of how to use it and know that it's inherently dangerous if not use properly. Many auto parts store will allow you to borrow or rent a compression tool. If this doesn't sound like something you'd like to mess with, you can remove your struts and take them to a professional to have the springs replaced off the car, saving you a little money. If you choose to drive to a pro and have the lower work done for you, be prepared to pay a great deal more than if you had tackled this job yourself. It is easy enough to do on your own, so keep those Benjamins in your pocket and get to it.

Step 1 – Jack up your A3

You can jack the front and then the rear, or vice versa, or you can get all four off the ground at one time if you have four jack stands available. If can get all four up at once, that is probably going to make it easier for you. Be sure to crack your lugs loose before lifting, so you don't have to wrench hard on the wheels when they are up in the air. (If your vehicle has the caps covering the lugs, find your cap removal tool and pop the caps off the lugs first before trying to break the lugs free.) Always use jack stands when working under your car. Never rely on just a floor jack to keep you alive when working under any vehicle.

Step 2 – Pull wheel and disconnect sway bar

With the car in the air, remove the lug nuts, pull the wheels and set aside. Find the bolt that mounts the sway bar to the lever arm. Remove the bolt, pull the sway bar up and out of the way to lessen some of the pressure off of the suspension.

Step 3 – Disconnect steering knuckle

Remove the pinch bolt for the steering knuckle. This is an 18mm bolt with a triple square nut on the other side, so you will need two tools for this task. Once this long bolt is removed, you'll notice that the strut assembly cannot come out. This is because it's a compression fitting, and you'll need to spread the knock assembly apart. You can use a 1/4" ratchet and shove the drive right into the opening and turn it to spread the knuckle apart. This should create just enough space in the gap to pull out the lower strut assembly.

Step 4 – Loosen the inner axle

Remove all the triple square bolts from the inner axle mounting flange. They are on there nice and tight, so you'll want to insert a big flat head screwdriver into the rotor to prevent it from turning. Remove as many of the bolts that you can get to, then rotate the rotor to bring more bolts into play. Remove them and repeat that process until all the bolts are removed and the tension is off the inner axle.

Step 5 – Remove ball joint (optional)

Removing the ball joint from the A-arm will give you a lot more room to work with. It will take a little more time to do it, but it will save you a little more time in the end by proving more room to work with, so it is an option step.

Step 6 – Remove strut assembly

It's time to remove the strut assembly and this comes in two parts. You'll need to rock the rotor back and forth from top to bottom until the lower strut assembly comes out of that compression knuckle, unless you already have it completely removed. Once it is out at the bottom, it's time to work the upper tower out. It is mounted with three 13mm bolts to the top of the frame, under the hood and may be obstructed by the black plastic panel just below your windshield. Remove the three 13mm bolts, but do NOT touch that center bolt yet. That holds the tension on the strut spring and is very dangerous to mess with this bolt without the use of the spring compression tool. Take care on the last mounting bolt that you are holding onto the strut assembly from below and don't let it come crashing to the floor.

Step 7 – Disassemble the strut

Once the strut assembly is removed, place it into the spring compression tool. Follow the instructions exactly to avoid any major damage to life and limb. Compressed springs are extremely dangerous. Compress the spring to take the tension off the shock and mount, then remove the 21mm center nut from the strut tower and disassemble the entire assembly.

Step 8 – Assemble your lowering spring assembly

For an older vehicle, you will probably want to replace your strut mounting plate with bump stop and the strut bearing. They will likely be worn. If you are going seriously low, you will want to either replace the bump stop completely with one provided in your kit, or cut the existing one down a little. With lowering springs, when you start building the assembly, you likely will not need the spring compression tool, as these springs are already shorter than the stock springs. You will likely only need to push down on the tower assembly and the bolt will have enough threads that you can get that top nut started enough and then torque it to spec.

Step 9 – Reinstall

Install the new strut assembly back into your car. Mount at the top first with the 13mm bolts. At the lower end, get the compression collar in place first, then reinstall the inner axle, ball joint and then re-tighten the compression collar. Make sure that you torque all bolts according to the manufacturer's recommended settings. Replace the wheels, then tighten and torque your lugs.

Step 10 – Replace the rear springs

The rear springs are super easy to work. There are only two 18mm bolts with nuts, and a 13mm bolt that you'll remove. No spring compressor is needed. Put a wrench and a socket on each lower control arm bolt and remove. Take care with this, as the lower spring bed will loosen and the spring can simply drop to the floor. If your isolators are in good shape, you'll want to use them on the new spring; otherwise, you can replace with new ones, or if new ones came with your kit, use those. Install your new springs, replace those three bolts and torque them down. Your job is finished, but as with any major suspension job you will need to get a full alignment done before you start driving your car. Enjoy a job well done and all the money that you saved doing this one yourself!

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