2nd gen Neon lowering spring install.

2nd gen Neon lowering spring install.

Gen 2 lowering spring install how-to.

This is how I installed my 2nd gen lowering springs. In front I installed the Mopar 2nd gen lowering springs PN P5007563 (5273415 drivers side, 5273413 pass side) In the rear I installed the stock springs from my 1st gen ACR (PN 4656284) since they were nearly identical to the 2nd gen lowering springs available from Mopar. (PN P5007564 or 4656285 idividually) Spring rates for all of these springs are 150 front, 120 rear, same as the stock spring rates on my 2001 R/T.

See my home page of this site for spring photos.

You will need a strut spring compressor. I borrowed one from Autozone. You will also need the following items:

Large strap wrench (optional but recommended)
13mm wrench.
Metric sockets size 10mm, 13mm, 15mm, 19mm, and 21mm deep well 1/2 inch drive.
2 Rachets, one 1/4 inch drive with extension and a 3/8 or 1/2 inch drive with extension.(1/2 inch preferred)
Large crescent wrench.
WD-40 or PB Blaster penetrating lubricant.

I like to work one corner at a time. I chose to do the drivers side front first.

Break lug nuts loose.
Jack up car and put on jackstand.
Remove wheel.
Pop hood and loosen the 3 nuts on top of strut tower pictured above.(13mm) While you are at it, spray some penetrating lube on the center top nut that is on the strut shaft.

6. Hammer bolts out taking care not to damage threads. (Note I screwed nuts back on and placed socket and extension on nut and hammered on the extension with a mallet)

Off the car it will look like this.

8. Put the spring compressors on the spring and tighten them down until the spring is no longer pressing against both ends.

Here is what it looks like put together on the strut. The 21mm deep well is on the nut on the strut. Inside it, the 10mm socket and 1/4 inch drive extension grip the strut shaft itself. Notice the strap wrench on the strut shaft above the dust boot. In order to use the strap wrench you need to clean the strut shaft with acetone or similar solvent to make sure it is free of all lubricants. Otherwise it will not grip. The strap wrench is there only to supplement the 10mm socket on the 1/4 inch drive in keeping the strut shaft from rotating when you loosen the top nut on the strut. I've done it before without the strap wrench but I broke a couple of 1/4 inch extensions in the process.

9. Loosen 21mm top nut utilizing contraption pictured and described above. I've heard that if you use air tools all of this mess isn't necessary.

With the top nut removed the strut can be taken apart.

11. Install new spring and re-assemble strut the same way you took it apart. You shouldn't need to compress the spring since the lowering springs are shorter.

12. Put strut and spring back on car, following the same steps as removal only in reverse order.

13. Do passenger side following same steps as drivers side.

14. Now move to the rear of the car and begin on either side. Replacing the rear springs will require two extra steps in addition to the ones mentioned for the front. You will need to remove the endlink bolt that connects the swaybar to the rear strut. This is done with a 13mm socket on top and a 13mm wrench on the bottom as pictured above.

15. The other "extra step" is removal of the rear brake caliper. (If equipped with four wheel disc) This is done by removing the two 10mm bolts on the back side of the caliper. This step is necessary in order to access the large 21mm bolts on the bottom of the strut. (DO NOT press brake pedal with caliper removed or you will have to compress it before reinstalling it)

16. Once you remove the brake caliper, the strut can be removed and the spring replaced following the same steps outlined for the front struts.

Both rear struts require brake caliper removal for lower bolt access.

5. Remove large 21mm nuts at the bottom of the strut and remove the 10mm bolts holding the wire and brake line to the strut.

7. Step down on rotor and carefully remove strut and spring assembly.

Above you see the tools you will need to remove the top nut from the strut shaft. The large 1/2 inch drive 21mm deep well socket has been modified. I ground two flat lands on it so I could grip it with a crescent wrench. The reason for this is that the hole in the top of the socket will need to be free to allow the 1/4 inch drive extension and 10mm socket inside. This 10mm socket will keep the shaft from rotating when you try to loosen the top 21mm nut.

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Finished product.

The rear of the car looks much better without the "tail in the air" look. The spring rates are the same as stock so I'm not suprised the ride feels exactly the same. On my "test drive" I hit some pretty big bumps and never once felt the bump stops. I measured from the floor too the highest point of the wheel well and got 24 3/4 up front and 25 in the rear. I can't compare this to stock since I forgot to measure before so hopefully someone can give me this measurement from their stock R/T.

Now go get an alignment and you are done. Enjoy.