Has anyone changed their own springs on their XK or XKR? Is it difficult to do? If so, what's a fair price to pay?
Thanks

 

Hard question to answer as we have no indication of your mechanical abilities. I will say that if you have ever done a brake job it's just a tad more complex but not by much.
The real issue is safety. It can be a dangerous job if you don't understand it.

 

You don't have to be going 200 mph to have what happened to Felipe Massa happen to you!

 

It is not particularly difficult but, you have to have a strut spring compressor to safely release the spring tension. You could likely rent one in an auto store. However, if you replace your springs you definitely MUST do a wheel alignment. That can also be done at home but, involves a lot of work without the proper work platform.

All together, even though I had done them myself many times, I would recommend a service to do it. I would say a 4-wheel alignment would cost $125 and the spring changes should be an other $250 or 2 hours labor.

Albert

 

Thanks guys. Some shops here want to charge me $500! That seemed too steep to me. No including alignment......I'll keep looking for another mechanic. It seems straight forward.
Thanks again!

 

Here's a fun video I found:

 

It will be very helpful when compressing the springs if you can clamp the assembly to a shop table or something. When I changed the upper strut mounts on my old Lexus (required compresisng the springs), I had to have my friend stand on the spring sideways to pin it to the ground while I used a socket wrench to tighten the spring compressor. It was a huge PITA and took us hours to do.

 

Swapped out H&R 1" lowering springs on my Jetta once...took 6 hours. The fronts were a PITA. The strut was clamped in & had to had to use a special tool to use to pry the clamp apart....ugh...never again. Rears were easy & took 1 hour to do both. Figure it will take a skilled mechanic 4-6 hours to swap them out @ $90 an hour + the price of the springs + the alignment=$1000....

 

I had my shop do it. H&R springs and spacers. They said the rears were a PITA. Alignment absolutely necessary afterwards, as mentioned. Not a lot of adjustment available in the rears, but the alignment shop got the rear alignment "into the green" after the work....

 

It's one of the most dangerous tasks to complete. I am talking about the disassembly of the actual spring from the strut.

Any local auto repair/performance shop or store should have one of those mounted, where you can safely take them apart. Take the entire assembly of the car yourself and bring it to one of the place mentioned above and they will switch them out for you for very little money $50???

Besides being safest route to take, it's also the most efficient way as it will take a shop no more than 4 minutes to switch out the springs with the right equipment.

Amazon rents out spring compressors, but those are just as dangerous.