DIY How To: Remove and Replace Suspension with KW V3 Coilovers on Mach-E

[intensifi]

Hard core!

The question about the bolt reuse has nothing to do with age. If they are torque to yield (TTY) bolts then they are supposed to be torqued in once and only once. If you remove them, toss them. The install process torques them to a stretching point where they are then “streched“ in that position. These types of bolts are used on engines/brake calipers all the time.

https://help.summitracing.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/5185/~/what-is-a-tty-bolt?

Sponsored

 

[GrumblesTheDog]

Has anyone who tried this been able to get a new set of front shock mounts from the Ford parts website? They've been on backorder for weeks...I guess I could rent a spring compressor to salvage the old ones, but it'd be nice to plop new ones on and be done with it.

 

[connoisseurr]

Has anyone who tried this been able to get a new set of front shock mounts from the Ford parts website? They've been on backorder for weeks...I guess I could rent a spring compressor to salvage the old ones, but it'd be nice to plop new ones on and be done with it.

Just noticed myself. Try calling your preferred local dealership and ask the parts counter on an ETA. Don't forget you can use FordPass points for parts purchases at participating dealers.

 

[connoisseurr]

Adding some comments here, will will duplicate this in other places as well.

After putting roughly 1000 miles on the KW suspension, I've altered the 'factory' compression and rebound settings on the shocks. The suspension has fully settled and definitely stiffened. I would not say it's back to a stock feel, but it was still comfortable. I did want something a bit softer, however.

Setting	Front Compression	Front Rebound	Rear Compression	Rear Rebound
KW 'Factory' Setting	9	7	8	6
Adjusted Setting	12	10	11	9

These settings would be most unique to the Premium ER RWD configuration. I'm hoping once more members receive their set and get them installed and settled, their final adjustment numbers combined with their Mach-E configuration can be shared amongst the forum to better track the best settings based upon SR/ER and RWD/AWD. Compression and Rebound adjustments are iterative.

 

[SilentD]

Outstanding write-up and install. I wish I had as good of detail as these when I installed my KW V3 on my 2015 Corvette. It was a learning experience!
Someone please reach out to me about another KW group buy for my 2022 GT non PE MachE.

 

[KyleCleave]

COMFORT SETTING ADJUSTMENTS (COMPRESSION AND REBOUND)

After putting roughly 1000 miles on the KW suspension, I've altered the 'factory' compression and rebound settings on the shocks. The suspension has fully settled and definitely stiffened. I would not say it's back to a stock feel, but it was still comfortable. I did want something a bit softer, however.

Setting	Front Compression	Front Rebound	Rear Compression	Rear Rebound
KW 'Factory' Setting	9	7	8	6
Adjusted Setting	12	10	11	9

These settings would be most unique to the Premium ER RWD configuration.

Can all adjustment points be reached without disassembly? Will the wheels need to come off to gain access?

 

[connoisseurr]

Can all adjustment points be reached without disassembly? Will the wheels need to come off to gain access?

No wheel removal needed.

Front adjustments - remove plastic frunk shields to access upper adjustments; turn steering wheel full lock to access lower adjustments

Rear adjustments - you will need a jack. Jack rear corner to the point where the wheel is about to leave the ground; make upper and lower adjustments; lower jack to resting vehicle position; complete opposite side.

 

[mkhuffman]

No wheel removal needed.

Front adjustments - remove plastic frunk shields to access upper adjustments; turn steering wheel full lock to access lower adjustments

Rear adjustments - you will need a jack. Jack rear corner to the point where the wheel is about to leave the ground; make upper and lower adjustments; lower jack to resting vehicle position; complete opposite side.

Can you give us an updated assessment regarding the ride quality improvement?

 

[connoisseurr]

Can you give us an updated assessment regarding the ride quality improvement?

Absolutely. The suspension has definitely tightened up since the last (and final) adjustment. As you would expect from coilovers, you have an increased road feel. I am also attributing additional road feel from the aftermarket wheels and tires as well.

The largely discussed rebounding issue, in my opinion, has been tremendously mitigated with my particular settings for a Premium Extended Range RWD. The Mach-E is very connected to the road. I'm still considering doing sway bars to accompany the coilovers, as I think it might increase the overall experience of driving a Mustang.

I'm still happy with the solution and will continue to recommend it.

 

[KyleCleave]

First, I really appreciate the writeup. I had a friend/backyard mechanic do the work for me. My back won't allow me to work on cars anymore. He didn't understand the shock adjustments so he left everything MUCH too stiff at installation.

I was able to make the adjustments I needed after the car settled for a few days. I realize it will likely tighten a little over the next few hundred miles, but these are my current settings:

Front Rebound (Top): 11
Front Bump (Bottom): 10
Back Rebound (Top): 9
Back Bump (Bottom): 11

This on a Select RWD. The car will always have firm suspension but the bounciness, the harsh rebound, and the uncomfortable feeling over rough roads are significantly reduced. This is how the car should be from the factory.

 

[mkhuffman]

As a coilovers novice, this is a very basic question. When the shocks wear out, do you have to install all new coilovers or can you simply replace the shocks?

I am also thinking about the next owner. How will they deal with shocks that need to be replaced? I don't like transferring problems. It is basic ethics to me. When I sell someone something, I want to be fully transparent regarding what they are getting.

 

[connoisseurr]

As a coilovers novice, this is a very basic question. When the shocks wear out, do you have to install all new coilovers or can you simply replace the shocks?

I am also thinking about the next owner. How will they deal with shocks that need to be replaced? I don't like transferring problems. It is basic ethics to me. When I sell someone something, I want to be fully transparent regarding what they are getting.

Great question and easy to answer.

There are two options possible:

1. Remove and rebuild shock to manufacturer's spec, then reinstall.
2. Replace shock with new unit from manufacturer.

Should an owner wish to remove and rebuild, there are a handful of aftermarket automotive performance shops that can handle work like this. Taking it to a reputable shop can have you in and out quickly, with minimal downtime.

Opting to fully replace the unit gives you additional options: an owner may request a new shock and rebuild kit from the manufacturer. You would remove the existing shock and replace with a new one, then rebuild the old shock, which can then be resold, or kept to replace the opposite-axle shock when the time comes. I've even previously mentioned a third option, which is to buy an entire new set of coilovers, remove old and reinstall new, THEN rebuild the old kit and resell.

I also wanted to comment on my installation procedure, which was to buy a new set of OE top hats (upper shock mounts) to be used for the new coilover installation. This allowed me to keep the factory OE struts and shocks fully assembled, creating an easier avenue for reinstallation (no need to bust out a spring compressor and rebuild an assembly). This is also particularly helpful for when there is a delay in replacing or rebuilding shock hardware - one could simply temporarily reinstall OE suspension assemblies while the KW hardware is remedied, if the vehicle is a critical transportation asset.

 

[21st Century Pony]

So after 3 months of looking at my KW Coilover kit sitting there in its box, I finally bolted them up onto my Mach E today.

Many thanks to Connoisseur for the thorough OP write-up which greatly helped in organizing the prep and the job.

Although I have done similar upgrades on (at least) three other cars in the past, the Mach E taught me some new tricks. In my prior coilover swapouts the fronts were the hard part and the rears, a fairly easy part. On my Mach E, it was the reverse.

Suggestion, learned the hard way haha: apply anti-seize to the main shock / shock seat threads as the KW shocks just come out of the shipping box, before assembling and torquing the KW assemblies together. Guess how I know

Connoisseur also deserves credit for suggesting a new spare set of tophats (thank you FordPass points ) for the front KW coilovers. Since my Mach E is still pretty new, I figured there's no harm in keeping the still viable OEM assemblies, still assembled, out in the shed. In my previous coilover jobs the OEM shocks were all toast and not worth keeping, so getting spare tophats for the front had not occurred to me. This one suggestion made the front assembly swap pretty easy because I didn't have to mess with de-compressing and re-compressing the front springs.

For DIYers with access to a car lift, a neat way to get the front OEM coilover assembly out is to lower the car-on-lift enough to loosen all three tophat bolts from the top, then raise the car-on-lift and unbolt the bottom stuff: two knuckle (spline) bolts, the top endlink bolt, the teeny brake bracket bolt, and pull off the electrical signal line, and then lower the car-on-lift again, enough to lean over the remaining tophat bolt on the top. Then, roll a floor jack with padding (cardboard etc.) under the brake disc and gently lift the floor jack arm enough to support the wheel hub... then unbolt the remaining tophat bolt and you can lower the whole wheel hub slowly enough to slip the coilover assembly out, without straining the brake line at all. Follow these steps again for the KW assembly - the tophat center nut can be a good guide that you can reach and move with your fingers while you're cranking the floor jack up, and a thin Phillips screwdriver will center the tophat's three threaded holes for their bolts. This trick let me do the job without helpers.

The hardest part about swapping out the rear sets was lining up the big bolts with the holes on the lower control arm, both during disassembly and during assembly. The Mach E's rear lower control arms noticeably twist about their axis when the bolt (coming or going) is only in on one side, and that creates problems in lining everything up. I finally resorted to a pipe wrench with its arm end supported (pushed up) by a transmission jack while the car was up on the lift. The pipe wrench grabbed onto the wide upper flanges on the lower control arm, inducing (or rather, counter-balancing) rotational torsion forces in it, and that did the trick.

I also found that the rear right spring's rubber bottom seat was actually rotated about 160 degrees... obviously a factory assembly mistake. Its high rubber side flange, which is supposed to point to the electric motor (let's say 9 o'clock), was pointed toward the rear mudflap at about 5 o'clock and the OEM spring had made a non-standard indentation in the rubber seat. Once properly positioned, the rubber seat now works just fine with the KW spring.

After 90+ miles on different roads afterwards, I like the result so far, despite the salty price. The front-to-rear pogoing, greatly diminished with Steeda sway bars, is now gone. Road feel is more precise. So far the ride feels both a bit firmer and a bit more comfortable.

I recommend this mod.

 

[mkhuffman]

So after 3 months of looking at my KW Coilover kit sitting there in its box, I finally bolted them up onto my Mach E today.

Many thanks to Connoisseur for the thorough OP write-up which greatly helped in organizing the prep and the job.

Although I have done similar upgrades on (at least) three other cars in the past, the Mach E taught me some new tricks. In my prior coilover swapouts the fronts were the hard part and the rears, a fairly easy part. On my Mach E, it was the reverse.

Suggestion, learned the hard way haha: apply anti-seize to the main shock / shock seat threads as the KW shocks just come out of the shipping box, before assembling and torquing the KW assemblies together. Guess how I know

Connoisseur also deserves credit for suggesting a new spare set of tophats (thank you FordPass points ) for the front KW coilovers. Since my Mach E is still pretty new, I figured there's no harm in keeping the still viable OEM assemblies, still assembled, out in the shed. In my previous coilover jobs the OEM shocks were all toast and not worth keeping, so getting spare tophats for the front had not occurred to me. This one suggestion made the front assembly swap pretty easy because I didn't have to mess with de-compressing and re-compressing the front springs.

For DIYers with access to a car lift, a neat way to get the front OEM coilover assembly out is to lower the car-on-lift enough to loosen all three tophat bolts from the top, then raise the car-on-lift and unbolt the bottom stuff: two knuckle (spline) bolts, the top endlink bolt, the teeny brake bracket bolt, and pull off the electrical signal line, and then lower the car-on-lift again, enough to lean over the remaining tophat bolt on the top. Then, roll a floor jack with padding (cardboard etc.) under the brake disc and gently lift the floor jack arm enough to support the wheel hub... then unbolt the remaining tophat bolt and you can lower the whole wheel hub slowly enough to slip the coilover assembly out, without straining the brake line at all. Follow these steps again for the KW assembly - the tophat center nut can be a good guide that you can reach and move with your fingers while you're cranking the floor jack up, and a thin Phillips screwdriver will center the tophat's three threaded holes for their bolts. This trick let me do the job without helpers.

The hardest part about swapping out the rear sets was lining up the big bolts with the holes on the lower control arm, both during disassembly and during assembly. The Mach E's rear lower control arms noticeably twist about their axis when the bolt (coming or going) is only in on one side, and that creates problems in lining everything up. I finally resorted to a pipe wrench with its arm end supported (pushed up) by a transmission jack while the car was up on the lift. The pipe wrench grabbed onto the wide upper flanges on the lower control arm, inducing (or rather, counter-balancing) rotational torsion forces in it, and that did the trick.

I also found that the rear right spring's rubber bottom seat was actually rotated about 160 degrees... obviously a factory assembly mistake. Its high rubber side flange, which is supposed to point to the electric motor (let's say 9 o'clock), was pointed toward the rear mudflap at about 5 o'clock and the OEM spring had made a non-standard indentation in the rubber seat. Once properly positioned, the rubber seat now works just fine with the KW spring.

After 90+ miles on different roads afterwards, I like the result so far, despite the salty price. The front-to-rear pogoing, greatly diminished with Steeda sway bars, is now gone. Road feel is more precise. So far the ride feels both a bit firmer and a bit more comfortable.

I recommend this mod.

Did you use the factory settings, which I think are in the middle between comfort stiff? I am curious how it performs at the softest settings.

 

[21st Century Pony]

Did you use the factory settings, which I think are in the middle between comfort stiff? I am curious how it performs at the softest settings.

So far, yes I stayed with factory settings for this car... just to build a baseline before I start fiddlin'.

Sponsored