Hi Folks,

After a year lower on Eibach, I have decided (6 months ago actually) that the lower ride isn't for me. So I sourced a set of G37s springs and some KYB struts since I'll have to do the same for anyways.

The rear was what I did first. The first side took 2 hours because after reading all the great DIY posts, I didn't realize how much "encouraging" the parts needed for me to take them off and put them back on. The second rear side took 30 minutes for both spring and struct. Really simple.

The front (the first side) is very difficult. I think the tire shop I used to install the Eibachs torqued the bracket bolts to the max. I managed to remove 3 (the large one included), but couldn't get to the last of the 3 smaller bolts without rounding the sides. There is no room to get the impact socket straight on and I think forcing the bolt with the socket crooked was definitely bad idea. So I left the bracket on, took the sway bar link off, the upper camber arm bolt off and pivoted the rotor/A arm away and was able to get the struct assembly out that way. But the spring compressor I borrowed from pepboys was not able to compress the spring enough to clear the strut rod. And I didn't know how much noise my neighbors can hear from the impact gun I was using in my garage, so I had to stop......



Feedback appreciated on:
1. why does the suspension bracket need to come off, when taking the sway link and upper camber arm seem easier?

2. what did I do wrong with the spring compressor? I may try the using the car weight method later on.

3. since the rounded bolt isn't coming off and I doubt it will ever, is it worth taking it off just to replace it when I can't even get to it?

Thanks folks

 

use wd40 bro that stuff works!

When i was removing for the frist time and my car only had 1200 miles the bolts were tight like a virgin NO BS. i sprayed them and that did the trick.

as for the spring compress start from the bottom of the strut while off the car!
I had the same problem,till i did it that way. sob had alot of tentsion.

The bolt is a grade 8 its a tough bolt. spary and try a different sockect stanard and Metric see which one works the best.
also use a rachet with a pipe orYou can try double wrenchs..


The tightest bolt was the large nut for the strut in the front for me.

 

I'll add that if WD40 doesn't work, use BreakFree CLP instead. It's a firearm cleaner/lubricator and works wonders on rusted bolts. Better than the trusty dub-dee.

Good luck.

 

A man has got to know his limitations.

 

PB blast, 6 point sockets, 2 ft breaker bar, air impact ratchet, and tons of grease on the spring compressor bolts and should be a breeze.
Good luck w/ your rounded bolt heads OP, I'd get them replaced for sure.

 

thank you all for the reply. I'm done with the swap and will just have to roll knowing one of the bolt is rounded out. On the opposite side, I ended up just taking off the top 3 nuts, unbolted the sway bar link, which is also the suspension bolt. Loosened the camber arm bolt and with a jack supporting the bottom of the knuckle and some bungee cord holding the top of the knuckle, I was able to remove the strut that way. The black bracket which the other 3 bolts hold does not need to be removed this way.

The toughest part was the spring compression. I ended up taking them to Pepboys and paid them $40 total to do it for me. I forgot to mark the top plate the first time, so the orientation was wrong, and I had to go back and ask them to redo them so the bolts will line up....

In all, if I had to do this again, I think I can have the struts off the fronts in 30 minutes each side and bolted back on in 20 minutes. With marking the top plate, I would still get Pepboys to compress the springs because the hours I spent isn't worth repeating.

Thanks again folks.

 

your right, The $40 spent at Pepboys for compressing the springs was the best $40 I spent in a long time. Watching them do the compression, there is no way I can do it, or should try doing it....

The bolt being rounded off was I think due to the unnecessary step since the bracket doesn't need to come off for the strut to come out. I was able to do the other side without touching those bolts.

 

The upper arms do not need to be touched. The upper ball joint does not have to be separated from the knuckle.
If you remove the lower bracket, the strut literally falls out!!

 

Right. But it's much more difficult to take 4 bolts out holding the bracket, especially the lower bracket bolt is hidden behind the steering arm, which is why I ended up rounding it trying to take that bolt off ( and failed). The upper arm is held by 1 bolt and is low torque, 14mm very easily removed with a jack supporting the lower knuckle and bungee cord holding the top. At least for me, it was much easier doing it that way.

 

What I meant was - you're a better man than I for having attempted it. I wanted KW coilovers and I had someone put them on for me, because I had never done it, and wasn't willing to try.

 

No problem Mac,
From what I have read, coilovers are a whole other animal. I'm just putting OEM springs onto KYB struts. Coilovers need to be corner balanced and ride height adjusted. It is definitely more complicated and requires more tools and instruments (like literally 4 scales to weight the corners and the car needs to be jacked up and down all 4 at once) than I can possibly want to own. If I was to get coilovers, I would invest the $$ and get someone good to install and not do it myself.

2 shops I called both wanted $400 to do the work. I figure $60 for 2 sets of aluminum jacks from Harbor Frieight, $40 for an electric impact gun from Harbor Freight, a compact cordless Milwaukee impact, and some sockets I already own still saved me money and I got to but more tools.

 

I seriously doubt most coilover customers corner weight them... at least not from this forum.

If your coil setup isn't using stock upper mounts, the installation process would actually be easier than swapping springs out on stock struts.

 

Did you install a new ball joint nut??

 

The FSM did not call for a new ball joint nut to be used. Did I miss something?

 

anyone home?