backyard DIY spring install
06-11-2009 | 01:46 AM
#31
yup i know theres cheaper but i didnt know where and we were just anxious to get them on
10-12-2009 | 01:01 AM
#34
Registered User
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 95
Likes: 0
I attempted this today. I couldn't get the blue bolt off either until we realized that the bolt is not anchored to anything. There is another bolt on the other end and this bolt can rotate freely. I had to secure the other side and use a very long bar to get this off.
After I got the strut out it wasn't all easy. Getting the damn thing to line up properly to put back in was a pain in the *** too. I had to make guide marks on the side of the whole assembly to make sure the top piece lined up properly.
After I got the strut out it wasn't all easy. Getting the damn thing to line up properly to put back in was a pain in the *** too. I had to make guide marks on the side of the whole assembly to make sure the top piece lined up properly.
10-12-2009 | 01:03 AM
#35
Registered User
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 95
Likes: 0
i had the same problem with this bolt
used a breaker bar=fail
impact wrench=fail
breaker bar with wd-40=fail
impact wrench with wd-40=fail
stronger impact wrench=DING DING DING worked like a charm
i also had a hard time compressing the eibach springs. i got the spring compressor from autozone and like someone mentioned it was to thick to fit between the coils. went to kragen and it was still to thick. took it to a little auto shop where my friend did his tl and they said it was to much to compress. so my last resort was to take it to a shop where my i know they charge up the **** and got it swapped out for 40 bucks =(. the front springs altogether were a PITA. but the rear was a relief took maybe about 20 ot 30 mins for the rear.
i also scraped a little comming out of the driveway we were working in cause i was used to being so high and didnt think the drop was that drastic
used a breaker bar=fail
impact wrench=fail
breaker bar with wd-40=fail
impact wrench with wd-40=fail
stronger impact wrench=DING DING DING worked like a charm
i also had a hard time compressing the eibach springs. i got the spring compressor from autozone and like someone mentioned it was to thick to fit between the coils. went to kragen and it was still to thick. took it to a little auto shop where my friend did his tl and they said it was to much to compress. so my last resort was to take it to a shop where my i know they charge up the **** and got it swapped out for 40 bucks =(. the front springs altogether were a PITA. but the rear was a relief took maybe about 20 ot 30 mins for the rear.
i also scraped a little comming out of the driveway we were working in cause i was used to being so high and didnt think the drop was that drastic
10-12-2009 | 01:14 AM
#36
Impact wrenches are not all equal. You need a big boy one for this bolt. Usually 100#'s will work for any impact wrench. I don't know if bumping up the pressure on a weak gun will work or not.
10-12-2009 | 01:38 AM
#37
I had a very hard time to install the springs myself without any impact wrench...
All I can say is ...next time, no way I would install lowering springs myself again especially when you can just pay $150 for the installation at some quality shops.
All I can say is ...next time, no way I would install lowering springs myself again especially when you can just pay $150 for the installation at some quality shops.
10-13-2009 | 03:02 PM
#39
Registered User
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 95
Likes: 0
Alright so there is a trick to getting the blue bolt off if you don't have an impact wrench. Make sure you hold the nut on the other side of the strut, the nut is 21mm. Have a friend hold the 21 mm in place while you push down on the bar. If you do that and use a long breaker bar it should just come right off pretty easily.
01-10-2010 | 09:03 PM
#40
Registered User
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 19
Likes: 0
Did this myself this weekend without a buddy or an impact wrench. Got a dude at Sears to mount the spring on the shocks for a $20 tip. I already owned a set of coil spring compressors which didn't work. I borrowed from autozone also wouldn't work so I wasted a lot of time trying to get it to work.
Blue nut was a PITA and I broke a heavy duty socket wrench on it before going out to buy a 24" breaker bar which I extended with some piping to a good 5 feet and it broke loose with me bouncing on the end of it.
All said and done I spent a good 10 hours trying to get them installed. 3 hours of that was messing around with the springs (Sears guy had them on in under 5 minutes.) 2 hours of that was messing around with the blue bolts before sucking it up and going to the store.
One tip that might be useful, I couldn't get the passenger shock to line up with the bottom bolt. I was like 3 inches away and couldn't bounce it into place. I ended up raising the driver side of the car which for some reason lowered the wheel assembly on the passenger side and let me slide it in there.
A 21mm wrench is needed as mentioned above for the blue bolt. (Extra trip to auto zone for that sucker
)
For those of you on the fence about doing this yourself I've prepared this simple flow chart to help you decide.
I must say the car looks so much better.
Blue nut was a PITA and I broke a heavy duty socket wrench on it before going out to buy a 24" breaker bar which I extended with some piping to a good 5 feet and it broke loose with me bouncing on the end of it.
All said and done I spent a good 10 hours trying to get them installed. 3 hours of that was messing around with the springs (Sears guy had them on in under 5 minutes.) 2 hours of that was messing around with the blue bolts before sucking it up and going to the store.
One tip that might be useful, I couldn't get the passenger shock to line up with the bottom bolt. I was like 3 inches away and couldn't bounce it into place. I ended up raising the driver side of the car which for some reason lowered the wheel assembly on the passenger side and let me slide it in there.
A 21mm wrench is needed as mentioned above for the blue bolt. (Extra trip to auto zone for that sucker
)For those of you on the fence about doing this yourself I've prepared this simple flow chart to help you decide.
I must say the car looks so much better.
01-10-2010 | 09:34 PM
#41
Haha, I like your diagram. I will be tackling this install sometime this week. Not too worried about it though. Installed tein springs on my friends accord a few months ago and also did a lift kit on another friends jeep. Both required spring compressing and all the other usual stuff. I'm just gonna have to find a place other than autozone to rent a compressor since i doubt theirs will fit.
01-10-2010 | 09:43 PM
#42
Registered User
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 19
Likes: 0
Haha, I like your diagram. I will be tackling this install sometime this week. Not too worried about it though. Installed tein springs on my friends accord a few months ago and also did a lift kit on another friends jeep. Both required spring compressing and all the other usual stuff. I'm just gonna have to find a place other than autozone to rent a compressor since i doubt theirs will fit.
01-10-2010 | 09:51 PM
#43
Yeah, I noticed that in his pics in the OP. I'll go around to a few different stores tomorrow and see if I can find a compressor that might work. If not then I'll just have to get the 2 struts off and take them up to a shop and have them do the switch. Not a big deal. Hopefully I'll find a compressor though.
