anyone have howto on changing struts/springs

[Busted_Blue]

i want to make sure i dont run into any problems, as i dont have alot of time to change my struts/springs this weekend.

anyone have a how-to?

[RobT5580]

You can run into a few problems the first major problem you may run into which is common is the long bolt in the lower fork (front end only) usually is stuck in the fork. If you have this problem you will be stick here and will need a new lower control arm/bolt or have a new bushing pressed in/bolt. If thats not a problem you should be ok but it takes a bit of time to do a whole suspension if its your first time. You will also need spring compressors to collapse the stock springs unless you buy new hardware and only use new stuff (better idea) because most spring compressors dont fit well and can be very dangerous if one lets go.

So the first thing you should do if your not sure is check that lower control arm bolt because that will hault your whole project. If they come out fine basically you remove the lower control arm bolt, 3 12mm nuts on strut tower then you can pull the assembly out of the car. Remove the 2 12mm bolts fastening the brake line down. Then you just swap over parts but you MUST relieve the pressure before taking off the center nut. Once you get past that i put the new struts/springs on and only loosly tighten the center bolt then install it in the car (do that so you can turn the strut body if need be). Then just fasten it all down and you can move to the rear. It sounds simple but you run into minor things like getting the control arm bolt back in etc. The rears are easier. Its been awhile since i did this but its straight forward but expect expect to take some time and make sure you remember how the parts go on if you forget the large washer on the top of the strut it will hit the hood.

[Busted_Blue]

Thanks for the info rob! I have a large spring compressor at my house and it is the outside one instead of the one where you put it in the fender well.

Would if help if the night before, i spray my lower control arm bolts with WD-40?

-do i need to mark my control arms for reference when i put the shocks/struts back in?
-about bumpstops...tokico springs did not come with it and suggested that i cut them in half....its a 1inch drop with the tokico blues..so is that a good idea to cut them?

[buish]

use a hammer or rubber mallet to knock the long bolt out.

[Bloodlust]

Its funny you mention that because I am most likely doing mine this weekend and I was planning on making a how-to. Dont hold me to this promise, but i had it in mind.

[RobT5580]

If your control arm bolt is stuck most likely you wont get it to budge. I only had one come free for me and that was using the biggest hammer i have. As for bump stops i have used the stock ones on both my cars and one has a 1.5" drop and the other is 2'+ drop so you shouldnt have a problem. And you dont have to mark anything it all goes back one way.

Hope this helps good luck! And if you were to spray the bolts with anything PB Blaster is much better than WD-40 but i dont think it will penetrate this particular bolt since its so long and typically gets stuck in the bushing.

[Busted_Blue]

thanks for the help! I will hopefully do mine this sunday if i get my struts this week. (they are in the mail)

http://www.handsontools.com/store/show_product/?product_id=7671 i have one of these badboys as a spring compressor.

[A20A1]

Here you go
http://www.3geez.com/showthread.php?t=101
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[Busted_Blue]

whoa..a year ago =)

[Mike's89AccordLX]

Oh well it will still come in handy. I'm lowering the accord when I get my lude out of the shop.

[A20A1]

whoa..a year ago =)
Well someone was browsing this thread... so if they searced for it and found this instead of the how-to I decided to post the link to the how-to here just incase other members follow the same path.