for those of you who have changed out springs

Now i know why the newbies post up questions that have been asked a million times before. Searching gets tedious!! :sad2:

ANYWAY. this is a question for the DIY'ers. Whats the easiest way to take out the stock springs? I've done it before on an integra with spring compressors, but the problem is that both kinds of spring compressors i've used wont fit under the fender to compress the spring enough to where it wont kill me when i try to take it out. Is it possible to take the whole strut/spring unit out in one piece and compress it outside of the car? If thats possible, i could easily get the stock springs out.

If you can get the bolt out of the bushing at the bottom of the fork and then unbolt the top part you can pull the whole assembly out from the bottom.

Nice. well it all depends on if i get some new toys from a friend this weekend or not so i may or may not have a non-stock car after this weekend. woo hoo. :rockon:

yes, it is easiest to remove the whole strut/spring, then take off the spring.

Just pull the stock struts and springs off then throw the old bastages away. No special tools required :D

You know my answer. :)

My answer is the same as Justin's. :dunno:

same answer here....i just did it yesterday....

when i did it, it was super ghetto, i took the whole assembly out and didn't have any compressors, ummm...i set it on the ground, get the (i think) 12 mm wrench and held the center bolt down the allen...turn the bolt, turn the bolt, turn the bolt till almost the end, get prepared, last thread, *BOOM* everything goes flying (dust cap, travel bushing, etc) then last step...pee my pants, the next one i did the same but set up this bag of concrete mixer infront. the damn springs almost flew right thru it. Phew! well that's wat i did, i recommend you don't do it like me, it was just way dangerous.

btw. the search IS rediculous, there're like 3 gazzillion threads about each topic!

um...that has "good idea" writtin all over it!

LOL! that's funny because I did pretty much the same thing! I have a spring compressor, but I could not get it into these springs. I layed the thing on a condrete floor, cleared a path to the wall, put my foot on one end and let her rip! Zinged into the wall! :) Anyway, then I figured out a way to use a shop press to safely assemble and disassemble. Less fun, but safer. :(

Gregg

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Originally Posted by 88accordhb

when i did it, it was super ghetto, i took the whole assembly out and didn't have any compressors, ummm...i set it on the ground, get the (i think) 12 mm wrench and held the center bolt down the allen...turn the bolt, turn the bolt, turn the bolt till almost the end, get prepared, last thread, *BOOM* everything goes flying (dust cap, travel bushing, etc) then last step...pee my pants, the next one i did the same but set up this bag of concrete mixer infront. the damn springs almost flew right thru it. Phew! well that's wat i did, i recommend you don't do it like me, it was just way dangerous.

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dangerous it is. If i were you guys, put the car up on jack stands, take the whole strut/spring out and compress it out on the ground and then put the new spring on and put it back together

take the whole assembly out and then decompress it that way. It be a lot easier if you guys have a bigger spring compressor. :D

Quote:

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Originally Posted by 88accordhb

when i did it, it was super ghetto, i took the whole assembly out and didn't have any compressors, ummm...i set it on the ground, get the (i think) 12 mm wrench and held the center bolt down the allen...turn the bolt, turn the bolt, turn the bolt till almost the end, get prepared, last thread, *BOOM* everything goes flying (dust cap, travel bushing, etc) then last step...pee my pants, the next one i did the same but set up this bag of concrete mixer infront. the damn springs almost flew right thru it. Phew! well that's wat i did, i recommend you don't do it like me, it was just way dangerous.

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ha ha ha I did that my first time and it almost went through the roof. They I went and bought a spring compressor.

hahahahhaha glad to know i'm not alone. hehehe damn we're dumbasses

People have been killed by suspension springs... And be carefull with those cheap spring compressors, I've heard stories about the springs popping out of them when compressed and then you dont want your hands or face close to it... So far I've been able to get the compressor on the springs while the strut was still in the wheel well.

Same here. I didnt have a compressor so i just layed the strut on the floor and loosen the bolt BAM. almost shit my pants lol.

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Originally Posted by Rendon LX-i

Same here. I didnt have a compressor so i just layed the strut on the floor and loosen the bolt BAM. almost shit my pants lol.

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Trial and error....... trial and error :)

i guess i'll just get a compressor and use it when the spring/strut assembly is out of the car.

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Originally Posted by NXRacer

i guess i'll just get a compressor and use it when the spring/strut assembly is out of the car.

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The problem I encountered was I could not get the hooks for the compressor between the coils. This was only a problem on the smaller front springs. Keep this in mind when you go shopping for a compressor.

Gregg