A simpler spring/strut install DIY -- no compressor needed

[brz408]

It also looks like you have some grime or rust built up in there.


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[adrixe]

I have the allen wrench being held as well with no luck. I'll use the WD and see what happens. I even tried an impact wrench and didnt do a think. lol

[sissupr]

Originally Posted by adrixe

I have the allen wrench being held as well with no luck. I'll use the WD and see what happens. I even tried an impact wrench and didnt do a think. lol

Shouldn't be that hard to break loose. Are you turning the correct way? Put a breaker pipe/bar on the socket wrench to get more leverage and have someone else hold the allen key. Rust shouldnt get in there if the dust cover is on... should take some force, but nothing close to loosening lug nutz per say.

[adrixe]

Yeah i thought it's going to be easy to loosen the nut. I'll put some wd40 to see if it helps. No rust in the bolt.. yeah I'm turning the correct way. Counterclockwise.

[Agent 86]

Originally Posted by adrixe

Yeah i thought it's going to be easy to loosen the nut. I'll put some wd40 to see if it helps. No rust in the bolt.. yeah I'm turning the correct way. Counterclockwise.

Have you tried to remove the rear nuts yet? Just wondering if you experience the same thing there. There was no lactate on mine. As the other guy said, not much force is needed at all. WD-40 might work (blue can), but if it does not get a "true" penetrating spray. WD-40 does make a penetrating spray that comes in a silver can.

[adrixe]

Thanks guys! Wd40 worked for me! Took me 7 hrs to finish installing my prokits. Those abs sensors drove me nuts!! Thanks again for the advices.

[Agent 86]

Originally Posted by adrixe

Thanks guys! Wd40 worked for me! Took me 7 hrs to finish installing my prokits. Those abs sensors drove me nuts!! Thanks again for the advices.

Congratulations!!! It's a good feeling once you are done. I was left with a tremendous since of satisfaction.

Took me about 4.5 hours if i remember correctly. I was able to swap out the front springs without removing the strut from the wheel hub. I was able to lean the assembly outward and mount the spring per some other posted recommendations.

[MAX]

What would happen if you spun the strut? would that cause damage for sure? of just a small risk of leak?

[cycleboy]

Originally Posted by bryan767

Don't you need to preload the top mount onto the strut?

Meaning either A) use a jack under the lca to lift the shock and compress the springs or B) use some coil compressors?

I heard that not doing either of those could result in failure and clunking

I just saw this months later, but I'm not sure I understand.

If you use a jack under the LCA, it would compress the springs and let you get the bolts through the LCA easier.

I did this, except I didn't have a second jack and my existing one was holding the car up. My "jack" was my own arms and chest pushing like an SOB on the LCA until I could get the bolts through.

But I'm not sure I understand how you could not compress them anyway even if it is just by letting the car back down onto the ground. As long as the shaft pokes through the right hole to get the nut back on, there's nothing that can go differently that I can tell.

I have noticed recently my right front will sometimes make a single clunk noise at very low speeds such as parking. I'm going to mess around with it a little when I get a moment.

[bryan767]

Originally Posted by MAX

What would happen if you spun the strut? would that cause damage for sure? of just a small risk of leak?

Yes it could cause a leak. Depending on how many times it spun you could lose pressure in the shock which will eventually cause it to bleed out and be useless.

Originally Posted by cycleboy

I just saw this months later, but I'm not sure I understand.

If you use a jack under the LCA, it would compress the springs and let you get the bolts through the LCA easier.

I did this, except I didn't have a second jack and my existing one was holding the car up. My "jack" was my own arms and chest pushing like an SOB on the LCA until I could get the bolts through.

But I'm not sure I understand how you could not compress them anyway even if it is just by letting the car back down onto the ground. As long as the shaft pokes through the right hole to get the nut back on, there's nothing that can go differently that I can tell.

I have noticed recently my right front will sometimes make a single clunk noise at very low speeds such as parking. I'm going to mess around with it a little when I get a moment.

You would have to compress it off the car. The method you chose was easier, using the weight of the car to set the top nut, but it can cause the chunking noise. This is because you have probably hit a few hard bumps causing the shock to compress much harder then from where you set the top nut using the weight of the car. I would check your top nuts tq rating to make sure it's not loose.

To preload you would need to use a coilover compressor (different from a spring compressor.. But you can reverse the tangs to make a spring compressor work) on the springs, install the shocks onto the lca then the top nut, then remove the compressors..
OR
Use another jack under the lca when installing to ensure you are taking all and any rebound out of the shock so you have a fully seated top nut.

[Chad_W]

That's awesome, I've wanted to do this, ever since I say it being done for rally service. It's good to know we can do it with our rides and just to echo to OPs warning, it is very vehicle specific!

[cycleboy]

Originally Posted by bryan767

You would have to compress it off the car. The method you chose was easier, using the weight of the car to set the top nut, but it can cause the chunking noise. This is because you have probably hit a few hard bumps causing the shock to compress much harder then from where you set the top nut using the weight of the car. I would check your top nuts tq rating to make sure it's not loose.

To preload you would need to use a coilover compressor (different from a spring compressor.. But you can reverse the tangs to make a spring compressor work) on the springs, install the shocks onto the lca then the top nut, then remove the compressors..
OR
Use another jack under the lca when installing to ensure you are taking all and any rebound out of the shock so you have a fully seated top nut.

Well, I only get a clunk from the front passenger side and only once in awhile at parking speed. So it can't be from the LCA install since those were in the rear. I do tend to check torque on anything replaced from time to time just to be sure.

[klearfade]

Brother you are a saint, thanks for this write up

[MGPAX]

Thanks for this! Very helpful.

EDIT:
After reading this thread late last night....and thinking about how I'm fifty and this may not be possible too much longer! Ha ha!! (No really!..not kidding..)

I changed my stock top hats to Whitelines today by myself in a parking lot with the car jack, some wood pieces and some hand tools!

Since I was only changing the top hat, all I had to undo was the top hat nuts, top strut nut, sway bar nut and wheel.

Couldn't have done it without you guys!

PAX