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SUSP : Suspension Install

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    #31
    Rear shock removal:

    I loosened up the brake line from one of the arms (the one that runs the length of the car in the front) and moved that. From there I got the bottom bolt loose and kept the top connected, and basically banged the strut off the hub...voila, uncompressed spring, removed shock.

    For the install, I wish I had pics...basically there's mad room up above the rear UCA FOR the UCA, so when the suspension is fully extended you can use that room to maneuver the shock. I connected the bottom bolt and again pushed the shaft below the top of the spring, then I put weight on the hub and got the spring in the cap, and I pulled the shaft up. Pizza pie. It's tougher with longer springs and probably impossible with stock springs (what was Honda thinking? Why have tension on a fully uncompressed spring????), but with a compressor it should be doable. It just sucks to use a compressor cause it takes up precious space...but whatever, it's all still doable.

    Basically, keep the top hat connected in the car whenever possible and work with the bottom half...it'll save so much time. I can change my fronts in like 1hr on a good day.


    Originally posted by lordoja
    im with you on that one bro! aint nothing beat free food and drinks any day of the week, even if its at a funeral

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      #32
      Well, this noob has had an "interesting" time tonight removing his rear springs & struts. Actually only one side has been taken off as I write this ...

      Pulling away the hard plastic trunk liner on each side wasn't much fun. I'd done it before on the driver's side when installing a new antenna, but still.

      First off, I couldn't even see, let alone remove, one nut up top without removing the seat sides --- that outer part of the seat back. Helms to the rescue to verify how that part is attached. Squat inside on the seat cushion, applying pressure with a knee to gain access and remove one bolt with a 10mm wrench. Carefully hold on to it so that it doesn't drop and necessitate removing the bottom (and maybe top to gain access?) cushion. Lift up and out each outer seat back.

      Seriously --- how did you guys remove both top strut bolts without doing this first?

      Optionally remove the plastic trim on each side that covers the sides of the trunk area behind the seatback (this allowed easier access with a ratchet.)

      BTW --- for those top strut nuts you need a 14mm wrench or socket. I thought something so important would be on there with death but mine came off fairly easily.

      Here's something that wasn't the case for my '91:
      Originally posted by WiKKeDV16
      . REAR SUSPENSION .

      7.) Use a 17mm wrench and remove the one single bolt that holds the bottom of the strut to place. You will need two 17mm wrenches, one on each side. You'll need two because if you turn just one side, the other will move along with it. You will need to hold the other end still in order to remove it. You also may need a plastic/rubber hammer to hit the loosen bolt out of place.
      8.) Now the entire strut assembly should come off your car.
      At the bottom of the strut, the nut was "attached" (welded) to the strut --- so only a single ratchet or breaker bar was necessary to loosen the bolt.

      I figured it was an "OEM thing" (my struts had never been replaced) but my new Koni Reds are the same way --- a nut is already attached there.

      This begs the question: do some aftermarket or OEM rear struts not come with the nut welded to the strut, or is there an error in the DIY, or do for example 92-93 cars have separate nuts and ... you get the idea.

      Anyway, my method for removing the assembly was to stomp on the rotor hub (on a lug nut actually) with one foot and kick the assembly with the other while leaning against the garage wall for balance ... this broke it free of the bottom mount, and promptly knocked the car off the T-stand on the other side! Fortunately I still had a floor jack under the center cross beam so the car didn't really go very far. I used the scissors jack to bring the other side back up ...

      Also important: I strongly suggest leaving at least one if not both top nuts secured and take them off last. The suspension will not drop to the floor. If you take them off first as outlined in the DIY, when you later try to loosen the bottom bolt the whole mess will wiggle a bit, negating much of the force you exert on the wrench/ratchet/breaker bar.

      Like several of you, I couldn't clear the fender to take it out. I eventually removed the caliper and disk rotor so that I could loosen the dust shield so that when I bent it it wouldn't have to be bent too much. "8.) Now the entire strut assembly should come off your car." But my naive hope was that I could remove the dust shield ... um, no. I'll just bend the other side and not take all that other shit off.

      And that's where I'm at. I started to remove the other side but sheared off the lower mounting bolt, so I'm fucked. If only that nut wasn't welded to the strut I could maybe pound out the bolt with a punch or screwdriver and hammer ...
      Last edited by deckeda; 10-17-2005, 12:24 AM.
      >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

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        #33
        Damn you sheared the bolt doggg??? Get that to a shop ASAP!!! I wanna ask whether you WD40'd up the bolts but I'll assume you did...

        I have a 93 and my bolt was attached as well. It was a pain in the ass and a half to get the bolts to line up the first time; but it really helps if you secure the top of the strut before you try to get to the bottom, as the weight of it all won't be a factor in lining it up. Seriously, now I could prob. do a suspension in like 3 hours by myself...it's not too bad. I think I'm gonna have to get a camber kit soon so I might do a full, picture assisted DIY...


        Originally posted by lordoja
        im with you on that one bro! aint nothing beat free food and drinks any day of the week, even if its at a funeral

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          #34
          WD-40? Wazzat? Seriously though, I did.

          It's funny --- on the one side that came off cleanly I only sprayed the nut (doh!) because from reading that seemed to be where the problem would come.

          For my problem-child side, I sprayed the bolt head side too when it was clear is wasn't easily budging.

          I've got to find an angle grinder or something to "scrape off" so to speak that nut. And even then I fear the bolt is probably stuck inside the bushing.
          >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

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            #35
            I remember back in the day when i had my other cb i installed a set of intrax lowering springs. me and my 2 friends did it with only HAND TOOLS and it took us at total of 6hrs if not more. this when i was in 11th grade and i had a lowered car back, boy i thought i was the shit anyway now i can take them out in 20mins and have them put back together with new springs and struts in a 1hrs time with a air compressor. ive did so many hondas its like cakes&pies

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              #36
              Originally posted by gloryaccordy
              Damn you sheared the bolt doggg??? Get that to a shop ASAP!!! I wanna ask whether you WD40'd up the bolts but I'll assume you did...

              I have a 93 and my bolt was attached as well. It was a pain in the ass and a half to get the bolts to line up the first time; but it really helps if you secure the top of the strut before you try to get to the bottom, as the weight of it all won't be a factor in lining it up. Seriously, now I could prob. do a suspension in like 3 hours by myself...it's not too bad. I think I'm gonna have to get a camber kit soon so I might do a full, picture assisted DIY...
              get a alignment and you'll be fine. what drop do you have?

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                #37
                I have Tanabe DF210 springs in the back and coils in the front...but I think I'm just gonna go back to DF210's all around. Camber in the front is a serious issue...my right UCA is a little bent so I must have like 4-5 degrees of camber on that wheel. I'm gonna raise it up on a non-lazy free day...


                Originally posted by lordoja
                im with you on that one bro! aint nothing beat free food and drinks any day of the week, even if its at a funeral

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                  #38
                  Is anyone else's bottom fork bolt REALLY freaking hard to get off? Like..nearly impossibly hard? Any suggestions? I already tried WD40ing the hell out of it, and Im still here asking this question, so thats probably out. Dammit..I hate that bolt
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                    #39
                    Im about to pop a vein/artery thanks to these god damn mother fucking bolts. I fucking hate the fuckers. Wont fucking come loose no matter bow much WD40 OR PB Blaster I SOAK them with.
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                      #40
                      The fork on the bottom in the front? I hope you know you have to keep one side still and turn the other one...are the bolts spinning?


                      Originally posted by lordoja
                      im with you on that one bro! aint nothing beat free food and drinks any day of the week, even if its at a funeral

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                        #41
                        Is it next to fucking impossible for anyone else to line up the rear fork bolt when reassembling?
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                          #42
                          Dude...hook up the top of the rear strut completely and THEN line it up...and WD40 the fork/hub interface. Seriously it's like a 20 minute job...no offense...


                          Originally posted by lordoja
                          im with you on that one bro! aint nothing beat free food and drinks any day of the week, even if its at a funeral

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                            #43
                            Thats what I did. But the hub assy kept wanting to stay higher than the strut assy was. I used a small wrench as a lever between the two and lined em up that way. Took about 10 min on the other side. Spring compressors are SO tedious...
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                              #44
                              Oh it's prob different on stockish springs...with my Tanabes everything lines up perfectly, no compressor necessary...


                              Originally posted by lordoja
                              im with you on that one bro! aint nothing beat free food and drinks any day of the week, even if its at a funeral

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                                #45
                                Bump to the top as I am adding pics to the install how-to.

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