spring install question

[ramrat1]

in the instructions for installing the trd springs it shows to use a 6mm allen wrench and hold the center rod in place and loosen the nut with a deep offset wrench - but not to remove the nut.

My question is if this was necessary or can be done after taking the strut out of the car.

Seems to me after the strut is taken out it would be "easier" to work on this nut.

It looks to be torqued down to 25 ft lbs so should be too difficult to move when out of the car.

[Resolve]

Yes you need to loosen first then remove nut when car is up off the ground. can't remove strut without doing so.

Also much easier to remove strut if you take the cowling and everything out of the car from under the hood. the top plastic and metal bottom right below the window. it's easy and only a few bolts.

also get and use.

Black & Decker Ready Wrench Model MSW100


http://www.walmart.com/ip/Black-Deck...SW100/12520389

You can get it at walmart for like $25 and it works perfect. and much better than a box end wrench and allen wrench.

You still need the allen wrench but if you put this tool on the right socket size and put it on the nut, then you can fit the allen wrench straight through the socket into the allen key hole on the strut. This tool will sit full over the nut like a socket and not at a weird angle half on teh nut like a box end wrench.

Hope the explanation is good. I can't find a better picture but basically the tool is like 8 sockets in wrench form.

[ramrat1]

excellent thanks for the explanation. So its different from others I have done (240sx and Chrysler minivan).

Thanks for the tool tip. I would have had to buy the offset wrench and the tool you linked is much more useful. I will get it instead.

[Resolve]

I dropped another persons xd 3 weeks ago tomorrow with a little help from some others but with me doing most the work in about 1.5 hours. That included everything from tear done to reinstall also included changing front struts out and rear shocks.

To make it easy have at least one other person. I am about to leave work but I will post a quick write up of how we did it when I get home tonight for you.

---------- Post added at 07:58 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:57 PM ----------

What springs you going with?

And no I didnt use a spring compressor so not needed.

[ramrat1]

hi Resolve I am going with TRD springs on regular shocks for right now.Would have liked to put trd struts / shocks on as well but that will be for another time.

Thanks I will look forward to the writeup. I do have the document that came with the trd springs for the install.

[Resolve]

OK sorry for delay got home late Friday and was at a show most of day yesterday.

I can't remember socket sizes and all right off hand so I won't put those.

FIRST if you want take measurements of height from ground to top center of wheel well on all 4 corners.

Fronts take the longest obviously, so we will start there.

1) First thing to do before opening hood, is remove windshield wipers.
2) Open hood and remove the black plastic cowling from under the window. It has a couple of clips on the corners and the rest is just snapped in along the front edge. Comes out easily. You may need to remove the weather stripping and the plastic peice above the battery first not sure since we removed it first anyways.
3) Remove windshield wiper motor. 2 bolts and the wiring is clipped to the motor assemply but also easy to remove.
4) Remove all the bolts holding the metal fairing above the struts and remove the fairing. I think there are like 10 to 12 of them. once this is remove you can easily get to the top of the struts no problem.
5) Put wrench on the nut and the Allen wrench in top hole on strut shaft. The will be TIGHT. I had help and what we did was put the tool above on and the put allem wrench as as explained, but I took a normal box end wrench and place it over the allen key so that it caught the part of the Allen Wrench that L's out to bassically make it bigger and give us more leverage to hold it so we could break it loose. (I will post a pic tonight to show what I mean). Do both side but only loosen do not remove bolts yet.
6) If you have jack stands (recommended for safety and speed, but not necessary) loosen lug nuts on the front wheels and jack the car up. If you have jack stands you can jack both side up at same time. (saves you time of so you can move to the other side quicker) If not you have to do one side at a time.
7) Remove front wheels.
8.)Start removing all bolts that are holding items to the strut. There should be one for the brake line and 2 for the rotor. (I don't remember any others)
Once the Rotor assembly is unbolted from the strut try not to let it hang freely. Once you pull the strut out following instructions below you should be able to push the top of the rotor back and it will stay up with out the rotor hang away from the car. You will see what I mean when you do it.
9) Once all bolts are removed from bottom portion of the strut have the person helping you start removing the bolt on top of the strut while you hold it from the bottom. once nut is all the way off pull the strut out from the bottom.
10) with strut out pull the rubber piece off of the top of the strut and you will see another bolt holding a plate and the spring on. Put a socket and ratchet on and start loosening. You do not need a spring compressor but you will want you helper to hold the strut while you loosen the nut on top. I place one hand on top of the ratchet over the socket hold a pressure and the other hand to turn the handle to loosen the bolt. Doesn't need to be a lot of pressure like you are pushing the strut through the floor just a nice steady pressure to hold it in place. Reason for this is the pressure of the spring will make the nut pop off at the end. If you are holding pressure over the socket it will just pop off a little bit and make a pop sound and wont go any where, but if not holding it the ratchet and socket and the plate and nut could become flying projectiles.
11) You can now put the new spring on and put the plate back on and bolt it up until it is tight.
12) Put the rubber piece from step 10 above back on and slide strut back in car and have helper start the top nut on the strut.
13) Reinstall is reverse of above. ONE TIP IF YOU FIND THE ROTOR ASSEMBLY WONT GO BACK INTO PLACE SO YOU CAN LINE BOTH BOLT HOLE BACK UP TO STRUT. WHILE HOLDING THE ROTOR SIMPLY TURN IT SLOWLY ONE WAY OR ANOTHER AND IT SHOULD SLIDE BACKWARD AND YOU WILL BE ABLE TO LINE THE BOLT HOLES UP. What happens it the axle shaft may shift when removing strut and you have to line it back up (turning the rotor) so it will slide back in for you to line up bolts. Just warning and giving fix so you don't freak out.
14) Once you got the strut back in put the wheels on and lower the car back to the ground.
15) Once back on the ground tighten the top nut on the strut.
16) Once strut is back in and all tightened down. you can replace the metal fairing and plastic cowling and Wipers. NOTE MAKE SURE YOU RECONNECT THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR WIRE OR WIPERS WON'T WORK. Lol I forgot to reconnect it and had to remove the plastic cowling and unbolt a couple of bolts on the metal to run the wire back under it and connect it.


FRONT IS DONE.

BACK
You do not need to remove the wheels.

1) Jack up both sides of the car until the wheel is off the ground a couple of inches.
2) One person get under the car
3) Remove bottom shock bolt from both sides.
4) Have the other person push down on the wheel on the side you are working one. while they do this pull the old spring out. If Jacked high enough they sould be able to push it enough for you to pull it right out. If not pull it a little harder to see if you can get it free if that doesn't work jack it a little higher.
5) Once out grab the new spring and have the helper push the wheel down again and slide new spring in place.
6) Repeat steps 4 and 5 for other side.
7) Reinstall shock bolts
8.) Once done lower rear of car.

REAR IS DONE.

Finally if you measured first measure all 4 corners again to see drop. Be adivised this most likely is not full drop the springs will settle as you drive it and will lower a little more. Maybe but not alot. so after a week or two of driving measure again.

Admire drop.

[Resolve]

^^^ I hope you are joking

First off paying $800 to have these cars lowered is rediculous.

Second that is not the start of steps to remove just the wheel. You can remove the wheel without all those steps.

Third the first 9 steps you mention are the first 4 of my write up and that takes like 5 minutes combined to do all steps

From your info posted I pull parts 4,5,6 out as one piece now.

I changed my cars suspenions from air to coilovers recently, pulling everything off from the air, bags, front struts all my airline and my valves which were behind front and rear bumpers and put coilovers on in about 2 hours by myself. Granted I know the car very well and how to get around it.

[Skeeno]

Resolve, I know this is an old thread, but thanks for the write up on the springs. Made my install really easy. Thank you.