Installing non-ZX2 struts and springs yourself

[craftydarren]

To anyone who has installed struts and springs themself:<p>I have Tokico Performance struts and H&R springs shipping to me now. I am pondering doing this myself. I decided not to get the ZX2s because that work sounded kind of scarry.<p>How hard is it to install non-ZX2 type struts and springs? I saw a spring compressor at Sears for $35. (Some people said they rented their spring compressor - why? $35 doesn't sound like a lot of money to just buy it.) Is this the only equipment that I need aside from a socket set? Will I need air tools? Will the strut bolts be rusted on you think? <p>As I understand it, I need to raise the car on car jacks, support the steering arm (not sure if that's the correct term) with another jack, and unbolt the strut at the top and bottom. Is this all?<p>Do I have to compress the spring that's currently on the car before I take it off? If the spring compressor is just for putting the new spring and strut together, I was thinking I would attempt to do that first inside my home, and if I am able to do that part I will attempt the rest; if not then I would take the car somewhere and have someone else do it.<p>Any comments will be helpful.

[ryanlindenberg]

the spring and strut come out in one unit. you only need the compressor to remove/install the spring on the strut.

[monty73741]

you should just rent the spring compressor.<p>you use it only once....

[ryanlindenberg]

sounds like you pretty much know what to do...i havn't done it myself but i researched alot about it. i've heard it will go much faster if you have air tools to use on the spring compressor. the bolt on your strut SHOULDN'T be rusted. but it actually doesn't matter since you won't have to take your old strut apart. unless you need some parts off of it for some reason.

[marshmallow15]

you won't NEED air tools for the compressors, but it'll make things a LOT faster. you'll save maybe around 15-25 minutes per strut if you had airtools.

[mx3man83]

Air tools are a huge plus in this install. You have to first jack your car up, take your tire off, and compress your springs while they are still on your car, then you have to start unbolting the struts. It's actually a very easy thing to do, as long as you have everything you need right there. For instance, take all of your sockets and extensions and set them out next to your car so you can just reach over and grab them. Same with your air gun. I personally hate working in an environment whre i have to search 20 minutes for one tool.

[marshmallow15]

that's exactly like my garage.. the tools i dont use much but still use, i can never find.<p>its true you'll save yourself a lot of time and energy if you prepare yourself beforehand.

[Ryencool]

dont need air tools just a breaker bar. I did the zx2 install with eibach springs a few weeks ago, I didnt even have to compress the old springs to get them out...so old they didnt really have any pop left in them. JU make sure you mark everyhting so your alignment settings stay. I didnt do this and my camber is now way off, -3 on almost every corner. Althought the drop does make it bad too, so get some camber bolts just incase..overall it took me pretty much a whole day of off and on working. It was my first attempt at doing anything myself to my car, and it was a good learning experience, my parents are like holy fu*k! are you sure its gonna work?? hehe

[marshmallow15]

yea my parents and my relatives thought i wouldnt be able to pull it off either. the respect you gain after you finish the job is priceless.

[craftydarren]

Well the springs arrived from tirerack so now I'm just waiting for the struts to come mid next week form shox. I'm gonna do this work next weekend I think.<p>The Chilton's manual doesn't mention compressing the old springs before taking them out. It just says to remove the tire/wheel assembly, support the steering arm, then unbolt the strut/spring assembly and remove it. It only mentions compressing the springs in the section that describes how to overhaul the strut and springs.<p>If, in fact, I do not have to compress the old springs while they are still on the car before I remove them, and I only have to compress the NEW springs in order to assemble them with the new struts, then I I can do that inside my home the night before (Friday night) and save some time on Saturday.

[Mradio]

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Darren H:

The Chilton's manual doesn't mention compressing the old springs before taking them out. It just says to remove the tire/wheel assembly, support the steering arm, then unbolt the strut/spring assembly and remove it. It only mentions compressing the springs in the section that describes how to overhaul the strut and springs.<p>If, in fact, I do not have to compress the old springs while they are still on the car before I remove them, and I only have to compress the NEW springs in order to assemble them with the new struts, then I I can do that inside my home the night before (Friday night) and save some time on Saturday.<hr></blockquote><p>Chilton's doesn't mention compression, because it just describes the removal/installation part. Overhaul is what you going to do, and you need to compress old spring assembly, before unbolting the top bolt. How are you going to compress the new spring/strut at home? Do you have a spare upper spring seat? Because you will need to take that off your old assembly in order to put a new one together.