sierioiza

Hi,

I am new to the forum and it is my first post, so I am not sure if this is the right place, but... Anyway, I am planning to replace both of my '99 civic EX rear strut assemblies (quick-strut from monroe looks most attractive), and I will need an electric impact wrench and a floor jack with two stands... I don't have money to get those, and I don't know if I will ever need them again, so I was just wondering if any of you guys would be kind enough to let me borrow those tools for half a day? I live in Houston, southwest corner of Inner Loop, and wouldn't mind to drive out a couple of miles (my left rear strut is blown though).

Would appreciate any help.
Thanks

MindBomber

You don't need an electric impact, on average they only put out 200-250ftlbs of torque, compared to a pneumatic impact putting out between 450-1000ftlbs. If you purchase a 36'' breaker bar, then 100ftlbs of manual energy at the handle will equate to 360ftlbs on the bolt. That will be enough to break the majority of bolts loose. That said, if your working on a 12 year old suspension there's a good likelihood that bolts will break and you should also have the tools on hand for that eventuality.

Don't get monroe, they suck, look at kyb gr-2 instead.
Best of luck.

sierioiza

What is so bad about monroe? Is the ride really bad with them? I noticed a little bit of rust on the bottom of one coil spring, so I thought it would be good to replace it together with the strut, and with monroe quick-strut I get everything needed. Plus, the car is old and I don't need it to be perfect. I've been driving third day with the blown strut - wouldn't it kind of weaken or damage the spring? If I decide to get KYB, what coil springs should I get with it? Moog?

MindBomber

Don't worry about replacing the spring, if you concerned about the bit of rust then give them a coat of paint. Overtime they'll sag a bit from the weight of the car, but that doesn't matter much and like you said, it's an older car. There isn't anything that's extremely important to replace other than the struts, even the dust boots are of minimal importance.

The monroes just aren't good quality, they don't ride well or last.

sierioiza

OK. How will I fit a 3-foot breaker bar between a wheel well and a brake drum? Maybe I would get the bolt that connects the strut to the lower arm, but I doubt I will get the bolt connecting lower arm to the trailing arm because it is too close to the drum. That's why I originally thought of an impact wrench to do the job. But how often people from Houston look at this part of the forum is a different question...

As for replacing the strut, I hear some creaking and clunking noises coming from both sides when the road is bumpy or uneven. It is especially audible when I pull in to a driveway with a little slope to it. Do you think it is coming from the strut, or strut mounts, or strut mount bushing? I thought since I will take apart the whole assembly, I may as well replace the part that is causing the noises. Except I need to know what makes the noise in order to get a right part. Any advice on that will be greatly appreciated.