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I was thinking or lowering my car myself and just finished reading both DIY's...now my question is in order to do this is a spring compressor actually necessary...I was told at a shop that it's not, that a compressor is only need to put factory shocks back in!!....anyone know the answer to this?

 
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be very carefull, you really should use one to take the stockers off, they arent expensive, I would highly recomend it, they are compressed tight, and when you take off the nut, it could shoot itself at you, your car, your house, its very dangerous.

 
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or.. if you have seatbelt straps with a crank (like used to hold things down in Tractor trailors and such)..you can have your fat cousin sit on your hood. use the straps to compress the springs just a little (their self locking) and take everything off from there..

Someone has to know about the straps I'm talking about..come in kits at Wal-Mart with little hand cranks...I just can't remember the name of them.. but they do the trick.

Cheers
Mohawk

 
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imma try to install my springs tomorrow n dont want to take any chances so imma go rent one. at autozone, you give them a $50 deposit n when you give it back, they'll refund your $50

 
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Because there struts you can take the whole strut out I without having to use a spring compressor. Then just take them to a shop and have them put the new springs on the struts.

 
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<< imma try to install my springs tomorrow n dont want to take any chances so imma go rent one. at autozone, you give them a $50 deposit n when you give it back, they'll refund your $50 >>


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I did the same thing at pep boys. The manual compressor takes a little time to use but it works very well. You really only need it for the stock springs. The lowering springs shouldn't need to be compressed. Oh yeah, I am not sure about the vic but I had to put an allen wrench in the top of the piston in the shock so it wouldn't turn when loosening the nut.

 
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<<

<< imma try to install my springs tomorrow n dont want to take any chances so imma go rent one. at autozone, you give them a $50 deposit n when you give it back, they'll refund your $50 >>


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I did the same thing at pep boys. The manual compressor takes a little time to use but it works very well. You really only need it for the stock springs. The lowering springs shouldn't need to be compressed. Oh yeah, I am not sure about the vic but I had to put an allen wrench in the top of the piston in the shock so it wouldn't turn when loosening the nut. >>



I'm wishing i had an allen wrench.. my left strut spun some when the nut was stuck for some reason... all is good now.. as for the spring compresser.. YES GET ONE.. it's only a $40 deposit here, and you will need them, you get it back when you take em back.. i did have to use it on my eibachs tho.. they're the same height as stock, just tighter, and one they're on, it settles... now anyone know the torque #'s on the bolts into the frame at the bottom of the struts ?

-ds

 
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well i havn't done it myself, but I heard its pretty nasty when the spring pops out...Either dont be there when it does, or go safe and some how get your hands on a spring compressor...good luck

 
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why dont you just buy a cheap set? They are only like $50 here, then you dont have to rent all the time.

 
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Even cheaper than that online.
Try www.mcmaster.com under Machinery Maintenance &gt; Vehicle Maintenance &gt; Bleeder Systems, Filter Wrenches & Dent Pullers
The cost is a whopping $23.40

[IMG]i/expressions/beer_yum.gif[/IMG]

 
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alrighti just tried installing neuspeed sports yesterday, everything was going well until i tried putting the rear neuspeed in. to my surprise, i found it to be TALLER then the stock springs. it was a b*tch using spring compressors to get those in. i think imma just take it to a shop n get them installed for $75

 
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my rears were teh same size as stock, but when you take the car off the jacks, it's lower.. the front i didn't need to compress at all [IMG]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/IMG]

-ds

 
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alright i want to try to lower it again on sat but i want to know a couple things first.

alot of people say that the front is harder, but how is it harder when you dont have to compress the aftermarket spring to get them in? i did one corner in the rear n it was a pain in the a$$ cause i had to compress my neuspeed sports. not only are they a lil longer, they have more coils so the spring compressors has trouble fitting in between the coils.

n to people who are planning on doing it themselves... MAKE SURE YOU GET THE RIGHT ANGLE OF THE TOP AND BOTTOM OF THE STRUT. i thought the yellow markings honda made would be good enough but they were off n i had to compress my springs like 10 times n it just took forever to finally get them on.

 
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i heard the front is harder cause of the tie rod...so when i do mine i'm gunna start with the front end first so i don't run out of daylight...haha...it's weird that people have to compress the rear springs (aftermarket ones)...i figured they'd be shorter...oh well...

 
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the tie rods mainly is the prob w/ the front.. they are a pita for sure... what are ya talking about the yellow marks? and the right angle of the top/bottom of the strut? i had to compress mine twice and then under the car, had to use the jack to lift it up to where you bolt it in (it stayed down too far)...
-ds




<< alright i want to try to lower it again on sat but i want to know a couple things first.

alot of people say that the front is harder, but how is it harder when you dont have to compress the aftermarket spring to get them in? i did one corner in the rear n it was a pain in the a$$ cause i had to compress my neuspeed sports. not only are they a lil longer, they have more coils so the spring compressors has trouble fitting in between the coils.

n to people who are planning on doing it themselves... MAKE SURE YOU GET THE RIGHT ANGLE OF THE TOP AND BOTTOM OF THE STRUT. i thought the yellow markings honda made would be good enough but they were off n i had to compress my springs like 10 times n it just took forever to finally get them on. >>

 
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what is a tie rod n whats the easiest way of getting it off?

the yellow marks is supposed to be a guide so that you line up the top of the strut to the bottom of the strut correctly. i didn't line it up right so when i tried putting the strut back in, it wouldn't fit because the top(those two bolts that are located inside the trunk) would fit, but the bottom one wouldn't cause it wouldn't fit inside tht groove since its not lined up right

 
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on the front, you'll see a bar that goes through the engine compartment to both wheels.. it hooks to the back of the wheel assembly (by back, i mean the part towards the rear of the car).. where it connects (on the bar) is the tie rod end.. there's a black rubber boot between the 2, it has grease in it, be careful w/ it.. anyawys, you either need a tie rod seperator to seperate that from the wheel assembly or just beat on the arm and it'll come loose.. look at thread:
&lt;a href="http://www.7thgencivic.com/forum/messageview.cfm?catid=7&threadid=29291"&gt; linkified &lt;/a&gt;.. towards the end.. there's a pic someone marked where to hit, etc..

-ds

 
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spring compressors are safer , when we installed my springs we didn't use one, although we had one,,,all we did was put one side of the spring (with the bolt) facing the wall and we put one of my tires behind the otherside with a person standing on the tire, i steped on the spring while i loosened the bolt, and bamm ur done....

 
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alright it's hard to take off but how about putting it back in?

and is a tie rod seperator(i could always rent it for free at autozone) that much helpful or would banging on the arm be good enough?


oh n pogi, you took it off that way but how did you get the rear spring on?

 
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we didnt use a rod separator neither just bang on it,,,,putting it back on is a lot simpler....

VNLILMAM: i had one of my boys hold down the spring/strut assembly and put some weight on the it just enuff to expose the bolt so i could get the nut on....