Installing shocks and struts

cjman15 · Jul 15, 2004

Any pointers or tips on installing a set of shocks/struts on my '89 LX? I'm puting on KYB GR-2s soon and I was just wondering if there is anything to know... it seems like a pretty easy swap. Thanks

cjman15 · Jul 15, 2004

anyone
?

04sleeper · Jul 15, 2004

The rears are pretty much straight foward. Do one side at a time and they are a peice of cake.

The fronts are a little harder. The top nut must be removed with an impact gun. (You can rent an electric one if you don't have one) If not the strut will just spin as you try to loosen it. Also remember that the front strut is what is holding the A-Arm up and keeping the spring tesion. Keep a jack under the A-Arm when you take off the strut bolts so the spring doesn't come flying out!
Also turnung the steering wheel one way or another helps gain access to the lower bolts.

Good Luck!

04sleeper · Jul 15, 2004

cjman15 said:
whats an impact gun, where can i get one?

This is an electric impact gun.
View attachment 524132
You can rent one from a tool rental place or just get it at like Home Depot and just return it when you are done.

cjman15 · Jul 15, 2004

whats an impact gun, where can i get one?

04sleeper · Jul 15, 2004

cjman15 said:
so it's just like an air gun, like for example, like what nascar uses for changing tires? haha

Yeah, but if you don't have an air compressor (which I assume you don't....not sure) you can use an electric one.

cjman15 · Jul 15, 2004

so it's just like an air gun, like for example, like what nascar uses for changing tires? haha

04sleeper · Jul 15, 2004

cjman15 said:
ohhhh, ok cool... i get ya now... so it'll just plug and go... right on, thanks!

Yeah. I used to do the Home Depot thing before I bought an air compressor!

cjman15 · Jul 15, 2004

ohhhh, ok cool... i get ya now... so it'll just plug and go... right on, thanks!

cjman15 · Jul 15, 2004

so with tha front struts, after do i loosen tha top bolt first then tha bottom or vice-versa, and then it just like comes right out? then tha new one goes right back in in reverse order?

04sleeper · Jul 15, 2004

cjman15 said:
so with tha front struts, after do i loosen tha top bolt first then tha bottom or vice-versa, and then it just like comes right out? then tha new one goes right back in in reverse order?

I usually take out the bottom ones first. then the top one. Yes then put the new ones on in reverse order. Be sure to swap the bushings in the same way you take them off the old ones onto the new and remember to have a jack under the A-Arm to hold the spring pressure.

04sleeper · Jul 15, 2004

cjman15 said:
OK awesome... if i only have two jackstands, will that work too? cuz i plan to do tha rears then tha fronts, and move tha stands... thanks so much man

Yeah. Just jack the car up and put the jack stands under the frame and let it down. Then jack up the A-arm just enough to let the tension off the strut and the bolts will come out a lot easier. You can also do this for the rear shocks with the jack to let the tension off the bolt so it come out easier.
No problem. Keep us updated on how things go.

cjman15 · Jul 15, 2004

OK awesome... if i only have two jackstands, will that work too? cuz i plan to do tha rears then tha fronts, and move tha stands... thanks so much man

jerry beach · Jul 15, 2004

Those bolts lower two bolts will be really tight. The electric impact may get them loose, but I used a 4ft long breaker on a 1/2" drive breaker bar. I was also able to remove the top nut on the front struts with a pair of vise grips on the shaft and rachet up top on the nut. I pulled the dust shield down and clamped onto the shaft to hold it. The struts were shot, so I had nothing to loose.

04sleeper · Jul 15, 2004

jerry beach said:
I was also able to remove the top nut on the front struts with a pair of vise grips on the shaft and rachet up top on the nut. I pulled the dust shield down and clamped onto the shaft to hold it. The struts were shot, so I had nothing to loose.

I've done that before but it doesn't always work. Depends on how tight the nut is.

91lxvert · Jul 15, 2004

i just got in from doing this, tokico illumina 5ways,

anyways, first lift the front of the vehicle and place on jack stands
then place jack under one of the a arms, then break the 2 bottom bolts loose and take the nuts off of them, and leave the bolts in there.

then go under the hood and take off the 3 nuts holding the upper mount to the body, (dont take the middle nut out untill you have the upper mount and strut out of the car, if you dont it will just complicate things.)

ok now pull the 2 bolts out of the bottom and remove the strut assy., wire up the spindle so not to strain the brake hose.( it may be eaisier to remove the caliper for you but i just left the whole thing intact)

now that you have the strut assy out of the car hit it up with the impact gun to remove the middle nut, (you can remove the nut with out an impact gun if your stock strut has a slot in its top just hold with screwdriver and turn with wrench, but this takes forever. plus on some struts you have nothing to grip on to put the new nut back on the new strut so an impact gun is a must)

now take the upper mount and switch to your new strut, make sure you only have one bumpstop in the upper mount and not another one on the new strut.
(my bump stop was stuck up in there on one side and i had a bumpstop on the strut, i put it all back together, wheel and all and took apart other side only to realize i had 2 bumpstops on the other side)

put the nut back on the impact gun and put the thing back in the car, put all back together and your kooler than the gang.

it tooke me 15 min per side on the fronts and 20 for both rears, but ofcourse i have access to air tools and a lift so figure a bit more time.

Good Luck! also ignore all typing errors i type fast and dont care.

04sleeper · Jul 15, 2004

91lxvert said:
then go under the hood and take off the 3 nuts holding the upper mount to the body, (dont take the middle nut out untill you have the upper mount and strut out of the car, if you dont it will just complicate things.)

If you are refering to the stock caster camber plates then you do not have to remove the 3 bolts. You can just remove the big nut on top of the strut. If you loosen the 3 bolts for the CC plates then you will mess up the alignment.

04sleeper · Jul 15, 2004

cjman15 said:
haha, i didn't really understand any of that, but thanks! do i really need to remove tha whole strut assembly

The Strut Yes. The 3 bolts under the hood around the strut NO.

cjman15 · Jul 15, 2004

haha, i didn't really understand any of that, but thanks! do i really need to remove tha whole strut assembly

cjman15 · Jul 15, 2004

ok thanks, thats what i was wondering

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