Installing my own shocks and springs!

[iamcivic]

So I went out looking for a place to install my shocks and springs today, and the lowest price I got was 225. SCREW THAT! Im doing it myself. I was expecting 150 for the install, but 225 OMG.

The only problem Im worried about is getting the stock spring off the stock shock, since I dont have a spring compressor, how can I do it without killing myself?

 

[joe7987]

put your foot on the spring... apply pressure. Aim it away from anything that could get broken. Then very carefully and slowly unbolt it.

A spring compressor isnt really necessary as long as you're careful. Good luck.

 

[stolle]

you can get the spring off without a spring compressor, use an impact or an allen key and a wrench it will pop but it wont go flyin or nething make sure you aim it away from your face or you could get a bloody nose...try at your own risk though, you should be ok i only said that to cover my arss...

 

[x007den]

u dont need a compressor like they've already told u but if u insist on one u can always get them for free at autozone. only requires a deposit which u get back when u return them.

 

[iamcivic]

u dont need a compressor like they've already told u but if u insist on one u can always get them for free at autozone. only requires a deposit which u get back when u return them.

I didnt know that, but I think I can do it without one. Dont have time to get it. My dad is gona help and were gonna try to get it done within 5 hours. LOL. The first autocross is comming up saturday and I wanna go.

 

[joe7987]

I didnt know that, but I think I can do it without one. Dont have time to get it. My dad is gona help and were gonna try to get it done within 5 hours. LOL. The first autocross is comming up saturday and I wanna go.

5 hours... dude.. if it takes you that long.. you're f**king stupid. lol (No offense meant to anyone who has taken that long... or is f**king stupid)

 

[iamcivic]

5 hours... dude.. if it takes you that long.. you're f**king stupid. lol (No offense meant to anyone who has taken that long... or is f**king stupid)

Sinice I have never done it before I was just gussing. The shop guys said the comp told them it took about 4 hours for the front and 4 hours for the back, so thats where I was getting it from. How long did it take you?

 

[joe7987]

Sinice I have never done it before I was just gussing. The shop guys said the comp told them it took about 4 hours for the front and 4 hours for the back, so thats where I was getting it from. How long did it take you?

It took me 3 hours to do springs, shocks, and camber kits.... it was my first time and i'm not exactly a mechanic.

 

[loccusst]

Holy s**t that is a long ass time.....they are just ripping you off. You should be able to do the whole thing in three easily.... well, as long as nothing breaks. Watch out for those rear control arm bolts. Thay have a tendancy to seize.

 

[stolle]

i did my spring/ strut swap in an hour its like 10-12 bolts, air tools make it go pretty fast...

 

[iamcivic]

It took me 3 hours to do springs, shocks, and camber kits.... it was my first time and i'm not exactly a mechanic.

I didnt think it took as long as they said. This is good to know, cause I wont be able to get started until 330 or so and have until dark to finish.

 

[SiGSR]

It's your first time doing, take your time. Make sure to properly soak your bolts with a penetrating lubricant, ie. PB Blaster before attempting to take them off. And if you are going to reuse your old struts, be extra careful to take them off, that allen key hole is a b***h and can be easily stripped.

For the record, I probably took the longest for a first time... 8 hours ... bleh, rust owns you.

 

[loud3nergy]

6 hours here... just for coil overs.. A. Not enouh of the right tools B. seized bolts C. Its a 11 yr old car, somethings had to break... and it did

 

[civicvtec1ps]

Go rent one from autozone.

 

[sccardslax05]

i did mine in ten but given the rusted bolts and what not it wasnt so bad and considering the shocks and springs wouldnt come out even after i got them unbolted it was understandable. Should have taken three hours at most given the fact that all the bolts were rusted

 

[iamcivic]

ITS DONE BITCHS..It took around 5 hours. What took the longest was figuring out how the o rings went on the shocks and adjusting the height(which still isnt right). I got dark on us on the last shock install, so we worked with a flashlight. All the bolts came off very easly, the only 2 that gave me a problem were the back, right, 2 LCA bolts. Thanks God for impact wreches. But is done and it was hard to adjust the ride height in the dark. I got one side like I liked it and did another and the side I did before was lower for some reason. The back scrubs like a mo fo now if I make any kind of turn or hit any kind of bump. Its so low now the back rear fender is sitting on the tire(its on a little bump in the ground). Im gonna fix the height tomorrow. It looks SO sexy and ride 10x better than stock. I save $225 and am prod to say have installed everything on my car myself!

 

[loud3nergy]

congrats
mine rubs when im taking a hard curve... harder than I 'should'

 

[Eran]

Sinice I have never done it before I was just gussing. The shop guys said the comp told them it took about 4 hours for the front and 4 hours for the back, so thats where I was getting it from. How long did it take you?

BWAHAHAHH!

2 hours, front and rear.

I > that shop

 

[iamcivic]

BWAHAHAHH!

2 hours, front and rear.

I > that shop

Yea it only took like an hour for all 4 after I found where everything went.

 

[stevens00si]

Holy s**t that is a long ass time.....they are just ripping you off. You should be able to do the whole thing in three easily.... well, as long as nothing breaks. Watch out for those rear control arm bolts. Thay have a tendancy to seize.[/QUOTE

SUCKS

Both of mine were frozen. PAIN IN THE ASS.