how do you do this??? i know you need like a spring depressor. is it that hard???
please help. i just got my tokico gas shocks and i'm trying to put them on today or sometime this week.

 

yes you need to use a spring compressor to loose the top bolt. but you could also use a jack to compress the strut/spring and loosen the bolt before you take teh strut out.

 

Theres only 3 nuts holding the strut in place, 2 top one at the bottom. Jack the car up, remove the wheel, remove the 3 bolts. It is easier if you have a pry bar to pry down on the rear for remove/install clearance. Once the strut is out, compress the spring, remove the top nut and disssemble everything. Reassemble in the exact opposite.

It is very straight forwrd. If you don't have a compressor you can rent a manual one from Autozone for $50.

 

rent one for 50 bucks? i bought one from sears for 40 bucks...

 

Be very careful when you are taking the strut rear shock mount bolts off. You don't want to break them. If you do, you'll have to cut them out...it's a pain...have some rear shock bushings handy.

Good luck

 

actually, ive found that you do NOT need a spring compressor for the rear springs. i weigh 170lbs and was able to put enough weight on the spring to loosen and tighten the top nut without any sense to endangerment or fear of excessive spring force.

the front springs are a different matter....

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Tyson &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">actually, ive found that you do NOT need a spring compressor for the rear springs. i weigh 170lbs and was able to put enough weight on the spring to loosen and tighten the top nut without any sense to endangerment or fear of excessive spring force.

the front springs are a different matter....</TD></TR></TABLE>

Were your OE springs sagging or worn out?

 

they arent sagging (if at all excessively). trust me, the rear springs arent that much of a spring rate. the progressiveness in the tightly wound part of the spring allows for a low spring rate, enough that a persons weight is enough to get the nut on and off safely. ive done this on several different stock springs actually.


also, the piece of shiite spring compressors available at autozone for rent are pretty worthless. the claws are too thick to work. ive found that its best not to even work with them...

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Autoworks &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">It is very straight forwrd. If you don't have a compressor you can rent a manual one from Autozone for $50.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Actually, I think he meant that they rent it for free; you just have to put down a $50 deposit that you get back when you return their stuff.

Mike

 

i got em on!!!
well one...this was actually a pain. i didn't finish b/c i had to go to work but i will work on them this weekend.

 

so... did you use a spring compressor?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Tyson &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">so... did you use a spring compressor?</TD></TR></TABLE>

I don't know if he did or not but one way I did it was to just put the suspension on with the LCA unbolted. Then I placed a scissor jack underneath the shock and compressed the spring that way until the threads on top of the shock popped up from the tophat. Then I bolted the nut onto it and installed the LCA.

 

^ How I did mine. The fronts did require a spring compressor. Picked it up at napa for like $20, I'll try to get the part#.

 

I've never used a spring compressor, I've always just turned the strut assembly on its side facing a trash can (to catch the nut when it pops off) and hit it with an impact while i stepped on it. so simple

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Kwicko &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Actually, I think he meant that they rent it for free; you just have to put down a $50 deposit that you get back when you return their stuff.

Mike</TD></TR></TABLE>
That's what I meant

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Tyson &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">they arent sagging (if at all excessively). trust me, the rear springs arent that much of a spring rate. the progressiveness in the tightly wound part of the spring allows for a low spring rate, enough that a persons weight is enough to get the nut on and off safely. ive done this on several different stock springs actually.


also, the piece of shiite spring compressors available at autozone for rent are pretty worthless. the claws are too thick to work. ive found that its best not to even work with them...</TD></TR></TABLE>

OK cool, I never even checked the tension on mine, I just walked straight to the compressor (wall mount). I do it out of habit ( I lower alot of cars). The Autozone compressors are p.o.s, but they get the job done...eventually

 

A Harbor Freight 12-Ton hydraulic press makes a pretty good spring compressor, too, I've found. I wouldn't rush out and buy one for that purpose, but if you happen to have one already, it makes springs and struts a breeze.

Mike

 

it took me two hours to compress a spring with one of those rusty auto zone pieces of junk, so I gave up and hit it with an impact anyways, and thats when i fugure that its not so bad.

 

yeah i used a spring compressor just to make it a bit easier on myelf. this weekend i should be doing the rest.

 

I did mine a while back using the autozone compressors. They looked brand-new, too Saved me the $200+ shops rape you for here.

The hardest part was getting those thick bastards at the right spot on the rears. After that, the other 3 are fairly easy. FYI, both my rear bushings were froze, and tore even after several ounces of liquid wrench followed by impact wrench. Adding injury to insult, when the driver side rubber tore, it pushed the fork out ruining the shock's welded on nut.