I'm a noob to working on cars but I'm trying to learn as much as I can, and was wondering if putting on my Omni power coilover kit was going to be to difficult to try and attempt myself? I don't really want to take them to get profesionally done, because then I won't learn anything, and I'll be out almost 300.00 bucks. It looks like I can bolt the old ones off, and then bolt the new ones on, but I don't know if there's anything else I got to worry about, like camber and such. Any input would be great, thanks, Ramsey.

 

The alignment at the end you probably don't want to tackle on your own, since you most likely won't have the proper equipment. BUT the install itself is something that most people with a basic toolkit can take on.

The biggest snags people seem to run into is bolts getting seized up inside the lower control arm bushings (snowbelt cars). They rust up, and you can't turn them out with regular handtools. sometimes people snap the bolts off, THEN You have problems. there's ways to avoid it though. Otherwise, rent a spring compressor from autozone and go to town!

 

The springs are all together already, I just need to swap them out. What precautions should I take to not break bolts and things? Just use a lot of PB blaster? Yeah, I would take it to get aligned after I was done, but am I gonna gonna have to worry about camber?

 

What I did was this (before I had airtools) and it worked 3 out of 4 times:

Soaked the problem bolt in PB Blaster for a few minutes (2? 3? up to you, but a while to let it soak in)

Hit it with a hand torch for about a minute

PB for 2

Torch for 1

PB for 2

Torch for 1

I did this at least 3 times on each bolt. I still snapped one, but it definitely helped with the other two. Also you let it cool down until it's only slightly warm to the touch before attempting to loosen it. I think it's much easier with air tools but I haven't had to do anything like that since I got our stuff.

 

Ok, thanks, I'm gonna give it a shot. I'm about to check Omni powers website and see if they have a step by step instruction manuel that I can download, since I bought these slightly used with no directions and no special wrench.

 

i just adjusted my front coilovers in one of my civics last night, at this point it only takes me a good 15 minutes to remove bolth sides, with jacking the car up, taking off the wheel, removing the 17mm lca bolt/nut, the 14mm fork/perch nut, and the 2 14mm top hat nuts. brake line bolt as well

shot me a msg on aim if you get snagged and i'll walk yea threw it.
menkio001

tools needed are just a rachet with a
17mm 6 sided socket
14mm 6 sided socket
12mm 6 sided socket
a breaker bar half inch, with a 3/8" conversion socket, unless your 17mm is half inch
and a 17mm wrench to hold one of the lower control arm bolts while you take off the nut

pb blaster, torch if the bolts snagged, and a 6 pack

 

your gonna think I'm a real jackass, but what's a 6 sided socket and a breaker bar? As I said, I am very new to all this and am trying to do it myself so I will learn all this stuff.

 

if u dont know what those tools are.. dont do this job.

if u find a siezed bolt sometimes u have to take the whole assembly off and cut the bolt, replace bushing.

and trust me that sucks fat *** if u dont know what your doing.

p.s. impact gun is a must for suspension work

 

thats cool man, we all start somewhere, first thing you wanna get a decent set of tools from sears. Craftsman, a 6 sided socket is simply that, it has 6 sides for nuts with 6 sides.

Now a breaker bar is basicly a hudge rachet. It's longer, and stronger, the further away your hand is from the bolt, the more force you can apply to turning it.

any problems shot me a msg, and take some pics


good luck

 

Ok, I've hit my first road block. I got the old shock off on the front driver side, and got the new one on, but I can't get the rotor assembly (I don't know the techinical word for it) to go back straght. My buddy who's helping me said the CV joint came apart (Seems like it popped out of socket or something). Now we need to know how to get the drivers side CV joint off. Once they come apart can you take the boot apart and put it back together? Any help would be great, thanks, Ramsey.

 

Uh-oh! I believe it's called the tri-pod joint inside that you've dislocated. I've never taken one apart so I don't know exactly what it looks like, but I can tell you I spent about an hour or so trying to line up my Autozone re-manned axle when I did the swap on my old Integra. Sometimes it goes right back in, sometimes you are there for an hour trying to get it in.

If you haven't disconnected the axle from the hub or the tranny, you shouldn't need to wiggle it too much to get it to line back up (someone correct me if I'm wrong here). I'd say don't pull it out though, and definitely don't remove the boot unless you feel like repacking the thing with grease.