car: 94 accord coupe
installer: me and a friend or two...and maybe some green...

if you could explain what tools and everything i need...ya know...the usual.
thanks guys!

 

I installed bilsteins, but same idea generally... maybe someone can filli n the specifics for koni adjustment/settings

Tools: 19/17/14/10/12 (maybe not 12, forgot)mm sockets, jack, jackstands, hammer/screwdriver (i used phillips), allen wrench set, spring compressor (had to rent 2 from autozone, use 1 for each side of the spring), and friend to step on rear rotor.

Front:
loosen the lugnuts, jackup car, set on stands and remove wheels.
17mm for the large bolt that goes thru the wishbome thing. If its hard to budge, use hammer/screwdriver to kinda poke it out if it gets a lil stuck.
14mm for the bolt by where the strut/wishbone meet
10mm/12mm for the brake like brackets.
14mm for the 3 strut tower nuts when u pop the hood, looks like a triangle.
Kinda wiggle everything out of the car, it should be pretty easy to.

Rear:
same thing, jackup car, remove wheels, set on stands
17mm for the large bolt at the very bottom of the strut. If its hard to budge, use hammer/screwdriver to kinda poke it out if it gets a lil stuck.
you need to peel back the interior trunk lining, and/or fold down the rear seat if you can (my coupe can fold it down) to remove the 2 strut tower bolts (14mm).
Have your friend step down on the rotor so you can wiggle the strut/spring out of there. It's possible to do it yourself, but its easier w/ a friend.

To take apart the strut/spring assembly, use the spring compressors to compress the springs... very important that u do, the front springs are very strong.
Use an allen wrench on the top of the strut rod, and a wrench (not sure what size, my bilstein's were 17mm, stock one I used an adjustable wrench). after removing the top strut nut, take everything apart but remember how everything looks... the exact order is important.

Reassemble everything w/ reverse directions for the Koni's. Now the part where you can use the height adjustment, jI don't know how to do that since I dont own a set.

If you need to reuse the front brake line brackets, you gotta use a hammber and something to get them off the stock struts. I used a chisel which sorta left marks in the braket, but it works for me.


To reinstall, front is pretty easy, just wiggle everything back in.

Rear, you need to have a friend step on the rotor. For some reason, the lower bolt for the rear strut on my set of bilsteins did not allign very well, so I had a huge hassle everytime I take it apart. I have to have a 150-170lb friend use his whole weight ont he rotor, and slowly tap it in w/ a hammer, then hurry and use a ratchet on it before my friend gets off.

If you have a seized bushing/bolt, you are gonna have some fun.... I was lucky to have it pretty easy when I did my car. No major problems.

if i forgot anything, someone just add it. It's 2pm and Im just getting over a hangover.

 

*delete, well... there ya go, typeSH beat me to it. his is much better detailed anyway. mine was just a bunch of babbling


[Modified by exaccord, 1:55 PM 7/5/2002]

 

Does anyone have any photos to illustrate the installation process? I'm working on building a TECH archives with a few others here.

 

good idea john...hopefully this will be part of it..well obviously it will be.

 

I might be able to get one for the rears this summer. I gotta yank them apart ot replace the strut mount bushings. Gonna be a while thou, other crud to take care of.

oh and yea, like exaccord mentioned (but edited) using a jack+cloth over the mounting point on the lower knuckle/lower arm does help sometimes in lining up the lower strut bolt. I find that bolt is the hardest part of reassembling it all.


[Modified by TypeSH, 11:01 PM 7/5/2002]

 

good deal...well ya see...i was first quoted $375 at my "friends" shop then $200 where my bro used to take his old teg back in the day...but nick explained to me its an easy job...so im gonna try to save me..well actually my rents..haha!...$200.

 

you guys let it go to the second page...ouch..that hurts...

ahh i just kiddin

 

what springs are you using? i have neuspeed sport springs and koni yellow shocks set at the factory perches my rear end was much lower than the front and it looked ghetto. i had to take out the rear suspension and raise the perch one level higher and now its perfect. just to let you know...

 

awesome...well not really..but thanks for the info...i have GC's.