I am installing some springs and the fronts are all done. Now, the rears are a different story. I read the Sticky on how to do it, and the procedure for the rears is as follows:

Rear suspension:
- Remove bolt that connects shock to LCA
- Remove two nuts that connect the shock to the shock tower (in trunk)
- Remove the shock assembly from the car

I removed the bolt and the 2 nuts, but it wasn't possible to just remove the shock assembly. I had to throw the compression tool onto the spring, compress the hell out of it, and with the help of my dad, both of us using pry bars, we finally squeezed it out. Now, I'm trying to put the new spring/strut combo on, but same thing...

I'm getting tired and its getting late. There should be a simpler way of going about this, no? Should I try to remove the bolt that holds the LCA to the hub (by where the trailing arm and LCA meet)?

Thanks for your help in advance.

 

You should be able to push the lca down enough to get the assembly in place. Just have your dad or someone else push down on the rear drum/disc. You should only need an inch or two. That's how I did mine.

 

Um, removing the LCA bolt to the hub would of made your job a lot easier....That is if you could take it off, sometimes they get seized and it sucks!

 

I tried removing the LCA-hub bolt, but I stripped the socket so I gave up on that idea. I did it the long tedious way; with tons of compression and prying, with my dad's help. I don't think I could have completed this project by myself. Well at least I didn't break anything (on the car).

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by EK_B &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Um, removing the LCA bolt to the hub would of made your job a lot easier....</TD></TR></TABLE>

hell yeah it would have

 

Ive done suspensions on bunch of hondas and other rides, and i still remember my first time taking all day and night, now i can do it in an hour haha and thats all 4 corners. Glad you got it done, but next time just remove the bolt from the LCA to subframe or trailing arm, makes life so easy. Also sounds like its time for an upgrade in tools if your stripping sockets haha.

 

It helps to have someone push down on the hub while you line up the strut assembly, use a long screw driver to line up the bolt holr for the LCA. Done many lowering's, all went pretty smooth. Make sure to get an alignment unless you like buying tires.

 

well, how does it ride?

 

Rides great...not bouncy at all. I had left my key in the on position at some point while I was changing the springs and killed my battery, so I had an excuse to go on a 20 minute ride afterwards