i've heard techniques before, but just wanted to get a few ideas before I went and did it...

this is stock springs on stock shocks...

thanks

 

Boing! Have a tubby friend stand on the spring while an unlucky bitch friend (or you) undoes the nut. Wear eye protection.

 

just let her rip

 

And maybe some chainmail too.

 

Be careful. I don't know of a way without the compressor and if you use one of those cheap little twisty type compressors they can be dangerious. A friend of mine allmost lost a finger in one of those. I suggest using one on with a stand with big clamps and the crank at the top or away from where the spring is actually compressing.

 

how much force do these thing have? what is most dangerous? the nut? or a flying spring?

 

The spring is extremely dangerous. Just use a spring compressor. It is just unwise to release 350lbin at one time.

 

I usually lay the strut on the lawn, step on the upper perch, hit the nut with an impact, and let the strut fly into the grass..

 

how much does it cost to buy a spring compressor? can you rent one? for how much and where?

 

Go to your local auto parts chain store.They usually rent them for free.You put a deposit down for like 35 bucks and when you bring it back you get your money back.

 

problem I have found with rentals is they are all too big. the feet are too big to fit in between the coils.

my friend has a set that he purchased and then took to a machine shop and had them mill the feet down. works like a charm but cost him $150 in parts and labor.

 

i had the problem with the rented compressor not fitting also, so this is what i did... lay the strut/spring assembly on the ground, use one of your wheel/tires to put over the assembly. get one of them 50gal. rubbermaid trashcans (yes any trash can works) and point the thing into there. have a friend put all their weight on the wheel and take the nuts off... all the parts that go flying will end up in the trash can so you dont have to search through the grass for all those washers and nuts you need... ive used this method a couple times with no decapitations.

 

Just get the compressor, its basically free to use for the day. If it doesn't fit then try another method.

 

here is the fastest easiest way to do it. 1. get a towel. 2. place spring on one end of towel and cover spring with the other side of the towel. 3. find a brick/block wall and place spring and towel 2 feet from wall. 4. undo the nut while the towel is covering both the spring and wrench. 5. spring will release and hit wall and nut will be safely inside the towel. 6. drink beer.

i have done this far too many times to count and have never encounetered a problem.

 

ding!ding!ding! we have a winner! this is your best bet. this is the way I did it. except #6 was plural for me

 

on accords the compression is relative low... so wrap a towel and take her off w/o compressor is fine. In fact rear has almost no compression, BUT putting them back on WILL need a compressor...

 

got the fronts done...towel trick worked great...the new springs i only had to compress a few mm to get back on....back's i will do tomorrow morning

thanks for the help

2nd question...how the hell to you adjust coilovers???? there's so much pressure on the perch...how do you get them up?

 

Put the car in the air and just do it then.

 

easiest way is to go to target..and buy one of those impact wrenches that plug into you cigarette lighter socket...then get a 3/4" to 1/2" socket adaptor from target also...if you cant find one, go to sears...and put a 14mm socket onto the impact wrench using the adaptor and put the strut and spring to a box (cardboard works)...then use the impact to open pop the assembly..eveything flies back into the box once its open....if you want put a box front too..but the impact wrench opens pretty quick so you dont have to worry about anything flying forward....i've done it many times and nothing has flown forward before...but you know...shiet happens sometimes...

after you are done...return everything to where you bought it or just keep the tools..always useful to have around....


oops...i shoulda read the replies before i told you how to pop the spring... ... lol...easiest way to adjust coilover is to jack the car up off its wheels...



[Modified by areyouasian, 11:26 PM 8/6/2002]

 

but then what? even with the car jacked up i can't seem to move the perches up?

 

some of the perches like ground control come with allen keys that lock them...if you have ground controls just loosen the hex screw that locks them..if you have skunks or all the other ones that use the double perch to lock then get out your hook looking thing and use that to turn the perch a couple times first to loosen them from each other then they should turn pretty easy.

jack your car up until the spring doesnt touch the perch or until you can push the spring up with one hand off the perch, that will take some of the pressure off and make it easier to adjust.

also, i dont know why but i find it easier to adjust my ground controls if i have both wheels off the ground if im adjusting the front. the rear doesnt really matter much they just easier to adjust.


[Modified by areyouasian, 1:17 AM 8/7/2002]

 

SCRUBACHU-Yep, thats the exact way I do it to the "T", well except my first step is drink beer. Ive been doing it that same way since '91.. Although my '98 Accord knocked me on my ***! That sucker has some compression to it!

 

since u have the tires off the car, lay the tires on the grass/dirt. Put the strut between two tires almost touching, squat on the back one (base of the strut) and undo the strut nut. The upper mount/spring should fly into the first tire and that should absorb some of the impact.

 

i think mine are copies of ground controls...its got the allen keys....but once i losen them...i can't turn them with my hands...should there be a tool to use?

 

sometimes it gets stuck from the pressure pushing on it...and it might miss a grove you something..spray some wd40..let it penetrate then try to adjust it.