I was trying to install my coil overs at work today but could only do the fronts. The rears were stuck. The bottom bolt that goes into the LCA where the bushing is will not budge for ****. I don't want to heat it cause then I'm out a bushing. Is it worth it just to buy new LCA's and install the whole thing together? Or is there a "way" to get these out? My buddy says it's a common honda thing

 

Yes, this is a very common Honda thing.

Have you tried any sort of penitrating fuild?

Most time people reccomend pulling the whole LCA out and replaceing it.

Do you need to reuse the shock? If so, break the bolt, remove shock replace arm or the bushing.

 

Mine is doing that right now. Thankfully I have new LCAs to replace the old.

 

I got new gabriel shocks, just can't find that bolt to replace. I'll have to hope one at the junkyard comes out

 

The bolt that attaches the strut to the lower control arm? Honda sells those. I just picked up a couple new ones when I did my rear del sol suspension.

 

I wasn't reusing my old strut so I starting cutting lol. Replaced bolt didnt mess up lca or bushing.

 

You likely will trash the LCA/bushing in the process of getting it out. So plan on replacing that too.

Bolt from honda will run $6-10 and $60-100 for the lCA brand new.

 

You did this at work? Is your work some kind of shop? Do they not have air/pneumatic tools? An impact wrench will usually make quick work of that bolt.

Gabriel shocks? Those will be trashed within a year....

 

Impact got the nut off the back of the bolt, the actual bolt itself will not turn what so ever. It's already semi-rounded so I have to be careful on it. Even hammering the socket on it first then trying to zap it off just spins it off and the bolt remains. I'm replacing the LCA's with blox LCA's for 120$ from RCAutoworks.

 

You just wasted $120.

 

I didn't get them yet, why do you say it's a waste??

 

The bushings in the control arms are terrible. They have been known to bearly last 3 months. In some cases even less.
I will admit there have been people with good experiences, however, there have been 10 times that amount saying they failed very quickly. Blox admited this and does sell replacement bushings. but they are just as bad as the others.

They also don't have the endlink hole in the right spot on EG/DC meaning it's required to run adjustable endlinks, and usally puts them in weird angles.

If you want Blox LCA's then by all means buy them, but replace the busing with ES poly bushing. This is the only bushing that will work, and it's still not a simple press out/in.

The Blox LCA's run smaller bushings then stock/ or other bushings making trimming required for them to fit.

The only aftermarket LCA that is worth it is Function7. The next is OEM or OEM with different bushings.

 

Well hey I appreciate the info man, I'm still pretty new to the imports. I'll stick with the Function 7's then. I don't want any awkward angles or **** bushings.

 

Good choice, you won't be disappointed.

 

if you're getting new control arms, and have shocks already, why not just drop the whole shock/LCA down together?

if your lucky, the bolt that goes into your subframe should just come out, also the bolt at your hub should come out too. that is if your lucky. a lot of PB plaster in the bushing areas, then just unbolt (with a prayer to the gods)

the bolt for the LCA/shock... just go to honda and buy a new one. it's like $4.

 

That's the plan now, I'm dropping the whole piece and junkin it. New LCA's and coil overs going on asap.

 

You do know you you can just buy the LCA bushings from Honda right? And they don't cost all that much.

 

this is true. op could just press in the new bushing. he has shop access.

 

Yeah I know, so you guys don't think it's even worth putting aftermarket lca's on huh?

 

new LCA's would be the easiest laziest, but expensive way.


just buying a new bolt, and bushing would be the cheapest, but would be a pain in the *** to press out, and press in the bushing(of course some would disagree)

 

Nope, other than Function 7 they're pretty much all junk. You don't even really need a press to put new bushings in, hammer and some big sockets usually works too, or a good bench vice.

 

when i just recently did my suspension picked up OEM arms with bushings for 90, did the job in 2 hrs

 

Well I'm not really worried about the money aspect, (I'm not loaded by any means lol), but I'd rather have new parts than old parts with new bushings. I think I'm either going to find some cheap OEM ones or get the Function's.

 

There is another option. You could buy New OEM LCA's, or Moog, which is next in line under OEM, for less money.

Normally for OE replacement suspension parts, OEM or Moog.

Also, if you ever plan to go with a rear sway bar, you may need different control arms.