Hello,

I am looking for a honda forum for my new civic. I am going to need one. I bought a 2000 civic lx sedan with low miles and high rust. The rear suspension, brake drums, etc.. are pretty rusty and need to go.

I have two questions.

I broke the drivers side rear strut bolt today. The bolt into the control arm and the knuckle is stuck. I might try to grind the lower forks off the old rear strut and then use a spring compressor to get it off. Then I can use a spring compressor to put the new one on instead of lowering the control arm. Is that a bad idea?

I am have a lead on a used rear suspension assembly from a 1998 coupe. WIll the suspension parts swap out between a coupe and sedan?

Thanks for your help,

Bill

 

Simple answer - yes.

 

Great, thanks. I am going to look at the parts tomorrow.

Is it a bad idea to compress the strut springs with them on the car?

 

The parts for the rear end looked really clean. They are going to give me the front and rear end suspension for $120. I am not sure about the front end compatability, but for $40 who cares.

 

All 1996-2000 suspension components are interchangeable. It doesn't matter if they are coupe/sedan/hatch specific. I've never compressed springs when they are on the car personally so I cannot comment on that.

 

I don't need to comress the springs. I got the new parts today and they aren't rusted together. Everything is in real good shape for $120. I have the new drivers side assembly losely bolted on. I have all the bolts on the pass side loose. I have to finish grinding the crazy adjusting bolt bushing for the compensator bracket on the trailing arm. I ran out grinding wheels. I was happy because the sliding nut is still in the track. It will be all together tomorrow.

Thanks a bunch for the help.

 

The saga continues.

I have all the bolts on the rear suspension loose. Except one. I broke the passenger side lower control arm bolt the connects to the trailing arm at the knuckle. I cut the bushing out, heated the bolt, pb blasted it, and tried a bolt extractor. The threads are really stuck. I am afraid that if I keep drilling I will mess up the threads on the knuckle.

Is there any reason I can't drill out the trailing arm all the way through. This way I can use a bolt and a nut instead of the factory welded on threaded part.

 

Post some pictures if possible.

 

Here is the car. Its getting a lot more work than its worth. It should run for a good long time though.

This is the passenger side lower control arm to knuckle. The lower nut is the where I knocked off the welded on "nut" and replaced with a hex nut. The top is the strut.
This is the original welded nut on the passenger side knuckle.