Anyone seen a step by step guide online to installing springs on a 5th gen?

 

it's fairly easy to do...take off tire, use a jack or wood to support the suspension setup whole thingy, unscrew the upper 3 bolts, take off the bottom bolts. than use a spring compressor or similar device to compress the spring, unbolt the top and off goes the spring..i know these are arn't detailed but if you take ur time there's no way u can screw up

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Skot_97LX &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Anyone seen a step by step guide online to installing springs on a 5th gen?</TD></TR></TABLE>

if its your first time have a buddy with you... and definately pick up a manual incase you get stuck somewhere.. they cost like 10-25$ a book...but if you have a spring compressor and rachet set, you should be golden...

 

no spring compressor....heard a belt works just as good though?

 

chiltons or helms will bring you a wealth of knowledge

 

a spring has enough force that it will kill a person autozone has them for rent for free.

 

I think I have a helms book, or haynes, or something....I live in the ghetto area of washington and we don't have an autozone :S I'm going to check NAPA and hope that they do, or else one of the other jacked up places around here...

 

i would check napa to rent one or any auto parts store that rents them. if not, i would buy one they are only about $30 they will pay for themselves after two uses. i borrowed my buddies and have had them for a while, i asked him if he needed them back and he said nah i will let you know if i do. i have done a lot of friends cars with them.

heres a step by step guide
(front)
1. jack up car and secure it on jack stands! please my friend almost lost his leg when we were doing my shocks because i was being an idiot and i didn't have access to jackstands. he got his leg out of the way and the car landed on the floor of my garage.
2. remove wheel
3. remove lower control arm bolt (17mm)
4.remove bolt that holds the shock fork to the shock body(it basically clamps the fork to the shock body)(14mm)
5. remove strut tower bolts under the hood, theres three of them.(14mm)

the shock should now drop down a little bit
6. wiggle the shock body loose from the fork
7. have a buddy step on the brake hub to push the lower control arm down a little to give some clearance the take the shock body out.
8. place spring compressor on either side of spring equal distance apart.
9. slowly tighten the bolts on the compressor doing a little bit on each side at a time to do it evenly. do this until its pretty compressed where there is a little gap between the top bolt and the upper mount.
10. remove top bolt(14mm). you will have to put an allen wrench to keep it from twisting.
11. remove upper mount
12. decompress spring the opposite of how it was compressed and set the compressors and spring aside
13. take your new shock and place spring on it properly (little end on the bottom)
14. slide the washers and bump stop(yellow rubber thing) off and keep them in order. trim bump stop to what the instructions say(i know eibach has instructions) i didn't have to trim mine with my shocks because the guy who built mine designed them to be used with stock bumpstop.
15. place washers on the new shock in the order you took them off.

top bolt/washer (flared part facing up)/upper mount/washer/dust cover/washer/ bumpstop--------(((((()))))))

most of the time you won't have to compress with the compressor the new spring since its a shortened shock body and spring. usually a buddy pushing down while you thread the bolt works fine.
16. line the shock up so it fits in the strut tower bolts and the little V part on the backside of the shock lines up with the lower fork.
17. its best to install the strut tower bolts first and
18. wiggle the fork back onto the new shock body. then tighten the bolt to clamp it back down.
19. usually you will have to use your scissor jack to slowly lift the lower control arm back up to the fork to line everything up since the shock body is shorter.
20. make sure everything it tight
21. repeat this for the other side

(rear)
1. remove trunk liner and side parts of the backseat (pull up and toward you and it should pop loose)
2. remove the two upper strut tower bolts.
3. remove the bolt that bolts the shock fork to the backside of the hub and trailing arm assembly.
4. give the shock body a swift kick or a couple hits with a hammer and it should drop right out.
5. compress, decompress, assemble new shock and spring just like you did on the front (REMEMBER THE CORRECT ORDER OF WASHERS.!!! the most important is the washer on the bottom and top of the upper mount. or you the shock piston will shoot up out of the mount once the wieght of the car is on it)

6. reinstallation is the reverse of removal

(optional camber kit install but highly recommended)
while you have the front shock assembly out.
1. remove the two big black bolts on the strut tower under the hood (both 19mm)
2. tap them with a hammer to drop the A-arm down. flip it around so the the ^ shape is facing you.
3. remove the bolts on either joint. you will need one 14mm box wrench to hold one side and loosen the other with a 14mm socket
4. place new camber kit in and set the adjustment to correct amount. i put my 0-1.5 degree SPC kit all the way out.

the alignment shop should adjust this for you so its not that necessary (make sure the adjust it!)
install front camber kit the reverse of how you took the stock joints out.
5. place the little adapter rings on the bolts that slide back up to the strut tower (these are necessary for the accord)
6. make sure all your bolts are tight double check everything.

REAR CAMBER WASHER trick
go buy a M10x60mmx1.25 pitch(not sure on the pitch i think thats right, its been so long)
buy about 12 washers to fit over the M10 bolt this should be enough.
1. remove the two bolts that bolt the upper control arm into the body. (14mm)
2.slide the new bolts through the holes.
3.place the washers between the body and the little bushing mount piece. use 1 washer per inch lowered. i used 3 washers since mine is pretty low.
(you may need more you may need less)
4. bolt everything back up
make sure you thread the bolt slowly dont wanna strip anything

CHeck and double check everything
have a friend and most of all
Buy a repair manual its really helpful.