Hey guys, as some of you know I am installing my shocks myself. I have come to the end stretch. I am trying to tighten the shock bolt on the threaded part of the shock shaft. You know, the chrome bar.

I thought they were already tighten completely when I took my shocks to the shop to have the shock hats removed from my OEM shocks to my KYB AGX/H&R setup. Obviously, they aren't. Anyway, when I lowered my car to the ground and took it for a driver, I noticed a knocking sound. Well, it turned out that this nut on the shaft needs to be tightened.

I tried tightening the nut using an open faced spanner for the nut and another spanner to hold the shaft, however, the little spanner used to hold the chrome shock shaft is stripping. What did you guys use to hold the shaft in place??

Any help advice is greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Andy

 

use an airgun.....

Or just take it back to those guys again...

 

Or use vise grips It might also help to compress the springs before tightning them!

 

i used a crescent wrench to hold the threaded shaft, and a ratcheting wrench on the nut.

 

I just tapped mine w/ the impact wrench.

I'd be careful, though, cause I did that on an old VW Jetta and it busted some bearing back that was in the rubber upper mount!

I believe you could actually make the correct tool by taking a deep-socket that fits over the bigger nut and welding a bar or something to hold onto it onto its side.

 

JESUS CHRIST!! The guy who put my shocks together did not put the bump stops and the metal washer piece in!!! I am so pissed!!!!

Why is it so hard to find a good shop to work on your car???

 

andy, if you were in chicago, we would have done this for free (a case of coronas) and you would have not been through this.

NEVER take your car to a shop, unless it is something that for all imaginable reasons you cannot do.

I hope you get your money back!!!

By the way, what type of shop did you take it to?

Later.

 

Thanks man. I wish I knew someone with a good set off tools. Mine suk.

Anyway, I took it to a shop that is owned by a friend's friend from high school.

I have beent o a shop twice since I started modding my Prelude. BOTH times I took my car to a shop, I ended up getting screwed. The first time I had tranny work. I ended up losing a perfectly good tranny. Now I can't even drive my car. Not only that, I stripped my shock a little.

Man, I am SOOOO pissed right now.

 

I am curious, is the bump stop the ting that stabilizes the shock so that it doesn't slide all the way through??

 

no the bump stop stops the shock from compressing all the way when you hit hard bumps. it saves the life of the shock and makes for a better ride. you will want to put them in I didnt at first and now with them it 100% better ride. Just a suggestion but you may be able to send the shock in. I know there is a warranty on them if you blow them Im not sure if they would replace it from installer error. Just a thought for a new one thou. but good luck on your troubles

 

Oh, ok. So, should I cut my bump stops a little??

Also, is it the washer that keeps the shock in place when you lower the car back down?? I noticed the guy didn't put one of the washers on the shocks.

I will take pics today and show you all what I talking about.

 

YOu definitely want the bump stops in if you can get them in.

They are in there to prevent an over-extertion of the shock; to keep it from extending too far and blowing the shock. If you don't have them in, then watch out for big bumps and potholes.

I'm not running bumpstops because my OEM ones disintegrated when I swapped springs and shocks. If I can find a set of aftermarket or cheap OEM's, then I would most def. replace them.

 

as far as the washer it goes bumbpstop then washer then dust shield if you choose to put that back in then i beive the top deal that has the 3 studs on top and then you put the washer on then the bolt on the top of the strut. If i remember correctly. As far as the bumpstops I think it depends on how far you are droped check out your spring manufacturers recommendations. Groundcontrol says cut them in half. hope that helps you out. And as far as doing it yourself its really easy anyone can figure it out so dont get discouraged about that.