BD: suspension install questions

[d1giPhux]

I know this has been covered a million times.. so if there is a DIY thread SOMEWHERE.. please direct me.

I'm installing the suspension on my BD and need to know about the brake line and how to deal with it best. People talked about cutting the strut and such.. what is the best way to do this?

Also, bit confused about which it the 'camber' bolt.. and what i should do to mark it / what is the point of marking it?

Also, if anyone has more info / tips on what to do.. let me know. I might make a DIY out of this if there already isnt one.


Thanks!

[decke48]

camber bolt is the bottom bolt on every strut. you cant mark it correctly unless your reinstalling the same suspension you took off. so the marks would be pointless it would get you close but not correct angles. the brake line is just held in with a clip. when you get it loose you need to spread the mount enough to get the line out. by taking a screw driver and taping it into the crease and spreading the metal side to side to pull out the line. tips spray some PB on all the bolts the night before to have an easy remove. when installing it have a friend around to put the top mount bolts in. a jack can help you if your having trouble with getting the hub into place. since im guessing this is you first time. plan out about 4 hours to do all 4 corners.

[d1giPhux]

I've done suspension several times on hondas.. but this is a different beast. So far I have sprayed everything down with PB (bout 4 hours ago), and now I got both of the bolts off the bottom of the strut on each side of the front.. so.. off to a good start. I think tomorrow I will be doing the back.

edit: how do you loosen the center bolt on the strut if you dont have a box wrench while still on the car? How hard is it to loosen afterwards?

Side note: really love the new jack i picked up.. its like an actual shop jack.. no more of that small jack bullshit!

[decke48]

you need a strut compressor to take the springs and take the mounts off.. ****DO NOT take off the center bolt unless you have it compressed in a strut compressor or you will get hurt**** if you dont have a strut compressor you might be able to get it done at a local shop. because the spring are to long to do it in car with a jack.

[d1giPhux]

Yeah, i have a spring compressor.. and I'm def not going to take the center bolt off without it being compressed already.. fuck that.. im not that stupid! :lol:

but what I was saying is.. how hard if it to get the center bolt off when the strut is off the car..? Is it the same as it being on the car? Well basically I'm just at a hold here till i can get my hands on a damn 17mm box offset wrench.. so, i think im going to have to splurge and go buy a set since i cant seem to buy just one individual one. =/ oh well..

[decke48]

its not hard. you have to do it off the car. a 17mm on a ratchet? dont want to do it that way

sorry about some stuff said :eek:

[DOOK]

I've taken the strut shaft bolt off without compressors before with an impact gun... I wouldn't suggest it... it broke things :D

[d1giPhux]

holy hell.. so i cannot find a damn 17mm box-end offset that fits in the strut mount fucking ANYWHERE.. its friggin impossible. The only place that had one was autozone.. and the damn things neck angle isnt at like 90 degrees.. so it would not fit in the small circular hole near the top. Good jesus man. Any suggestions here? Christ.. the most complex part about all of this is finding the damn tools! :lol:

[decke48]

a 17mm socket and a ratchet or impact (3/8 only)

[d1giPhux]

How can you use a socket when you need to use an allen wrench as well? Hmm.. well, i got the stuff out so at least im making progress.. lol. Its not like im rushing to get this done either.. kinda just taking me time. Thanks for the help!

[decke48]

well if you use an impact it will spin the bolt of real easy and you might just have to hold the shaft with your hand. ive spun them off with a rachet before by just holding the shaft with my hand. but it could of just been luck.

[d1giPhux]

man, now im starting to get pissed at this whole install. It seems like those damn top bolts are impossible to get off. I dont have an impact.. so that is out of the question. And when you say 'hold onto the shaft'.. which part is that. Nothing is really exposed because of the dust shield and such.

Right now i have the springs compressed enough to where i can move them around, and now i just need to get the damn top bolts off. But since i dont have a 17mm box-end offset wrench.. i need to find another way to do this. I went to about 10 stores today looking for one that would work.. and couldn't find ANYTHING.

This is turning out to be a lot more work then i thought! :/

[decke48]

its the silver shaft but its covered by the dust boot...

[d1giPhux]

Shit.. so i would basically have to cut the dust boot to get to it.. hmm, basically figured thats what you meant. Dammit all.

I tried using a 17mm socket + vise grips + allen key + pipe.. that didnt seem to work too good either.. think i might need a deeper socket + T-handle allen key.. maybe I will give that a go tomorrow.

Any other ideas would be greatly appreciated.

[Reason]

Next idea would be bring it to somebody who knows what they are doing.

[d1giPhux]

I know what im doing.. its the tools that i need.. thats the hard part. Have any more useful suggestions?

[Reason]

Maybe take some pics of what you are having problems with.

[d1giPhux]

werd.. i think i will do that tomorrow. the main thing im having problems with really.. is just getting the top bolt on the strut mount off.. i cant seem to find a proper tool to do it with..

[Reason]

Breaker bar, but make sure the springs are compressed. Besides it being safer, it might make it easier if less pressure is on the mount. But then again i might be wrong since Ive been drinking since 3pm...

[AussieDan]

You'll need either an impact wrench or a socket that allows you to get an allen wrench down the center. Either way it's time to expand your tool collection.

If you can find one, the cheapest is to buy a socket that has a hex on the outside, so that you can grab it with an adjustable wrench and put the allen through the center.

After that you're either going to have to buy a through-socket set or an impact gun.

Harbor freight carry a fairly cheap electric impact gun (http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=45252) which might do the business. If you go this route grab some metric impact sockets & extensions (the black ones) too. Even cheaper is their 12v emergency impact gun (http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=92349) which looks like a total pos but might get it done.

They carry the thru-socket stuff too 21 Piece SAE/Metric, Go-Thru Socket Set (http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=93150).

Personally I'd make the investment in an impact gun.

Last time I disassembled my struts I didn't bother with the compressors, but they do make the job a little safer.

[d1giPhux]

Okay.. so i got the stuff off finally.. and started assembling the new struts and such... but i have a question..

how far does the nut need to be tightened down.. i can only do so much by hand.

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2008/07/damnyou-1.jpg

is that not far enough down? Shit.. looks like it might be time to invest in that impact! *sigh*.. Even if i did get an impact however.. how is it possible to stop the shaft from turning around while you tighten it down?

At this point.. I'm almost wanting to give up..I might just take the struts to a shop around here and see if they can tighten it to spec for me..

[phi11]

how far does the nut need to be tightened down.. i can only do so much by hand.

Torque wrench!!!
(fsm specs)

[AussieDan]

Yeah tightening them down can be a tough one. You only need 40ft-lb so I tend to just zap them up with the impact.

The proper way to do it is with a through-socket or the equivalent SST.

[d1giPhux]

Well my friend helped me out with his impact.. so now i have both front strut assemblies together proper.

Now I'm just having a bitch of a time getting them back into the proper places on the front of the car.. haha.. fun fun.

btw.. i guess i suck at life.. because so far.. ive only even taken out the front. epic fail. :lol:

too bad i dont have any friends close who could help me out..shit would be so much easier.

[d1giPhux]

Anyone have any tips on getting the struts back in? I should attach the strut mount to the body of the car first correct? Then install the 2 lower bolts? Damn.. its hard doing all this crap by yourself.. :(

[d1giPhux]

I just noticed something.. on the top of the strut mounts.. it says 'out'. which direction is this supposed to be facing.. out towards the wheel / lined up with the bottom holes on the strut itself? maybe this is why they dont seem to be lining up properly?

[Huffer]

Yeah - you want to have the OUT toward the outside of the vehicle - connect the top nuts first, giving yourself some wiggle room, and then connect the hub bolts. Tighten at the bottom, then move vertically. Hand tighten the top nuts last.

[d1giPhux]

Okay.. so shit, no wonder its going in all weird.. looks like im gonna have to call up the friend with the impact again. :lol:

So basically you line the strut / top part up with the OUT facing towars the outside of the vehicle.. or in other words in line with the bolt holes on the strut correct? Does it need to be exact? Thanks again.. no wonder this shit wouldnt go in proper!

[decke48]

the rears need to be close you can rotate them some. fronts dont madder where you put them

[d1giPhux]

weird.. because i have mine on like backwards.. and when i mount it up to the top.. its kind of cock eyed.. basically.. the bolt holes on the bottom of the strut are at like a 45 degree angle.. like facing / instead of --- ... so thats why i figured that might be causing the problem. Lining up the bottom seems to be the biggest problem for me.. but i think thats all relative to having this part with the 'OUT' facing IN. =/

[jjs316]

I've taken the strut shaft bolt off without compressors before with an impact gun... I wouldn't suggest it... it broke things :D

freakin west virginian rednecks :wink:

[d1giPhux]

okay.. so i FINALLY got both the front struts on with the help of a friend.. thank god. Have another question however.

Does it matter what side of the camber bolt the washer is on. What im saying is this.

On both sides of the car.. i have the setup as follows:

--------------------------->front of car

camber bolt / strut housing / washer / nut

Is this proper.. or does it not even matter? Thanks!

[decke48]

the threads should point to the front of the car. or the nut side

^yeah that should be correct

[d1giPhux]

Okay.. so now I'm stuck on back.. as you can see.. i've been doing this really slow and learning as i go.

How do you un-do the bottom bolt.. it seems like is impossible to fit a socket because of the boot that is behind the axle. See pic below:

this is to show how the nut looks near the boot:

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2008/07/bolt1-1.jpg

this is to show that you can not fit a socket over the nut:

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2008/07/bolt2-1.jpg

I've tried box end offset wrenches with no luck, Crescent with no luck, and my friend even tried to use a pipe wrench (i think this is what mangled it up)

Now i think the nut is completely fucking mangled.. what are my options for getting it off? *sigh*. I thought this was going to be SOMEWHAT easy the 2nd time around (did the front already). But.. i still have the other side to do as well.. hope that one is a bit easier to get off.

[AussieDan]

Here's what I've done in the past, don't know if it'll work for you given how badly the nut is mangled.

First, soak everything in PB Blaster/WD40. You can also try one of the Freeze-Off sprays, I know a few guys who swear by them.

Take a regular combination wrench and put the ring end on the nut. Take the top bolt and put it part-way into the hole so that the end of the wrench rests against the shank just under the head. This will stop the wrench from turning any further and hold the nut securely.

Get a big breaker bar and go to town on the head of the bolt.

[d1giPhux]

tried that.. but used a long enough box wrench so that it reached the underside of the car. However.. the top nut idea was a very good one.. thanks for that.. i didnt even think to do that if my wrench was not long enough. However...

Seems like the PB blaster did a bit more work overnight.. and come this morning.. i put a vise grip on each side and it worked like butter.. came right off!

Now.. for the fun part. Went to go buy a new bolt.. and the stealership charged me $11 for ONE DAMN BOLT !! Are you kidding me. WOW.. i love living in the middle of nowhere where they can charge you out the ass for any small part!

[d1giPhux]

I finally fucking finished.. and so far.. i dont think it was worth the time or money put into the install / parts... =/