Just did this myself man, great write up, will try the arrow trick on the strut top.

I also replaced my tension/torsion bar bushings, these are not available from any usual source I eventually got mine from ReSpeed for less than $16 in Poly.

I now have a 100% new front end awesome improvement, helps I have power steering with a good tight box.

I also used Koni reds up front and Tokico Illuminas on the rear but with Eibach springs, also very happy with the combination, next is the rear bushings.

I had a hell of a time with the lower control arm bushing bolts.

Ended up using a sawzal on the nut end, the original inner sleeve allows access to bolt here. Then a grinder on the head of the bolt, the sawzal was having trouble getting through the inner sleeve, this allowed what was left of the bolt to be removed easily.

The rubber, sleeve and bolt were welded into one immobile unit. I purchased new bolts from Fastenal, they were 75mm part thread, 8.8 grade 10 mm. The replacement inner bushing has a built in sleeve. Hope this helps.

 

The FSM sez that one of the little washer doo-dads that sits up under the top plate is a "thrust bearing" and your supposed to put some lube (grease) on it on the re-assembly. Did you??
Nice job, thanks for taking the time to spread the Knowledge!!
Stu Aull
80GS
Alaska

 

No, I didn't lube it. I just put those back together as they came apart. It is more than likely the one that sits on the bottom that allows the top plate to spin around. I can't imagine it's a big deal. If needed, I can take it apart and lube it. I guess I should have read the FSM on that one.

 

I used this DIY post to help with this job this last weekend. I had one tip to pass on. I found it hard to get the strut back in because the control arm was sitting too high. There is a part of the control arm that you can perfectly fit a crowbar into. I used a 2 foot crowbar and then could easily push the control arm low enough to get the strut in with ease. Attached are some pics. A buddy told me about this, and must say it is a great little trick.

 

I'm getting ready to do front and rear spring/strut/bushing replacement and I'd like to know if you guys are replacing top strut mounts? I didn't see or read where you were. Are you? I've got kyb mounts because that's all I could find. What's up?

 

I need to subscribe to this, i got some tokico blues and TMC lowering springs I gotta put on in a bit.

 

hope it works out for you i will be doing mine soon.

 

Nice writeup, good work, its very helpfull

 

Man, you guys have it easy. I had to push the control arm down another inch to clear the spacers!

 

Instead of using a crowbar to push the lower control arm down so the strut can clear the fender to slide up into the strut tower, I disconnect the sway bar links and push down on the hub with my foot. That usually moves the strut assembly down far enough to slip the entire assembly under the fender lip and pop back up in the strut tower. If the assembly is still too stiff to push down, remove the bolts that connect th tension rod to the LCA.

 

Very true. After wasting all kinds of time trying to force the arm down for the removal/installation of the struts, I started disconnecting the swaybar and the tension rod from the control arm. Once you do that you've got all kinds of room to work with...

 

can someone clarify this for me? i have ordered tokico HP's and they should be here by monday so hopefully next weekend i'll be installing them. i was taking a look at my suspension right now and looked for these arrows, the driver's side arrow is pointing at the bolt towards the front of the car and out towards me looking towards the engine from that side (is that what you mean by "front outside strut tower bolt"?)

anyways the passenger's side is something crazy like pointing towards the one closest to engine and closer to the windshield so i guess rear back strut tower.....

another question is could i just move this when i go back to installing the other shock to where its supposed to be, and also, what do you guys mean by negative camber, and how does it help cornering?

 

you should get an alignment after you replace the inserts.

in regards to negative camber, look at a heavily lowered honda, or any car..., the top of the tire/wheel is in towards the car more than the bottom, this is negative camber. positive is when its the other way.

i'd say you'd want to have some negative camber. i'm running -3 degrees. it will wear tires quicker, but you will get improvements in cornering ability

 

hell yeah, i don't really need all that its a daily driver but i was curious as to what it did lol. anyways, so should i go ahead and install the inserts and line up the arrow per FSM then get it alligned, or install it as the arrows are pointing now and still get it aligned, i'll try to get pics so that you can see how its installed right now...

 

set it to fsm, then take it to the alignment shop,

 

You will want to be careful not to bend or damage this part of the control arm, as it is used to stop your steering.

 

Wow, dusty in here!

 

What is used to get to the bottom brake caliper bolt? I can't seem to get anything in there to get it off. Also having trouble trying to get the inside bolt off on the bottom of the insert. Tried turning the wheel all the way but then the wheel brings itself back a little once I let go and can only get a socket partially on the bolt.

 

Also - I heard that with stiffer and lower springs you need to worry about the spring coming off the perch if the suspension reaches full extension - and that there's a way to modify something (strut, housing?) to accomodate and eliminate this.

Anyone have that info? I see a lot of threads about lowering and putting in new struts, but haven't yet come across the details on this part.

Thanks in advance
~Geoff

 

Man this is good info. Can't wait to do mine

 

This is great info. Think I have popped in here over 10 times to figure out everything I need to do. Although I do wish I removed that big nut before I took the strut out. Don't see why this is not a sticky.

 

Thanks & should be a sticky.

Good timing - I've KYB front & rears on the way.

 

Spring! Nice timing to resurrect this thread - thx!
so now no excuse not to replace the shocks in the Beloved....

Stu Aull
80GS
Alaska

 

This thread is great.

And I know it's four years since the last time anyone bumped it, and 11 years since the first post!

But it's a great thread!

 

Rise from the dead....

Keeping it alive...It's a nice write up...

I'm about to that in the next couple of weeks...