my progress sway install NIGHTMARE

[hamlet9634]

so I finally ponied up the cash for the progress rear bar. UPS shows up to deliver and DOESN'T RING the damn doorbell, jerks. Since I wasn't gonna be around, I drove to the UPS center to pick it up (25miles away). Then they were late putting out their pick up list, so instead of picking it up at 7pm, I had to sit there till 7:45.

Then sat I decided to put the bar on. Bought a nice hydraulic jack and some jack stands, got my tools tegether at my gfriend's driveway and get started at 1:30pm. It starts lightly drizzling.. no big deal. My car is too low to jack up from the sides.. not a problem, just jack it up from the rear frame area. It's still drizzling.. Work goes on. Car is jacked up, wheels are off. The god damn bolts are rusted on. Drive to sears to get longer wrenches. Get back under the car -- now 4:30pm. Finally get the damn rear bar off. (it's intermittantly pouring rain now, so i stop periodically to go insided and let it slow down).

Can't get the damn bolts back IN through the rear lower suspension bars!. I'm hammering, pushing twisting.. etc.. and it's fucking POURING RAIN.

9pm.. Finished.. soaking wet.. completely soaked to the bone.. start putting shit away..

where the hell is the key to my wheel lock?

what a nightmare.. and i never found the key.. driving around on 3 lug nuts and 1 fingertightened locknut on each rear wheel.

the problem now.. how do i get the front wheel locks off without the key?

[Papa Bear]

You see, some guys on here put other guys down for not doing their own work but I had my rear sway, crossbrace and strut bar installed for $100.00 Canadian and it took less than an hour for the shop to do it. Plus, the work is guarenteed and I had the rest of the weekend to drive the car, not work on it in the rain. Sorry to hear about your nightmare! I wouldn't be going very far with three lugs. Find the key!

[civicSIracer]

good job man. props on doijng it yourself.. sorry about the problems.. at least you have the satisfaction of doing it yourself.

[Papa Bear]

Originally posted by civicSIracer
good job man. props on doijng it yourself.. sorry about the problems.. at least you have the satisfaction of doing it yourself.
You might want to re-read his post. I am not getting the feeling that he is satisfied, more like frustrated, wet and still looking for a wheel lock!:rolleyes:

[EP33]

Well at least the car didn't fall on your head:)

How much did you save by doing the install yourself?
How much experience did you gain by doing the install yourself?

I know what it's like to play mental tennis with an installation job. You end up saying "Am I going to let a swaybar kick my ass?" NO
You jump in and do the damn job. Cool

BTW, you'll find the wheel lock when your looking for your 14mm socket, or when you drop your keys on the ground. Doesn't it always end up like that?

[hamlet9634]

the trouble with the wheel lock is that I did the job outside at my girlfriend's house. After cleaning up everything (in the rain).. the key was nowhere to be found. She's gonna look around for me again, but the fact that some of the tools were her father's (and back in his toolshed now), some were mine, and the install was outside in the rain.. who knows where all the shit went? Maybe one of the 8 towels I soaked outside ended up swallowing it and it'll turn up in the wash...

i hope

[shimmy_yaz]

Personally I like doing my shit myself cuz then i know it is done right and not by some dumass monkey workin at the local garage.

[Papa Bear]

Originally posted by shimmy_yaz
Personally I like doing my shit myself cuz then i know it is done right and not by some dumass monkey workin at the local garage.
I'm not putting anyone down who does their own installs, but my tech has been working on Hondas for over 20yrs. He has installed many sway bars before unlike myself. Besides what could a factory trained guy with 20yrs experience fuck up with a rear sway? And if something does go wrong, he backs his work up. Dumass monkey?? I think you need to find a decent tech and then maybe you will gain some respect for the people who keep our cars working properly. I tend to have professionals do the work on my car cause it is quick and painless. I won't be driving around with three lugnuts on my wheels cause I lost the key (that exact thing would have happened to me I'm sure) and I won't waste a whole Saturday in an exercise in frustration when I could be out cruising or sitting at the beach looking at babes...but to each his/her own.

[hamlet9634]

when installs go well, it's well worth the time to do it yourself.. when they go poorly, it's a serious pain in the ass.

installed the neuspeed short shifter myself.. took 15 minutes.. could have been a tricky install, but I learned a little bit about my car and enjoyed doing it, so fun.

Installed my big brake kit myself (with docofmind's help). Had several frustrations along the way, but I could do a brake job myself now.. and when i upgrade my brakes again, the work will be done by me again.. and I'm sure will go better this time.

the trouble with some installs is that most of us mortals just don't have all the proper tools laying around.. and the proper tools cost serious money.

and my knuckles hurt.

[SiRRider]

I would take the hand tight wheel lock off until you find your key because its just going to come loose and fly off and then you will be going to your shop for a new one. I wouldnt worry about only having 3 lugs for a little while until you find your key. my 2 cents

[MINIVANKILLER]

Should have brought it to a professional............MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE EEEEEEEEEEEEEE. Installed mine a professional lift in my shop. No rain because there is a roof over my head. It took about 15 mins. However, great job on the install. You should actually fell better since you put it on yourself.:D

[SiR_d1]

"no big deal. My car is too low to jack up from the sides"

is it bad or something to jack up a car from the sides if its lowered??

[chunky]

Originally posted by Papa Bear

I'm not putting anyone down who does their own installs, but my tech has been working on Hondas for over 20yrs. He has installed many sway bars before unlike myself. Besides what could a factory trained guy with 20yrs experience fuck up with a rear sway? And if something does go wrong, he backs his work up. Dumass monkey?? I think you need to find a decent tech and then maybe you will gain some respect for the people who keep our cars working properly. I tend to have professionals do the work on my car cause it is quick and painless. I won't be driving around with three lugnuts on my wheels cause I lost the key (that exact thing would have happened to me I'm sure) and I won't waste a whole Saturday in an exercise in frustration when I could be out cruising or sitting at the beach looking at babes...but to each his/her own.

while there is something to be said for the ease of just taking your car in, it's not something that I would EVER feel comfortable doing.

When it comes down to it, no one cares more about your car than you do. well, unless you hate the car, but that's besides the point.

What i'm saying is, it's impossible for anyone to be more anal and more obsessive about my car than me. I don't think ANY paid mechanic would work on my car with the same passion that I do.

Granted, not all of us are mechanically inclined (i'm blessed with wrench sense) i always respect those who at least try to do things for themselves. Things don't always go as planned, but when it's all said and done, you get to say "I did it."

Anyhow, congrats on finally getting it in. hopefully you registered your wheel locks when you bought them and can request a replacement key.

If not, there are places that can get them off for you for some $$.

This is why I ordered a spare key as soon as I bought my wheel locks. the 12 bucks + shipping is well worth the peace of mind it gives in case anything like this happened. :p

[chunky]

Originally posted by SiR_d1
"no big deal. My car is too low to jack up from the sides"

is it bad or something to jack up a car from the sides if its lowered??

nothing wrong with jacking the car up from the sides.

I think his jack wouldn't fit under the car from the sides. He needs to get a low profile jack like mine. the head of my jack is about 3" off the ground, fits under most lowered cars with ease. :)

[SiR_d1]

Originally posted by chunky


nothing wrong with jacking the car up from the sides.

I think his jack wouldn't fit under the car from the sides. He needs to get a low profile jack like mine. the head of my jack is about 3" off the ground, fits under most lowered cars with ease. :)

thanks for the info:o

[hamlet9634]

Originally posted by SiR_d1
"no big deal. My car is too low to jack up from the sides"

is it bad or something to jack up a car from the sides if its lowered??

my jack doesn't fit under the sides of the car.. it's too low and the body kit makes it lower.. low profile jack would be a good idea.. looks like i need to invest in one. Central jacking from the rear worked fine in the end, but i haven't tried the front yet.. time for a test

[chunky]

Originally posted by hamlet9634


my jack doesn't fit under the sides of the car.. it's too low and the body kit makes it lower.. low profile jack would be a good idea.. looks like i need to invest in one. Central jacking from the rear worked fine in the end, but i haven't tried the front yet.. time for a test

you could just get some blocks of wood and drive your car onto them and then jack the car up.

a lot of people use that trick to jack up their slammed rides.

[Papa Bear]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by chunky
[B]

while there is something to be said for the ease of just taking your car in, it's not something that I would EVER feel comfortable doing.

When it comes down to it, no one cares more about your car than you do. well, unless you hate the car, but that's besides the point.

What i'm saying is, it's impossible for anyone to be more anal and more obsessive about my car than me. I don't think ANY paid mechanic would work on my car with the same passion that I do.

What about when your car was assembled in Swindon England? Were you there assembling each part that you personally made in all of the different source factories around the world that comprise your ep to ensure that is was done properly and with passion?]:D Naw, I'm just messin' with ya man. I appreciate guys that work on their our cars but I don't have that luxury most of the time but I did paint my headlights last month with my buddy and they came out beautifully! I had one of them smoking coming out of the oven (too many brews) but it was ok and we had a blast doing it. I also installed my grille-tech grill and usually change my own oil, but sometimes time is more valuable than money and I know a great guy I can trust that has been working on our families cars for years. I just don't appreciate it when guys on here rag on others for not installing every little part on their cars themselves thats all.

Peace