Suspension Install Hell

[slo_k20]

Hey guys, I started the suspension job today, I have some Rokkor coilovers and an SPC front and rear camber kit ready to go. My suspension hasn't been touched at all for 103k and 10 years so I knew I would run into a few snags.
So far i have one front strut out, and the rotor on a jack. One rear strut is out, and one rear camber arm installed. I have read a spring compressor is not necessary, but I think i'm going to rent one tomorrow. I attempted disassembling the stock strut and it's getting super tight the farther I unscew the bolt. I feel like it would make my life a whole lot easier with a spring compressor, unless anyone has any good advice to dissassembling the top hats.

Next order of business is the flange bolt on the bottom of the rear strut. I've never had so much frustration with one bolt. I hit it with pb blaster multiple times throughout the day, heated it up with a torch on multiple attempts, and just sheared a 1/2"-3/8" adaptor in half with my breaker bar. What the hell is next?!

I think this is the first and last time I do suspension work on a car covered in rust.:mcry:

[AKEP]

acetone+atf 50:50 mix. spray that shit on that lower bolt (and any stuck bolt). give it about 5 -10 minutes.

dont really need a spring compressor, wont help any. theres like 0 preload on the spring. put an allen wrench in the top of the strut, get a ratcheting wrench or an open ended wrench and take off that bolt. the hat wont even pop off. lay it on the floor and step on it. it'll come off.

[tinman5]

Wow...
Are you attempting to dissassemble the strut/spring WITHOUT a compressor? In my life I have seen the spring unload and break a mans wrist something ugly when the top hat shot of while the ratchet was still engaged on the nut. Keep in mind that was on a Z, but it pretty much scared the crap out of me to the point that I dont mess with any spring without a compressor. I'm getting old I guess.
As for the stuck bolts, there is a mom and pop tire shop a short drive away with a gangster compressor/impact gun set up that will usually break free any bolt for a couple bucks. I usually go there before I even begin any work that I have read give problems. A couple hits with their impact gun, spray everything down with some PB Blaster, re-tighten using hand tools and head home to do the actual work.

[AKEP]

i've done it a handful of times. i guarantee you there is no preload on the top hat of our struts.

https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/tech-tips/55/

[Pronto]

The only time I've used a spring compressor was when I was installing stock (OEM) springs back on the shock/strut (replacing after market springs) on my old civic.
I recently installed new springs up front and even though you don't need to use the spring compressor it does make it a bit easier and faster to reinstall the top hat. I didn't use the compressor, just put the spring on, put the top hat on and push it down a bit so that you can tighten it.

There are places where they lend you tools for free, like part stores or shops. If you can get one for free for a few hours, take it. Having it and not using it is better than not having it and needing it.

[MugenReplica]

Like a few of us, you MAY end up having to take the car in to get that lower strut bolt out. I've installed 6-8 suspensions over the years and those two bolts are 100% the nemesis of all of the installations. I've even had to cut one out before (aka cut the lower strut bushing with a plasma cutter) to remove it because nobody could get the damn thing out.

Listen to AKEP before you go to those lengths though. The second worst one I had requireD LOTS of heat via a propane torch and a pneumatic hammer to loosen everything up before she wanted to pop out. If it gets to be a PITA, install everything you can (both front struts and other rear), and take it to a shop where they'll get it out for you.

When putting everything back together, use plenty of this around the shaft of the bolts so you won't have a problem next time....

http://lh6.googleusercontent.com/public/fSA3zOGX5kMNCmFxNacUpwcD5pDHabVhnw8Rx_APyo2Jzi_6nP s9tAh5Zumy7S5owXdq2LHRPNUSCHY5hIWf76WsrsHlwSEQHPy-Fpvrnz9xlc_HOlI3qtta3t5GDyOuMHCKJ7TZjWDaCe9m0j-dT7cZt2O34_TU55_A4PFAC7z0SqwsUgIEkB3WfacaOJvEdcm3n 67LDts49LAKebr22NKcoV_YhsZYhhXEZP8pG5Bl0If-KJT1HAEru2wBSBBYcVjGFp7G49bx8b4sfUIfQx7pCZvpd-nmDHHzJqCzK-JC

[Drew1d]

That's a rough bolt.
I sprayed mine everyday with liquid wrench, for a week until install day.

I then,
Tried a breaker bar, no good.
Impact wrench, no go.
Boxend wrench and hammer, no results.

What ended up working for me was putting a jack under the trailing arm, and compressing with two or three pumps.(not enough to lift the car off the jack stands, be careful.)

Then in a downward motion on the boxend wrench and hammer method got it free.
The otherside I used the impact wrench and the jack.

The trailing arm flexing up and down absorbed enough of the energy not to break the bolt free. Good luck to you. But it was only like a year or two when they were changed before...

http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q44/schwag512/Chemistry.gif

[slo_k20]

Thanks for the positive input. After some patience and persistance it finally came out(and about half a can of PB Blaster) lol. I had to heat that sucker up red hot and work it in and out with the impact gun. Goddamn it felt good to get that thing out!

So now I have all the struts out except the passenger front, i'm going to put the coilover in the driver side while the steeriing rack is turned this way. Rear camber kit is in, and taking apart the top mounts of the struts are next.

[slo_k20]

Is there a secret to guiding the knuckle back up to the bottom of the strut? I used the scissor jack to support under the rotor and I cannot seem to get the rotor to sit perpindicular to the ground to line up the strut.