How much did you pay to get springs installed?

[Protege_Speed]

LOL. You cheated. You had a extra day off. (enguard)

muahahaha...i now hold the longest install record!...i started on friday at 5:30pm, ended today, monday, at 2:30pm

 

[fLyPiNoY7]

actually, i have no job since i just graduated hs so i have all days off...

 

[glyph]

I was all fired up to put on my new Espillir springs from AutoRnD. I just started on the first one, and ended up with the strut shaft spinning, unable to get the top nut off. I cannot get it to loosen. I have just put break free on both of the rear struts to prepare for tomorrows attempt. We'll see then... Everything else is coming off just fine, after 5 years of driving the car. In fact, this month is the last payment.

 

[dmitrik4]

i had the same problem w/ one of my rear struts. i used a pair of vise grip pliers and a rubber bottle opener (just a thin piece of rubber) for friction. wrapped the strut shaft in the rubber and grabbed it VERY tightly w/ the pliers to keep it from turning. i don't know if this is a good idea if you want to keep using the strut, but i wasn't. however, it didn't seem to do any damage to the shaft b/c the rubber protected it (and provided grip).

How about a visual.

how did you get a picture of my endlink nuts? weird.

 

[glyph]

i tried that with a cloth, and it didn't work. Didn't think of the bottle opener idea. I got it loose with a local shop and they used an air tool to get it loose. Stuck with my rear-left swaybar nut. That thing is so soft it rounded almost right away... Now I have to find a way to get that thing off. Springs will just have to wait...

 

[dmitrik4]

i tried that with a cloth, and it didn't work. Didn't think of the bottle opener idea. I got it loose with a local shop and they used an air tool to get it loose. Stuck with my rear-left swaybar nut. That thing is so soft it rounded almost right away... Now I have to find a way to get that thing off. Springs will just have to wait...

grind it. use a dremel and a grinding wheel or sanding drum to make 2 flat areas on opposite sides of the nut. then use a pair of vise grips to turn it. i had to use a dremel on my old rear swaybar b/c i needed the endlink nuts- they were fine but the allen key holes were strippped out. i broke apart the endlinks and ground two flat spots on the ball socket to keep it from turning.

you can change the springs w/ out disconnecting the swaybar. that's what i did with my fronts.

 

[importcircuit]

I just realized that not many people know how to get those endlinks off. Since its after the fact I'll give a quick 20/20 for you.

Step 1 - Jack up the front or the back... not a side.
Step 2 - Get an allen key that fits inside the bolt... yeah there's an allen key hole in there, its how you keep it from turning.
Step 3 - Use a regular socket wrench or a crecent wrench with a long shank. Hold the key to keep the bolt from moving... move your hands in oposite directions and the dang things come right apart without breaking a sweat. Impact wrench not needed.

I've been out of it, otherwise I would have said something earlier.

tried it no luck... bringing it to the mechanic to torch the bolt loose... i'll post my findings with pics tomorrow...

 

[Protege_Speed]

Try something like this. It has a hole for a socket wrench but you can use it for the allen wrench to go through and use a wrench to loose the bolt. May be cheaper than going to a mechanic.
Link to page:
http://www.homedepot.com/prel80/HDUS/EN_US/shop_cart/pg_print_product.jsp?CNTTYPE=PROD_META&CNTKEY=shop_cart/pg_print_product.jsp&BV_SessionID=@@@@1878340151.1092255386@@@@&BV_EngineID=ccdgadcmffegdlgcgelceffdfgidgmk.0&MID=9876&prod_id=163815

tried it no luck... bringing it to the mechanic to torch the bolt loose... i'll post my findings with pics tomorrow...

 

[importcircuit]

mechanic = friend = FREE

thanks for the tip but i've tried that as well...

 

[glyph]

going to bring mine to a shop to use an air hammer, or a chisel or something. Most likely the air hammer. Of course, I was going to do it yesterday, and the guy wasn't there. Was going to do it Saturday, but now there is a Hurricane with the same appointment...

 

[glyph]

Here is the result. The shop had to cut off the end link, as the nuts just would not turn. Oh well, just had to order new AWR swaybar, endlinks, and trailing links... I am quite please with the ride and performance.

Here is the thread from which I made the purchase.

 

[jomoyo069]

I payed 100$ for the install of my shocks and springs and got a free alignment

 

[j2g87]

I did it my self it would have been like 20 each tho i think that is wat pep-boys told me

 

[jomoyo069]

pep boys cant lower your car.. not legally at least

 

[Laser03pro]

Man you guys had a hell of a time with the endlinks in the front all mine came off with the impact but 1 and it was the one that connected to the sway so I had the front sway off the car and went at it a allen and long wrench. That didnt work so I then clamped a small vice grip to the bolt just behind the sway and got it off with the impact. In the rear they started spinning as soon as i hit them with the impact since i had new endlinks for the rear I went and got the wiz wheel and cut them both off in a few seconds.

 

[Sveivo]

Around here I was quoted $410 maximum and $270 minimum to install springs. WTF is up with that?

And they say the cost of living is lower in Nebraska :bs:

 

[KGsMP3]

Alright I got 2 questions for you guys. Im about to purchase eibachs prokit, but with 40,000 miles on my MP3, should I get new struts for it as well, or do you think they will hold up for a while longer. Second, im afraid when I do lower it, the rear sway end links will get all bent outta shape from the added stress on them. I already replaced them with new stock sway links awhile back because one bent on me from hittin into a curb on a icy road. What do you guys think I should do and what will happen to my endlinks if i lower it.

 

[Laser03pro]

Endlinks will be fine and struts usually start to go down hill after 30k miles so thats up to you.