Need 04 3s Hatch Strut Install Help

[pickarze]

Hey folks, I'm new to the forum. Looks a great "how to" kinda place. Need some help. My 05 Hatch is at the "mega maintenance" point: new, rotors, pads, & struts & tires - OUCH! Gonna be expensive but it's a great ride and worth keeping. I've looked around various forums and haven't found and good How to (preferably with photos) instructions on replacing the struts all around. Looked for aftermarket maintenance manuals, no luck. Anybody ever done this install? I just can't afford all the labor with so much to do. I know I need a spring compressor but I plan on swapping out the springs at the same time since they need to come off anyway. Let's hear it! Thanks in advance. GB

 

[chrissor]

if you haven't done suspension work before, my honest opinion is to bring it to a shop. you should have the confidence to do it yourself with out the use of a DIY. the reason i say this is because most people that make the DIY threads have a higher level of mechanical know how then the people who are following them. suspension work can be super easy, or super hard. either way be sure to bring it to a shop and get an alignment afterwards if you chose to do it yourself.

 

[pickarze]

Strut How to

Chris,

After disassembling & rejetting the carbs on my Yamaha V Star, putting on braided stainless brake lines, pads and bleeding, and wiring on accessories I was feeling pretty confident. THe Bike mods came out great. Would I take on an engine swap? No way, not THAT confident. I did some struts years ago and while it was a lot of work, it wasn't that bad. I'm just looking for some tips on the 3's design. If I have to take out axles and spindles, I probably won't try it. Brakes seem pretty straight forward. As for the alignment, I'm with you on that. You need lots of special stuff to do that right. Shops here in Northern VA charge an arm and a leg for labor that's why I'm trying to save a thousand or so. GB