Bought Full Coilovers and much more...

[ExRollen]

Ok, here's the deal. I drive my 94 accord exr coupe for work everyday about 100 km's on average, so I expected some accelerated wear and tear, especially since the car has 260k's on it. My balljoints and tie rod ends started squeaking a few weeks ago and my front shocks are shot, so I decided to go all out with the repairs

I picked up a front suspension and steering rebuild kit off ebay for a killer price (Honda quoted me $850ish for aftermarket parts, not honda parts, and i picked up the same stuff for 174 US off ebay. Included are 2 new front upper control arms w/ ball joints, 2 lower ball joints, 2 inner tie rod ends, 2 outer tie rod ends, and 2 sway bar links (stabilizer kit), all the cotter pins and retainer clips required for the job, and everything comes with new bushings, not poly though.

Here's the cool part...
For $530 Canadian w/ shipping, I picked up a brand new set of NEX SS Full Coilovers to solve my shock problem. I wanna lower the car about 2 to 2.25 inches, so I'll throw in my camber by about 2.5 degrees, which I'll want to correct.... soo...

I also bought a DropZone F/R Camber kit for $149 US + shipping. This kit includes 2 bent rear upper control arms w/ ball joints.

So... once all the parts arrive, and I get two days off work, I'm gonna hopefully be able to do get all these parts in without too many hiccups. Can anyone foresee any problems I may have, especially with the removal of the stock suspension considering that the car is 11 yrs and 260k's old? Do I need to buy shock mount bushings while I'm at it, or is that not required for a full coilover setup?? Any tips, and I mean ANY AT ALL, would be appreciated, especially by someone who has done this on an Accord.

Also, as far as an alignment goes, Blaskin & Lane does it for $60, but aren't they basically just aligning your camber, and if I have a camber kit on all 4 corners, could I not do this myself? Probably not to the same degree of precision, but still??? Help a brutha out.

P.S. If I have this in the wrong section, could a moderator please move it accordingly? Thanks

[schurchill39]

I cant really offer you an help besides the fact you have this in the wrong section

[jdmakkord]

One thing for sure is that your rear lower strut mount will be rusted to shit. The bolt will be seized into the collar of the bushing. Even with heat and a breaker bar, I wound up snapping both bolts. If you have access to air tools, and an impact, they will make your life easy.

[ExRollen]

Originally posted by jdmakkord
One thing for sure is that your rear lower strut mount will be rusted to shit. The bolt will be seized into the collar of the bushing. Even with heat and a breaker bar, I wound up snapping both bolts. If you have access to air tools, and an impact, they will make your life easy.

I have a decent electric impact, might do the trick, but I might soak it in WD40 overnight. Thanks buddy!:thumbsup:

[jdmakkord]

Originally posted by ExRollen


I have a decent electric impact, might do the trick, but I might soak it in WD40 overnight. Thanks buddy!:thumbsup:

When I did my coilovers, I used wd40, overnight, and a 3/4" drive breaker bar. I sheared the heads of the bolts right off. Then I proceeded to try and drill and use easy outs......no luck. Finally I got sick of drilling, and cut the stock struts right off with a sawzall. Didn't need to use them anymore anyways. That was my 2 day rear strut nightmare. The fronts went on easy.

[88CRX]

wd40 wont do shit.... you need an actual penetrating oil

[csolfish]

Just about every Bolt in my civic sheared after soaking it in Pb Blaster for 24 hours even after resoaking them every 5 hours or so. The ones I was able to save from breakage I hit with an impact wrench at low pressure to knock them loose a little and used a breaker bar w/ steel bar extension and went really really slow!I had been told this would happen so I went to the Junk yard and found the bolts I needed or bought them from Honda. Second DO NOT USE 12 POINT SOCKETS!!! And if you really want to go all out Invest in Poly Urethane! Last longer and better handling! = more fun

[Celica TVS3]

You'll have to take your car in for an alignment after you won't be able to get it close enough on your own.

Soak the bolts in penetrating lube.

Plan for it to take longer than you think - ie, have a backup car ready.

Goodluck. :thumbsup:

[ExRollen]

12 point sockets will strip the bolts?

Use a penetrating oil such as what?? Are you talking about that orange-derived wd40 style stuff at 15 bucks a can?

[jdmakkord]

Originally posted by ExRollen
12 point sockets will strip the bolts?

Use a penetrating oil such as what?? Are you talking about that orange-derived wd40 style stuff at 15 bucks a can?

I didn't strip any bolts, I sheared the heads right off. Buy all new bolts from the dealership, may cost you 20bux for all of them, and pick up a can of anti-seize.

[b_t]

You will definitely have to get an alignment done somewhere, it is something you can't just eyeball. After doing a lot of suspension work on my buddy's car, the car would drive in a circle by itself (you could take an off-ramp with the steering wheel straight) even though we thought the wheels looked straight enough.

[csolfish]

originally written by jdmkkord
I didn't strip any bolts, I sheared the heads right off. Buy all new bolts from the dealership, may cost you 20bux for all of them, and pick up a can of anti-seize.[/i]


I spent $50 at the dealership for just 5 of the splined bolts! They aren't as cheap as you think

Also PB blaster penetrating Oil works wonders. others like liquid Wrench are good too. AND 12 POINT SOCKETS WILL STRIP BOLT HEADS!(EXPERIENCE TALKING)

[jdmakkord]

Originally posted by csolfish



I spent $50 at the dealership for just 5 of the splined bolts! They aren't as cheap as you think

Also PB blaster penetrating Oil works wonders. others like liquid Wrench are good too. AND 12 POINT SOCKETS WILL STRIP BOLT HEADS!(EXPERIENCE TALKING)

They were that cheap for me:)

[ExRollen]

One of the main questions I need answered now is whether or not I should buy new shock mount bushings, and why I can't find rear ones that come in poly... I'll try to take some pics of the installation when I do it up.

Also, what have you guys heard about NEX SS Coilovers? I personally heard they ride a bit firm, but I don't mind that for the price I paid.

Any more input regarding installation would be useful and thanks to all you guys like jdmakkord for the tips:thumbsup:

[jdmakkord]

Originally posted by ExRollen
One of the main questions I need answered now is whether or not I should buy new shock mount bushings, and why I can't find rear ones that come in poly... I'll try to take some pics of the installation when I do it up.

Also, what have you guys heard about NEX SS Coilovers? I personally heard they ride a bit firm, but I don't mind that for the price I paid.

Any more input regarding installation would be useful and thanks to all you guys like jdmakkord for the tips:thumbsup:

No one makes rear poly upper shock bushings for our application. Just buy new stock ones.

[ExRollen]

Originally posted by jdmakkord


No one makes rear poly upper shock bushings for our application. Just buy new stock ones.

Were your bushings in rough shape when you did your suspension? BTW, thanks for helping out, I really appreciate it

[jdmakkord]

Originally posted by ExRollen


Were your bushings in rough shape when you did your suspension? BTW, thanks for helping out, I really appreciate it

Not really in rough shape, but I figured, since I was replacing every bolt, mount and bushing anyways, why not swap them too:D Besides, 11 year old bushings may need to be swapped afterall.

[ExRollen]

I just deleted my old post since nobody wanted to help me out, but all the parts went in nicely on the front, and last night I broke 2 ratchets, 4 sockets, and a breaker bar trying to loosen the rust-welded through bolts on the rear lower strut mounts. Now I'm grinding away the bolts and the old shocks off so hopefully with some pb blaster i can punch the bolt through, where can I pick up a can of this stuff????? Please!!

[@lchy]

this summer, i spent 2 months on a ship, and learned something very valuable. Tabasco sauce seems to eat through seized and rusted shit like crazy. A boat that sits in the ocean 12 months a year sees alot of salt and corrosion. I know that with my car, the bolts took much longer to get to the point the ones on the ship were in, but regardless I think givin these stubborn bolts some hot sauce is worth a shot.

[jdmakkord]

Originally posted by ExRollen
I just deleted my old post since nobody wanted to help me out, but all the parts went in nicely on the front, and last night I broke 2 ratchets, 4 sockets, and a breaker bar trying to loosen the rust-welded through bolts on the rear lower strut mounts. Now I'm grinding away the bolts and the old shocks off so hopefully with some pb blaster i can punch the bolt through, where can I pick up a can of this stuff????? Please!!


Exactly what I went through man. Except I used a sawzall and hacked the rears right off.