I am getting really excited. I have had a SS setup sitting in my kitchen for about a month, and it looks like I might finally beable to install it this weekend. Since this truck is my daily driver, I wont beable to run and get more tools as I need them. So Im wondering what size sockets and wrenches I will need, and any other specialized tools. I already know I need a spring compressor.

Thanks

 

NO.

you need to take the springs and struts to a local midas, meineke, mom & pop tire shop, NTB, sears, pep boys, etc and have THEM mount the springs on the struts. let's not kill or maime yourself before you really get started. sorry, but if you're asking what tools are needed to do the job, then you really shouldn't mess w/ the manual coil spring compressors - they can be VERY dangerous in unskilled hands.

before you take them in, if you have some extra strut top plates (if you don't already have them, then pick up a set from the dealer, YT member, or salvage yard and save yourself a ton of trouble and some labor on the install), then you will need to drive the top plate studs out (if they are used plates - new ones don't have studs installed IIRC) and put the new extended ones in. to do that, put the nut on the top plate studs, position the top plate so that the base of a stud is centered over a large deep socket or piece of pipe, etc. give the nut a solid hit or two w/ a hammer and the stud should back out of the plate. do that w/ all 3. now turn the top plate over, drop the new studs in the holes, then reposition over the socket/pipe/etc and drive the new studs home. make sure they're properly seated.

now you're ready to drop everything off at the shop to be assembled. that way, you get your OLD assembled strut set back, ready to be ebay-ed.

after the fronts are assembled, you'll need to have a jack, jack stands, a metric socket set with a ratchet and a long extension. you will also benefit from the use of a ratcheting closed-end gearwrench that will fit on the nuts for the new top plate studs - that one closest to the wheel well wall is tough to get to even w/ a ratchet. you will also need some blue locktite for the lower ball joint bolts when you re-torque them.

for the rear, you will need to remove the top shock nut, so you'll need a socket or gearwrench (for the nut) and a strap wrench for the shock body. you'll need to remove the rear sway bar end links (ratchet) and probably the panhard bar (again, ratchet). that will get you enough droop to install the coils easily. you have to remove the panhard anyway to install the new one, so remove it BEFORE you put in the new coils, then put the new one on AFTER the new coils are in. put blue locktite on the lower shock retaining bolt as well - i just lost one of mine last week since i didn't locktite them down.

check out the bottom half of the page at : http://4rnr.net/suspension

 

I will agree with Bamachem on this one especially with the coil/strut compresser if you don't know what your doing with them they can be very dangerious however if you do than that's another story I have used them several times and have had no problems. However it's really worth it to just take your stuff to your local shop where they can do it for you for pretty cheep and it saves you a lot of pain in the but work. Good luck

 

it should be anywhere between $20 and $40 depending on how busy the shop is and how knowledgeable you appear to be when you get the quote.

 

Thanks for the mini write up bamachem. I am hoping the vehical is new enough that everything wont be perma rusted in place. Working on my '85 was always a pain. Im hoping I won't need any sockets or wrenches over 19mm. Other than that, everthing is in place. I called the local toyota dealer about the top plates a cuple weeks ago, I dont know if they were thinking about something else, but they wanted $120 per plate. For that much, I will hassle with my old plates.

 

they're supposed to be something like $30 each IIRC.

 

Thats what I was thinking. Thats how much the plates for my old golf were.

 

i would definitely go with andy's advice and bring the front spring and struts to a shop to get done. i just recently went through this and did the same thing, it makes things A LOT easier. also, an extra set of hands doesn't hurt.

 

Heres a lil tips aswell, Dont do what I did and just take them out. Mark them so you know what strut goes on which side. Unless you have the shop remove them and reinstall them. I made that mistake and my truck leaned to one side because one of the springs were a lil stronger to hold up the weight of the driver and the gas tank. Switched them around and it sits level now.

 

Doing it by yourself isnt hard, you just gotta know what your doing.

If you havent ever done it let the shop do it, I did it myself using both the hunter strut compressor and by using the hand compressors. When I used the hand compressors I used 4 per side instead of the two and made sure they were tight and wouldnt back off before I took them off.

Reason I used 4 is 2 aint just gonna cut it and 1 sure dont cut it, better safe than sorry.

 

I plan on letting a shop compress the springs. Nothing I hate more than heavy metal flying around.

 

Greg, be sure to hit all the bolts with WD40, PB Blaster or some penetrant and keep spraying the threads every day until you do the lift (did it on mine and it was alot easier than I imagined). That way it makes everything come apart alot easier even if stuff is badly rusted. If you don't have air tools then I wouldn't even bother doing the struts yourself (the issue is that the nut on the strut will just spin once you take pressure off the spring and with you being in a rust belt, it will be a bitch with hand tools........and besides, the manual compressors can have over 1 ton of force behind them causing nasty damage if they let loose!!!). Just take the struts out of the vehicle and bring them to a shop and have them do it. The rest of it is totally doable. Only other crappy part will be undoing the top nut on the rear shocks. I highly suggest a sawzall but use lots and lots of penetrant if you plan to try and undo it using a socket.

 

...and we wouldn't want you to have to live up to your username or have to change it to "gregkilledhimselfusingaspringcompressor"

 

This sounds like even I could do it! Is the system 1 a similar install?

 

No his price is right. They are very expensive.

 

its not hard at all i went to advance auto and got there coil spring set for 40 bucks and when u return it they give u back all your money, make sure to get the MacPherson strut compreser.

 

Well I gave it my sad attempt, and i didnt kill myself with the spring compressor either. I had bearly jacked up the truck, and I was undoing the lugnuts on the first wheel when I made it to the factory wheel lock. I ended up shattering the wheel lock and the wheel lock socket. I tightened up the rest of the lug nuts and spent the rest of the day extracting those pesky wheel locks, and replaced them with some normal lug nuts. Maybe Ill give it another go tommorrow.

 

I dont know about this.. I used a spring compressor on my Civic, and I'm no mechanic. I know the springs of the Civic are smaller, but in truth, its the same deal... and I had to use the heavy duty spring compressor because my town is hick.

As long as you realize the dangers, be careful, do it the correct way.. and maybe have a helping hand. It's a breeze.

 

spring rate on a civic is what? 150#/in?

these are more than triple that - with triple the forces behind the steel when they let go.

 

haha, Civic was 340 I think.. That doesnt really matter though.. either way if you do something stupid, you're going to get hurt. bad.

If you do it properly [which pretty much anyone can] its not going to let go.