DIY: Springs & Shocks (And how to remove rear seat)
08-30-2006, 01:09 PM
#41
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alrite guys, if anyone can help, i cant seem to get the f**king sway bar link off, i turn that bitch and nothin happens... anyone else had this problem, the bolt turns, but doesnt actually come out.... im tryin to do this RIGHT NOW... so any help now wuld be great
09-06-2006, 03:15 PM
#42
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Originally Posted by vidhartha
alrite guys, if anyone can help, i cant seem to get the f**king sway bar link off, i turn that bitch and nothin happens... anyone else had this problem, the bolt turns, but doesnt actually come out.... im tryin to do this RIGHT NOW... so any help now wuld be great
SSTS
10-08-2006, 05:57 PM
#43
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great directions for removal of the strut assembly. i needed it to replace a failed stock strut with a replacement. instructions were perfect, but for others interested, i did it without any help. once you position the strut assembly back into the car, you can hold it with one hand and put one or two nuts on the top to hold it in place.
10-17-2006, 12:34 AM
#44
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Nite,
can you elaborate on the 'rail car' feeling? Did your work make you feel more in touch with the road / make it more of a drivers car?
Thanks, that DIY is excellent - seriously - this posts saves $$
can you elaborate on the 'rail car' feeling? Did your work make you feel more in touch with the road / make it more of a drivers car?
Thanks, that DIY is excellent - seriously - this posts saves $$
10-31-2006, 04:46 AM
#45
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Originally Posted by NiteQwill
Thanks.
H&R Sports were $150, Bilstein was $419 off ebay. Camber is car specific, not suspension specific, although it is a given with some (Tein, Race springs, etc.). My car needed no camber kit, I'm only off by hundredths of a degree.
PM me and we can talk about price and installation. It's all dependent around school and work. But my friend and I are willing to do any suspension install for a fee.
H&R Sports were $150, Bilstein was $419 off ebay. Camber is car specific, not suspension specific, although it is a given with some (Tein, Race springs, etc.). My car needed no camber kit, I'm only off by hundredths of a degree.
PM me and we can talk about price and installation. It's all dependent around school and work. But my friend and I are willing to do any suspension install for a fee.
05-02-2007, 12:05 PM
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Awesome DIY!!
Wow NiteQwill....who needs Helms whith this DIY?? I need to change my rear shocks on a 99 TL. All is stock and want to keep it that way. Thinking of using KYB GR-2's. Are these OK? I have 100K miles on the car, I'm wondering if I have to change my coils at the same time, or should these still be good? Is there a way to check? Last question....re. marking the alignment, obviously this does not apply when changing just the shock right?
Thanks for your help!!
Itch
Thanks for your help!!
Itch
05-14-2007, 10:31 AM
#50
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So I followed NiteQwill DIY for changing my rear shocks on '99 TL. Anyone who follows these instructions, will be able to attest to the fact that this job is very manageable for the handy do-it-yourselfer. I was faced having to tackle the project without a helper. Once I pounded the old shock absorber inward and free of the lower mount, it was fairly easy for me to remove the coil-shock assembly from the vehicle by pushing down on the hub and sliding the assembly to the center-rear of the car...i.e. behind the upper control arm (leading) and then downward. I then had enough clearance and "wiggle-room" to remove the assembly top hat out first. My 8$ rented spring compressors worked like a charm. I now know what is meant by aligning the vertical position. Once the shock is replaced and the coil decompressed, the 2 top hat bolts and the bottom mount (bottom shock bolt) have to line up perfectly to re-assemble. 
If not you almost have to recompress the coil and re-align....which indeed is a PITA. That being said side 1 took me about 1.5 hours and side 2 about 40 mins.
Car handles great again, and I'm happy with the $$ I saved!!
Itch
If not you almost have to recompress the coil and re-align....which indeed is a PITA. That being said side 1 took me about 1.5 hours and side 2 about 40 mins. Car handles great again, and I'm happy with the $$ I saved!!
Itch
05-15-2007, 06:42 AM
#53
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Originally Posted by smokendsm
Someone above mentioned that the sway bar end links need not be disconnected to do this. Is this confirmed?
05-15-2007, 08:46 AM
#54
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Originally Posted by Sound-Mind
I can confirm this. Just finished mine without removing the end-links. I removed the lead and trailing bar bolts to give me some extra play (these are much easier to deal with). Then I just took my time and worked them out from under the well. It will take some pushing and pulling but it *is doable*.
05-15-2007, 06:27 PM
#55
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Originally Posted by Itch71
Interesting....I didn't have any probs removing the end-links.....course i just replaced them about a month ago so the nut came off no problem. I actually thought you had to remove the links to be able to drop the hub assembly down to make room for removal.
05-15-2007, 06:30 PM
#56
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Oh 1 note for TL-S owners trying this DIY, the Helms manual says you should remove the rear shelf and not the rear seat to get to the rear towers. I went the rear seat route anyways b/c it is actually easier to remove. About a 5 minute job if you have done it before. You will just have to use a short extension to get up over the cap and under the shelf but it isn't really a hard thing to do by any stretch of the imagination.
05-16-2007, 10:06 AM
#57
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The good thing about removing the seats is that you get to clean up all the stuff the kids drop down there at the same time....usually not a pleasant thing to do, if you let them eat in the car!! 
11-27-2007, 02:08 PM
#59
140,000 miles young
NiteQ great DIY I am going to use it this weekend. Question - somebody asked this earlier but it wasn't answered:
Did you cut the bumpstops, leave them in as is, or take them out completely with the bilstein dampers (which I will be using)? I ask because I need to know and I have heard that bilsteins have internal bump stops so I may not need the oem one with them??? Pls help Thanks
Did you cut the bumpstops, leave them in as is, or take them out completely with the bilstein dampers (which I will be using)? I ask because I need to know and I have heard that bilsteins have internal bump stops so I may not need the oem one with them??? Pls help Thanks
07-09-2008, 07:38 PM
#63
GO RANGERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Gone since it's a four year old thread?
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Catfisha (11-27-2012)
11-23-2009, 08:32 AM
#67
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This is such a great thread and DIY I wanted to bring it back from the dead! I installed my Pro Kits and Koni Yellows on Saturday and everything went smooth. The only thing I changed because I hate messing with End Links is that I took the Sway bar bracket off and unbolted the Sway Bar bushing brackets. This allowed enough play to shimmy the rear shock/spring assembly out. Also, I forgot to cut my bump stops but so far it rides really well (all shocks set to soft). Also, NiteQwill says it's a two man job, and I wish I would have had someone help (I'm hard headed like that).
06-03-2010, 03:05 PM
#69
Whats up with RDX owners?
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Pull the back seats out, button cushion first (lift up on the front lip, gently). Unbolt the center console (4 bolts total), unbolt the rear seat cushion (bolts located at the bottom the seat), lift the seat up towards the rear glass, it will slide up. Carefully pull it out of the car (its easy to scratch up the interior panels at this point).
You will be able to see the top hats for the shocks.
Where are you located?
You will be able to see the top hats for the shocks.
Where are you located?
07-09-2012, 12:58 PM
#70
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I know I know , thread revival.
I cannot get the backseats out.
I have the rear center console out already.
It seems at though there are some sort of cables holding in my rear bottom seat cushion. like maybe a sensor or something. It's driving me absolutely crazy, I'm trying to install my coilovers tomorrow and if I can't get the rear bottom seat out I don't see this happening.
My buddy Steven is helping me tomorrow with the coils, so its not gonna be a problem he is very mechanically inclined. (Motor swap/auto to mtx swap) in his car.
I cannot get the backseats out.
I have the rear center console out already.
It seems at though there are some sort of cables holding in my rear bottom seat cushion. like maybe a sensor or something. It's driving me absolutely crazy, I'm trying to install my coilovers tomorrow and if I can't get the rear bottom seat out I don't see this happening.
My buddy Steven is helping me tomorrow with the coils, so its not gonna be a problem he is very mechanically inclined. (Motor swap/auto to mtx swap) in his car.
07-13-2012, 02:44 PM
#72
Whats up with RDX owners?
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The seat back goes straight up to unclip it, then you can squeeze it out of the car.
11-27-2012, 05:19 PM
#73
Hot Ass!
WOW NiteQwill....that's so detailed!!! If only I had an air compressor and impact tools.....
I'm also glad you put the before and after picture; my car sits exactly like the before picture, and it drives me crazy!!!
I'm also glad you put the before and after picture; my car sits exactly like the before picture, and it drives me crazy!!!
12-05-2012, 12:01 PM
#76
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I'm just being myself. I think chicks dig that though. Plenty of girls at her concerts too.
12-13-2012, 11:42 AM
#78
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