I just bought a set of Eibach Pros, KYB GR-2 struts and shocks. I also just bought a strut spring compressor for the MacPherson setup. I'm at 201,000 miles and still on my original springs/struts/shocks.

I'm having a friend out of town help me out who I'm driving to who has used spring compressors before and done suspension work on all kinds of different cars.

My question is.....will there be anything else that I *need* to perform the install? I don't want to get out to his place in the middle of doing this and find that there was something else that I should have bought. I hope there isn't because I'm totally freakin broke right now, lol. I plan on replacing all of my suspension rubber like my bushings and stuff in about 6-8 months or sooner if I can afford it.

I've also bought brand new tires from TireRack. My plan was to replace the springs/struts/shocks then let the suspension settle for a couple weeks, then get an alignment an install the new tires.

 

All you need is the spring compressor and common tools. Since your friend knows what hes doing you should be set. It might be a good idea to get new spring isulators, the rubber things that go inbetween the spring and the body (atleast i think theyre called insulators). Im sure those will be pretty worn after 200,000 plus miles. Other than all that I think you should be set.

 

Make your life easier and buy a 4" pipe nipple to use with the compressor. Check the following link for a pic:

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/susp...ml#post3917965

JamesC

 

Ok, I found the rear spring rubber isolators but I'm getting conflicting info for the front struts!

Some places sell a rubber spring isolator for the front springs, like Spohn, and also there is a upper strut mount. Do these cars need BOTH?

 

The strut mount has nothing to do with your spring install and you will not need it (maybe you do, who knows, but it holds no relevance for what you two are talking about, lol)

You're simply looking for the rubber spring isolator.

Although strut mounts would have been nice with all that hardware, they're not needed unless you currently have a problem

 

Sorry, I figured since I was replacing the struts I might need to do the mounts or something too.

I've called around and CarQuest doesn't show any spring isolators and while AutoZone shows the ES isolators for the rear, they show nothing for the front I need them by Friday, any clue where I can score some?

 

With 200K+ on the car, I'd replace the upper strut mounts. Purchasing the springs and struts without them seems to make the job incomplete. You may be surprised at the shape of the insulator (it's pretty protected up in the pocket). I could have reused mine. A quick call to your dealership and/or Spohn and you might have new ones in time. If nothing else, use a length of hose. If you use an OE insulator, save yourself some grief and tape the insulator to the spring when you're installing.

JamesC

 

Don't bother shoping around for the front insulators. I checked napa, advance, auto zone, pst, energy suspension and the only place that I could get them was from GM. They were $20 for 2 and they recieved them in 1day.

 

Your upper strut mounts will most likely be shot with that kinda of mileage. I'd get at least a set of stock replacements. As for the isolators, you can get GM ones or just use a length of heater hose to slip over them that'll do the same thing.

 

K, sounds like I'll buy stock replacement upper strut mounts and some heater hose What diameter heater hose would work the best?

EDIT: NM, I just ordered them from my local stealership and will have them Wed.

Thanks!

 

What diameter are the springs you are going with?

 

Heck if I know, they are Eibach Pro's. They show up tomorrow.

Holy cow! the upper strut mounts are $87 EACH! Crap, no way I can afford that. Hopefully mine are still good

Even Rockauto is $50 each!

I just ordered from RockAuto. 2-Day shipping should be here Friday!

 

K, so I got the upper strut mounts from RockAuto and the front and rear spring isolators from the stealership. I'll have them all by Friday for my Saturday install.

My springs/struts/shocks have all arrived and I must admit to being a moron novice but.......

Looking at the strut I know the top of the spring seats in the upper strut mount and I know the bottom of the springs seats somewhere mid strut but a.....I don't understand how. My struts don't seem to have this bottom spring seat I'll call it? Lol. Please don't laugh. I'm guess that I reuse the one that comes off my stock struts?

 

The fronts are not coil overs. The springs sit in the a-arm while the sturt mounts to the upper mount and the spindle.

 

Ah, gotcha. I was under the impression we had what is known as a MacPherson front strut design and in reading about those on the internet it seemed like it was kind of a wanna be coil over.

I must have gotten it confused with my 1993 300ZX which does have wanna be coil overs in the front.

EDIT: Does that mean that the MacPherson spring compressor won't work? Should I exchange it for a standard spring compressor?

 

Ours is a 'modified MacPherson front strut'. Here's a shot of mine with the spindle off the car...talk about a nasty under-carriage. You can see the Yellow KONI in the foreground and the black spring in the a-arm behind it


And a shot with the spindle in with stock brakes-

 

Sorry, I missed you edit- You have to get whichever spring compressor that works on the inside of the springs I think. I don't remember as I've never used them. I'm sure someone else will know though.

 

Ok. Thanks!

 

Here's another thread that might help you out.

 

The correct compressor is noted above.

Also, be careful of the rear insulator. I understand that the dealership is using fourthgenners. If you should have gotten one of those, it'll jack the rear in up in a most unpleasant manner.

JamesC

 

Do you mean the ones I mentioned are correct?

I don't run my rear isolators when I have my 17s on. Due to my 4th gen rear, the stock wheels sit too far out and I have to run them with the stock wheels to keep from rubbing with passengers on highway bumps.

 

Update: The rear isolators I got from the stealership are in fact 4th gen ones, HOWEVER, they are molded so that the top 1 1/2 spring coils fit inside it. I measured it and it leaves the EXACT same amount of rubber between the very top of the spring and the body as the 3rd gen ones. I think they are GREAT!!!!! It fits PERFECT and is MUCH more functional that the stock one.

As far as the front ones, I used rubber cement to glue them to the flat cut end of the Eibachs. I noticed when I removed the stock ones that they wiggled around and were mis-shapen from years of not being in the correct spot due to spring movement. The rubber cement will ensure that they are always in the correct spot.

I also ended p replacing my front and rear sway bar end link bushings. My rears were GONE totally! My front were alright. I replaced them with polyurathane kits that came with new hardware. I also replaced the upper strut mounts.

Now I just have to wait for my suspension to settle :P My rear seemed to settle almost right away but my front took ~150 miles for it just to get back down close to stock height. It's still slightly higher. Hopefully after another 1K miles it will be right.

I have an appointment on March 20th to mount my new tires and have the front aligned with some semi-agressive camber. Speaking of, what would you guys suggest? 3 degrees? The car is mostly driven on VERY windy mountain roads pretty hard and I hit the road course about once every 6 months for a day. It's NEVER driven simply to work or anything and sit in my garage til the weekends or late night drives...

Thanks!

 

Interesting. Other members, such as Ed Miller, have reported that the fourthgen isolators jack the rear. I'd be interested in your ride height once you've installed them.

JamesC

 

No prob! The rear looks GREAT! I'll take measurements in a few weeks and post back here after all has settled and the new tires are on that are sitting in my living room, lol.

 

When I installed a pair on my GTA it actually helped the stance of the car. Measured at the top of the wheel well: My car sits at 27" at the front and 28" in the rear. Prior to installing them, the rear was at or near the same height as the front. The stance just didn't look right.
Alex,
I would recomend a Baer bumpsteer kit if you are having any steering issues where the car seems to jump left/right when hitting the grooves in the highway. Made a night & day difference for me after I lowered my car.