spring work ahead!

[xlar86x]

Hey guys and gals! i recently discovered quite a few things wrong with my 91 rs. my front left strut is leaking. my idler arm is bad. and i have no front right stabilizer link bar. also want to replace my lower ball joints. now im a do it yourself kind of guy and im familiar with this kind of work as ive replacedthe suspension on my mx5 a while back but i know they are 2 diffrent cars. whats the difficulty involved in this project are any special tools going to be required? are there any tips or trick to making this easier? and will i need a wheel alighnment afterwards? also ive searched around the internet and am having trouble finding any kind of steps to complete these procedures. any help would be greatly appreciated!

[WildBillyT]

Do both front struts. You will need a strut compressor to do so.

How rusty is the car? None of this stuff is too crazy.

[xlar86x]

its not too rusty that ive noticed but everything looks original. i can see that im going to end up replacing the whole front end. ill have to see if i can rent a strut compressor from a parts store. i had a feeling that i was gonna need some kind of special tool.

[WildBillyT]

Originally Posted by xlar86x

its not too rusty that ive noticed but everything looks original. i can see that im going to end up replacing the whole front end. ill have to see if i can rent a strut compressor from a parts store. i had a feeling that i was gonna need some kind of special tool.

You might be able to remove the struts as assemblies and take them to a local shop to get the springs switched over.

[xlar86x]

your saying that id be able to take the whole spring/strut assembly out as a whole and then bring to a shop and let them swap out the struts and then reinstall. meaning i could avoid renting a strut compressor ?

[V]

Originally Posted by xlar86x

your saying that id be able to take the whole spring/strut assembly out as a whole and then bring to a shop and let them swap out the struts and then reinstall. meaning i could avoid renting a strut compressor ?

no no no... you cannot. not on a 3rd gen. the spring is separate from the shock. you need to compress it in the car unbolt shock and release pressure slowly.

[BonzoHansen]

yeah, springs are coils up in the frame to the LCA like in a 2nd gen. Struts have no springs. not like 4th gens. there is nothing to compress

yes, after you do the idler (and probably the center link) and the ball joints get it aligned.

[WildBillyT]

Originally Posted by xlar86x

your saying that id be able to take the whole spring/strut assembly out as a whole and then bring to a shop and let them swap out the struts and then reinstall. meaning i could avoid renting a strut compressor ?

Nevermind, got my generations mixed up. V's got the right idea.

[xlar86x]

when you say release pressure slowly what are you talking about , the spring?
and when i install the new strut do i need to compress the spring again?

[Paul Huryk]

You can change the struts without removing the springs on the 3rd gens. You put the car in the air, place a jack under the front control arm snug (zero play), unbolt the 3 bolts holding the strut to the front control arm and tower and replace. You won't be so far off in alignment vs prior that way, but you should have an alignment done anyway.

Springs are more involved as you will need to compress the OEM springs to get them out and may have to do the same putting new ones in. You absolutely have to align the front end after a spring change.

[BonzoHansen]

well, not to get them out. i've always chained them and then slowly lowered that floor jack until the spring comes out. Putting them back in maybe needs a compressor.

[xlar86x]

Originally Posted by Paul Huryk

You can change the struts without removing the springs on the 3rd gens. You put the car in the air, place a jack under the front control arm snug (zero play), unbolt the 3 bolts holding the strut to the front control arm and tower and replace. You won't be so far off in alignment vs prior that way, but you should have an alignment done anyway.

Springs are more involved as you will need to compress the OEM springs to get them out and may have to do the same putting new ones in. You absolutely have to align the front end after a spring change.

i see what your saying here about the struts. but when replacing the strut wont it be difficult to compress the strut to get it back in place? or am i to use the jack to compress the strut back in place?

[BonzoHansen]

best pic I can find on short notice. there is nothing to compress



here is one installed. you can see the spring mounted between the frame & LCA




this shows spring removal & some pics, but gets into brakes and other things we are not talking about: http://lukeskaff.com/?page_id=400


it's not like a 4th gen:

[xlar86x]

sweet!!!!! thats awesome!!! i havent gotten out there or taken the wheel off to see for myself yet. wow this is gonna be alot easier then i thought! i thought the strut went through the spring . but since its seperate it will make life alot easier! my next question is the idler arm. are there bushings on it that im going to need to be pressed on? or can i buy i pre pressed idler arm?

[BonzoHansen]

nope, buy it and replace it. before you buy anything check everything.

[greenformula92]

yeah 3rd gen front suspension is a piece of cake

[xlar86x]

is the rear end suspension the same as the front? as in how the strut does not go throught the spring ?

[sweetbmxrider]

Its a shock bolted to the rear. You unbolt them with the rear supported by a floor jack, lower the rear slowly, and the coil springs basically fall out.