I know I may get bashed for thread in several ways but, I need some assistancewith removal on coilovers to install my struts with springs. I didn’t install thesecoilovers to begin with on my car and I’d prefer to go this route. Anyways, Iresearched the best I can on how to remove coilovers put stock struts andsprings back on with no avail. I’ve only run across maybe one link here: https://www.evolutionm.net/forums/evo-how-tos-installations/696788-strut-install-issue.html

So, on to my actual question. Once, I remove the left front coilover whichis fine. It’s the install of the Strut with the spring that becomes an issue. Iget the strut up inside the wheel well and lineup the 3 bolts on top and pushthrough. The PROBLEM is that I cannot get the hub to go inside the strutknuckles but the bolt holes are off by inch - inch and half. I can’t get the 2 bolts to line up and worried about tearing up the cv boot and messing up the inner tie rod? Any help would be great! Again sorry if this is been asked or wrong location!

(yes, that’s cardboard protecting cv boot)

Picture attached:

 

put nuts on the top 3 bolts and tighten them just a bit to pull the whole strut into position it should get it a bit closer to the hub bolts from there you can push down or to and fro on the brake disc to adjust the whole hub assemble to get the holes to line up even closer then when the holes are almost lined up use a screwdriver to help align it the final bit that you can finally get a bolt through one of the holes once you got one through then you can take the screwdriver out and bolt that hole up easy jams

 

Thanks I appreciate that! ...I should meantion that the top three bolts were tightened. Its getting the wheel hub that needs to go downward towards the knucle on the strut.

 

Unless the strut you are trying to install isnt the correct part, which I doubt is the case you just need to lower the knuckle down a little further. Once it's close you can use a screwdriver or something similar to help line up the holes. I find its easiest to use a floor jack and position it under the brake rotor and raise and lower as needed to line it up.

 

Thank you for the response! If loosen the three bolts on the topof the strut tower it won’t put me in better shape than before..reason being isthat I need the hub to go down and the strut tower to go up. I could try anduse a jack or scissor jack to push the strut higher and the bolt holes will becloser. I just don’t know if it will push through the thin metal of the struttower.

 

Forget about raising up the actual strut. Connect the 3 nuts on top where the top hats go through the strut tower and let that be. It is not going to go any higher and you will not go through the sheet metal without exerting a ridiculous amount of force, so dont worry about that. Just get those 3 nuts attached up top.

Then you need to lower the knuckle. It may seem like it doesnt want to go lower as the bushings may be binding or something like that. But it will certainly go lower and Im actually quire surprised it isnt as the spindle and brake rotor are all very heavy. But get a jack under there to support it and lower it down some until the bolt holes line up. Im not sure how else to explain this and its pretty straightforward so you shouldnt have any issues. Good luck!

 

I was looking at a few more pages and such what about disconnecting the front endlinks? will that help drop the wheelhub more? thx

 

I guess it could but you shouldn't have to do that. The only way I could see that happening is if your coilovers were super slammed and the other side is still connected and isnt allowing the other LCA to do down far enough. While it is independent suspension the sway bar can inhibit some of that travel. But if the other side is already out that it's a moot point.

What happens if you try to push the spindle downward? If it were me I would pull the strut away from where it connect to the spindle now get a jack under the brake rotor and lower it down to the right position. Then once its lined up push it back in there.

It really isnt that hard are you are basically there. Maybe I've just done it so many times that its second nature to me at this point but even so its a pretty straightforward swap on these cars.

 

It looks pretty basic thats why its a bit frusterating that I can't get things lining up or moving the direction I'd like to without possibly breaking.

 

Disconnect an end link and see if that changes anything. If there's anything keeping the wheel up on the pass side the sway bar will be trying to duplicate it on the driver side. You may have to untorque your LCA bolts to see if the bushings are holding it up there. The entire front end is off the ground, correct?

 

only the left side up first...with jackstand and jack.

 

That's your problem. I thought of this earlier today but thought it was obvious. Your pass side suspension is keeping your driver's side in place. You need to disconnect an end link (while it's level).

 

Or better yet get the car up in the air remove the other strut and then put both the stock struts in.

 

yup should definetly raise the whole front end

 

Yeah I'm going to give this a try.