Quick coilover removal Q

[redlined600]

I searched and couldn't find it..

Do the front stock coilovers pull out as a unit without unbolting the a-arms or ball joints?

Just want to know what I should be prepared for.

 

[animal]

there should be three bolts that you need to remove from the top and one large bolt a the bottom arm. Do not losen the top middle bolt. That will unload the coil from the shock assym.

 

[redlined600]

Thanks but that didn't really answer my question.

 

[Nelsonmd]

Thanks but that didn't really answer my question.

Yeah it does, he just didn't tell you the context. The shock and coil are held together with a top hat by the one big nut in the middle. If you remove the 3 small nuts on top and the one on the bottom of the shock, then the coil and shock will come out as one unit.

If you undo the big nut, you disconnect the shock from the coil essentially, which you don't want to do (it is loaded with alot of energy).

Find a writeup with pics and you should be able to see this. The A-arms and ball joints don't come into it at all.

 

[brian2sun]

For stock struts, that's all you do. But if you're replacing them with lift struts, you'll get a lot more room to work with when you try to get the new struts in if you remove the 4 bolts that hold the lower ball joints to the hubs. Those 4 bolts are quick and easy and the hub just becomes detached. There is no pressing the lower ball joints back in or anything, you just line it back up and put the 4 bolts back in. A floorjack may help getting them back in and remember to use loctite on the bolt threads when you reinstall them.

The reason this is helpful is because when you put a longer strut in there and get the 3 top bolts in place, it's usually to long to get the lower bolt in. Some people use the stock bottle jack wedged between the fender and the UCA to push the UCAs down so you can get the bolt in. Both methods work, but removing the LBJ bolts has always been easier for me.

 

[Nelsonmd]

For stock struts, that's all you do. But if you're replacing them with lift struts, you'll get a lot more room to work with when you try to get the new struts in if you remove the 4 bolts that hold the lower ball joints to the hubs. Those 4 bolts are quick and easy and the hub just becomes detached. There is no pressing the lower ball joints back in or anything, you just line it back up and put the 4 bolts back in. A floorjack may help getting them back in and remember to use loctite on the bolt threads when you reinstall them.

The reason this is helpful is because when you put a longer strut in there and get the 3 top bolts in place, it's usually to long to get the lower bolt in. Some people use the stock bottle jack wedged between the fender and the UCA to push the UCAs down so you can get the bolt in. Both methods work, but removing the LBJ bolts has always been easier for me.

My LBJ's are stock and are riveted on, so bottle jack it will be for me.

 

[brian2sun]

My LBJ's are stock and are riveted on, so bottle jack it will be for me.

You're looking at the wrong spot. There are 4 BOLTS, NOT LIGHTS!!!!

 

[blcktpgsr]

You're looking at the wrong spot. There are 4 BOLTS, NOT LIGHTS!!!!

:lmao::lmao::lmao:that's just priceless funny!

 

[Nelsonmd]

You're looking at the wrong spot. There are 4 BOLTS, NOT LIGHTS!!!!

Hmmm, that would be nice if I am. I will have to take another look at it. Probably won't matter in the end as the bolts will be so rusted they might as well be rivets.

I would have told him anything... anything at all. But more than that - I believed that I could *see* four rivets.

 

[redlined600]

I guess I should have phrased my question better. I was wondering if there was room to pull them out as one unit.

..... the coil and shock will come out as one unit.

The A-arms and ball joints don't come into it at all.

This was all I needed to know, thanks guys.

Not lifting, just putting the '99 tall coils on to fix my sagging rear and give a small boost.

Cheers!

 

[downpour11]

Then your answer is yes! You can pull them out as one unit. But you will need to disassemble them to reuse your tophats... unless the tall coils you will be using are already assembled with tophats.

 

[TheDurk]

I guess I should have phrased my question better. I was wondering if there was room to pull them out as one unit.



This was all I needed to know, thanks guys.

Not lifting, just putting the '99 tall coils on to fix my sagging rear and give a small boost.

Cheers!

'99 talls come out as a unit quite easily. I didn't even take the wheel off when I swapped my shocks last year. Compressing them is a different story. A Gear-wrench flex-head helps with that rearmost of the three top nuts that is a PIA to get to.