No need for death sticks on my coilover install!

"Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)" (rduncan5678) 06/11/2019 at 17:40 • Filed to: None

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I was looking up the instructions on how to install coilovers on my Miata since I needed a refresher before I go and do that job some time later this week. Was worried slightly about using some spring compressor “death sticks” for this job, but realized that the way I am swapping them from one car to the other, I wont need them! I will be able to take the complete assembly out of each car and just swap them over without taking any assemblies apart. So it should be a simple bolt out and bolt in procedure. It will take some time for sure since I will basically be doing the entire job twice (oem assemblies out of the new car, FM coil assemblies out of the old car, oem assemblies into the old car, and FM coil assemblies into the new car). Plus arranging 8 jack stands and getting both cars securely in the air and all of that. Since I dont have to mess with spring compressors though, it should mostly be smooth sailing. I recall that being the most time consuming thing during the original install and certainly the only dangerous part. So, soon enough I shall have a proper suspension setup on the new Miata!

CaptDale - is secretly British > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) 06/11/2019 at 17:46

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Much excite! 

MonkeePuzzle > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) 06/11/2019 at 17:56

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“death sticks”

Cash Rewards > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) 06/11/2019 at 17:58

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Thar was part of the reason I went with the Meister r kit instead

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) 06/11/2019 at 18:02

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I’m doing this on the datsun soon. I’m removing the lower A arm, there is no room for spring compressors on the rear struts anyway. 

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 06/11/2019 at 18:32

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I am glad on the Miata there is no A arm removal. It is as simple as removing four bolts and out goes the suspension assembly. And since I have done it before, the bolts should actually come out without gratuitous penetrate required. Plus the impact should be able to fit and make cake-work of anything.

The only snag in my plan is that I had forgotten I wanted to change the bumpstops on the FM assemblies. So I will have to compress them, but those are far easier than the OEM assemblies to deal with and I can do them off of the car at the workbench compressor.

promoted by the color red > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) 06/11/2019 at 18:53

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As a nervous person, I anticipate my Volvo’s future suspension rebuild to take several times longer than it would for most people.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) 06/11/2019 at 19:06

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Good point, I should start soaking the bolts in PB blaster now for a planned weekend operation. 

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 06/11/2019 at 19:21

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Liquid wrench or dont even bother! I have found that is definitely my favorite penetrant that seems to always do the trick. Although I havent tried the often revered ATF and acetone trick. 

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > promoted by the color red 06/11/2019 at 19:22

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It helps immensely to have detailed guides with pictures! But it helps even more that I already went through it once, so I am aware of the most annoying pitfalls that I dealt with the first time. 

Schaef_Camaero Z/28 > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) 06/12/2019 at 13:27

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If you don’t have 8 jack stands readily available, you could get by with 4. Just swap both fronts, then both rears. I have used those spring compressors on my Camaro before, they were a little finicky but got the job done.

As an aside, your STI has aluminum front control arms right? The passenger side steel arm on my Saabaru broke in half the other day from rust. Thankfully I was in a parking lot! These arms passed the recall test 2 years ago too..

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > Schaef_Camaero Z/28 06/12/2019 at 13:56

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Oh there are definitely 8 jack stands available. I use a hobby shop where I can rent a bay and use all of the tools and have access to air. I have to pay extra for a lift ($2 per hour for a flat stall, $8 per hour with a lift) so assuming a lift doesnt save me 4x the amount of time, its generally worth just using jack stands. The harder part is finding four equal height jack stands usually, but that can be remedied by just setting them to the right height, even if they dont look the same. I could also just bring in my set of four anyways, I seem to bring in the majority of my own tools anyways. Its just nice to have access to a bigger catalog of random tools which make my life easier sometimes.

I didnt know that my control arms were aluminum (thought hadnt occurred to me that that was a thing) but with a quick google I guess that is the case. Thankfully rust is not really a thing in Socal though so either way I shouldnt have that problem. Not a spec of rust anywhere on or under that car. 

Schaef_Camaero Z/28 > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) 06/12/2019 at 14:16

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Ah, that sounds like a pretty awesome place to get your work done! The only downside I can see is that you can’t leave your car there.. my projects tend to drag out for too long ... lol

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > Schaef_Camaero Z/28 06/12/2019 at 16:27

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Oh I can leave my car there too, its a pretty reasonable overnight rate ($10) and you dont also get charged for the hours not working but still in the bay. The only issue is having a way home if I do that. So effectively that means I need to finish to a point to be able to drive home. Generally it just means I have to make sure to break projects into smaller chunks and just have to work on things for a couple hours here or there. I have used that overnight feature when working on my other Miata since that is being stored in the back lot and it made it easier than dragging it in and out since I was coming back the next day.

I cant even open my hood at home so I there is absolutely no work getting done there unless I want to street park it someplace sketchy where nobody will bother me, but I dont want to do work on the street either. Its unfortunate because my space in the parking garage at home is pretty large and its generally quiet enough that I could easily do an engine swap without bothering anyone there, given a few weeks to tinker on it. But you know, stupid apartment lease rules..