Ok, I'm need some help this is newbie stuff here so no flaming please.

First I need to get my car lowered and my friend has experience with installing springs, he alos has air tools and offered to help me. How do I go about putting my new springs on?

Second, How do I get my manual mirrors off of my car?

Lastly, how do I take the stock spoiler off of my 92 hatch.

Thanks in advance.

 

I have done springs and mirrors but not the hatch. WHat I usually do is just attack it and see whas going on. Usually makes since to me. FOr the springs, you must remove the spring/shock assembly. Two bolts at the bottom and two at the top to get it off the car. Then use a spring compressort and rmeove the spring from the shock. Install is reverse of this. Dont remember for the mirors. Just mess w/ it youll figure it out.

 

the mirrors are easy....remove the plastic covering....it has a couple clips but its easy just pull. then there are 3 either 6 mm or 8 mm screws and then you pull out and your done. easy.

 

Ok, for the springs....there's 3 bolts on the top. One big one and two small ones. I know you remove the small ones because the big bolt hold the shock in place. Now for the bottom. Where are these two bolts? on the lca?

Anyone know about the hatch wing?

 

Here's the process for the springs:

Front
Remove the 2 14mm nuts on the strut towers.
Jack the car up
Remove the wheel
Remove the 14mm bolt at the top of the strut fork
Remove the 2 12mm bolts that hold the brake lines onto the strut assembly (you may not have these, my '95 does)
Remove the 17mm nut and bolt that runs through the bottom of the fork through the lower control arm

Let the fork drop down and slide the strut assembly out of the fork and pull it down from the car (leave the fork there)

Once one is out, use a spring compressor to hold the spring down so it doesn't shoot out and kill you. Once you have the spring compressed, use an allen wrench to hold the top of the strut rod from turning and take the 12mm nut off. Slide the cap off and then uncompress the spring.

Install the new spring and try to keep the spring ends in the grooves on both the bottom cup and the cap. You shouldn't have to compress the new springs if you're installing lowered springs. Reinstall the cap and tighten the nut.

Install
Slide the top of the strut assembly into the 2 holes in the strut tower.
Place the fork back onto the strut assembly and make sure you have the tab on the assembly slide into the opening on the fork. There is a little dimple on the bottom of the strut assembly that needs to go on the same side as the bolt so it will slide in correctly.
Tighten the upper fork bolt.
Make sure that the 2 upper bolts are in the tower holes and reinstall the bolt through the lower control arm and the fork.
Reinstall the 2 12mm bolts for you brake lines (if you have them)

Before you start driving the car again, make sure that you've remembered to put the 2 14mm nuts back onto the bolts sticking through the strut tower.

Repeat for other side

 

Rear
Remove the 2 14mm nuts from behind the material in your trunk at the strut towers
Jack up the car
Remove the wheel
Remove the 17mm bolts that hold your lower control arm to the car.
If you have sway bars, you will have to remove this from the control arm as well. It should be a 12mm bolt.
Now remove the 17mm nut and bolt from where the strut assembly attaches to your lower control arm.
Bend the lower control arm down and pull the strut assembly from the car.

Use the instructions above to replace the spring.

Install
Push the strut assembly back into place.
You may want to reinstall the 14mm nuts onto the top of the strut assembly to hold it from falling
Push the lower control arm back up and connect the bottom of the strut assembly.
Push the lower control arm up so that the end is back into the slot and slide the bolt in. (This can be very hard and you may have to use a rubber mallet to get the bolt back in all the way)
If you have a sway bar, remember to reconnect it to the conrtol arm.

Repeat for opposite side.

That's it!

It takes about an hour and a half to two hours if nothing goes wrong (which it usually does)

Good luck and I hope it helps.

 

WestCoastStyle gets mad props for typing that all out. I was too lazy, but the guy has it all right. :thumbup:

 

Thanks westcoaststyle, mad props but I have just one question what if my bolts in the rear are seized? I was told I could still do it if the rear bolts seized.

 

you might be able to get away with just taking the bolts out of the upper control arm and leaning the strut out... Not sure if it would clear. I've done everything from breaking the bolt, burning the bushing out and replacing it, to drilling the bolt out. Any way you look at it, it's a pain in the ass...

 

Thanks for the props guys.
I've done it quite a few times if you didn't notice and I would have loved for someone to have written it out for me so I may as well do it for someone else.

I've actually broken the bolt that holds the rear lower part of the strut assembly at the control arm. You can avoid having to take that bolt off by taking the bolt off that holds the control arm to the brake assembly... you can't get that strut assembly out without lowering the control arm (at least not in my experience). If you take the bolt out that connects the control arm to the brakes then you will be removing the entire control arm with the strut assembly. It works, but it's a little more difficult to work with a spring compressor.

Good luck and if you need anymore help post or IM me. I'll hook you up.