does anyone have any recommendations/help:

I'm in dallas for spring break and I got stock suspension for an 07' ap2 with springs that'll drop me 1". I bought these from the north texas forum's community head who's a pretty reputable guy. I've also been pretty good friends with another forum member since last year who was going to put on the new suspension for me. Here's the issue we ran into:

For the driver side, the bolt that goes through the fork was not coming loose. It was pulling out the rubber part but still not actually loosening up. My friend recommended that I might just need an entire new part through which that bolt runs (i'll post the name when he replies to my text tomorrow). Does anyone know if there's a way around this or have any tools that may just loosen up that bolt.

lastly, if this can easily be done/fixed, I'll prolly be bringing the suspension back to st. louis since break's almost over and we wont have time down here to finish this. Can anyone help me put on the new suspension?

 

If you have a garage and if you're close to me I wouldn't mind helping you! Let me know!

 

thanks! i dont have a closed garage. i live at SLU so just have an apartment garage - we can go to the roof and park in the open?

1) i'll needa borrow tools from someone or rent em i guess
2) this is all pending on the bolt situation

 

It's a really tough job to tackle if you don't have all the tools readily accessible to you. Just letting you know now.

 

might want to pm ntenseone from the southern mo group. he is a guru on tires and suspension. not sure how many ppl have their cars lowered in the stl group.

 

Done it twice on my S2000.

 

Make sure you have the swaybar unhooked - this will help you. The spring is preloaded and it is still pushing down on the control arm - you have to find the sweet spot where there is no force on the bolt to pull it out.

Your other option is to use your 17mm socket on the hex head end and continue to loosen the bolt while pushing on the other end with a punch/screwdriver/something else that will force it out.

If the rubber bushing is pulling out of the control arm then you are going to need a new control arm. Stop what you are doing and get that right away. I don't think you will want to drive the car anywhere with it like that.

Mugen also sells a replacement bushing - that might be a cheaper alternative.



I'm down in the West End on the weekends - if you can't figure it out I can come take a look at it and see whats up.

 

hey guys, the lower shock bolt is seized in the steel sleeve of the rubber bushing on the lower control arm. i doused it with wd40, and tried a breaker bar which tore the rubber bushing. the steel sleeve was still not coming out, it was just spreading the shock fork apart. i'm think the bolt will have to be cut to get it out. can somebody up there in MO help him?

 

Yikes - yup he's definitely doing to need a new bushing/control arm.

Best bet is just to cut the bolt off and then replace the whole CA/bushing.

Mugen Bushings from King Motorsports are $132 a pair. Control arms are $200 each from Majestic Honda.

Labor is a tradeoff - all you need with the bushing is to get the shock out of the way and then burn out the old bushing with an Oxy-Acetylene torch (propane works too but it takes forever). To replace the CA you obviously have to do a lot more wrenching.

 

^ yes, i have changed mine out before too. i found a used one for $60 shipped for mine. but if the bushing can be pressed out and reused.... i have a spare CA, it's just the wrong side. on majestic they show the bushing is non serviceable. has anyone swapped bushings before?