dangt84

We'll then... I've spent ALL day fitting some Tanabe front springs to my 96 LS and I'm now dreading the rear!

Some problems come from the bottom mounting bolt on the struts... these were mentally tight! I was using a huge breaker bar and must have "cracked" them both around 15times before they eventually gave in. My 24v Impact gun didn't want to know at all

But most problems from the day were caused by the spring compressors!! At first I used a twin set... these bent... and then I used a tripple set and the threads started to pull on them! Damn do these springs take some compressing!!!

Also very much less than impressed with the Tanabe springs... they problably now only have HALF of the powder coating left on them as it simply flakes off on contact with anything that even resembles hard.

So I'm left with two fitted, but needing painting and two to fit... Please someone tell me the rear is going to be easier???

I replaced the starter yesterday with less fuss that this!

PureDrifter

iTrader: (10)

maybe you should take it to a shop to have them compress and assemble the struts...you seem to be having far too many problems.

and the bottom bolts have a rather high torque value you realize? generally i used roughly a 3' 1/2inch breaker bar, or my favorite, a 1/2" impact wrench (air).

dangt84

Yeah maybe I should have, but I like to tackle most things myself. I'm not sure what else I could have done regarding the spring compressors though. They just didn't seem to want to pull the spring down with any conviction.

A 3ft 1/2 breaker was my choice in the end as well. I didn't have access to Air today.

I've used them to do the springs on my Nissan 200sx (240sx/Silvia) S14 with no problems what so ever but the springs we're far less pre-tensioned.

PureDrifter

iTrader: (10)

its a challenge, but i managed to do my old strut spring installs with rented autozone compressors! lol, and the first time was with HAND tools only (destroyed a 3/8" breaker bar before i busted out the 1/2" monster).

i can do the full suspension on an LS in my garage in under an hour (for coilovers), plus time to put the stupid finicky rear seat back in properly.

dangt84

Well I went round my mates workshop this afternoon and attacked the rear... what a breeze! His spring compressors made such light work of the springs I guess it took me around an hour or so in between chatting and digging out loads of old coins out from under the seats

Hope they are going to settle some though! Still looks way high!