My Flex's are supposed to be in tomorrow. The shop originally wanted 500 to install the coilovers and the EDFC. This was more than I was willing to pay so I decided that I would do the install myself, I figured how hard could it be right? Plus my kid did his and he said it wasnt that bad except he needed a blow torch to head up the shocks to get them out. That scared me a little I imagined my self banging away on my lexus with a sledgehammer in one hand and a blow torch in the other. Not a really comforting image to say the least. Any way the shop tells me today that they will do the install for me at 350.00 total and that they really dont reccomend me doing it myself at home. I priced out a compressor and impact ratchet/ impact wrench. It comes to about 350. also maybe a little less. I could probably rent the gear from homedepot for less than that. If I dont want to buy it.

I guess the question is does the install lend it self to a diy installation and if so do I need a blowtorch? Or should I just pay the 350 for the professional installation and be done with it?

Thoughts comments?

 

I've installed some Tein Flex on an IS 300, we didn't need a blow torch...but it was hot in that garage though

 

morris - the Flex install may not be that bad, but you're underestimating the effort to get the EDFC installed. There's a bunch of wiring to run and in the front it has to go through the firewall in the engine bay which isn't a trivial exercise. $350 for all of it is a no brainer if you ask me.

 

its too bad your not in fl because i would do it for you for less !!

 

i did the flex and edfc install my self on saturday.. wasnt that bad..bout 4 hours

 

did you wire up the edfc and install the motors and preload them and run all the lines in 4 hours ???

 

well my motors were already installed and the main wires were ran for the edfc.. i had to do the power wire... and install the coils.. thats all.. took four hours.. cuz i had to do other stuff in between..
and oh ya the edfc was already mounted.

 

$350 is a decent price for the installation of both. But, it comes down to how comfortable you are doing the work. If you have no problem banging on the car (if needed), jacking the car up and down (w/o a lift) to set the coilover height, pulling up panels, routing wiring thoughout the car, finding, cutting and splicing wires, mounting the module ... then go for it.

If you are not comfortable, then let a shop (make sure they've done these before) do it. There are people who can put these on in their sleep and will not let a shop touch their car. Then there are those that take the car to the shop everytime. Most of us fall somewhere in between. Be honest in your assessment of your abilities and make a decision that will give you the most satisfaction and peace of mind.

 

350 is a good price i think

the flex is relatively easy to do, you don't need impact gun if you want, coz' you don't have to disassemble the springs/shocks at all

 

Well I am pretty sure I can do it without too much trouble, but it would likely take me at least a full day I think to get it done. Guessing here, plus if I run into trouble I am pretty much on my own. I think it is probably worth it to me to pay the 350. I'll think of it as insurance, it would of been nice to have a compressor and impact wrench set though

Thanks for all the feedback

 

So i am correct in saying that its relatively easy to change to coilovers without any special tools ??? just a socket set from sears.

 

you will need a ball joint removal tool

 

THere actually doing mine right now, I asked them what the big deal was, they said that getting the new ones in isnt the problem. The tough part is getting the old springs and struts out, they also mentioned that routing the EDFC cables from the trunk and firewall area can be challenging

 

Never used one when we did the Tein CS coilovers on mine.

 

Um, exactly what I said above.