chi123

iTrader: (12)

I'm halfway installing my lowering springs and not so surprisingly, I run into a problem. I got all the nuts and bolts off except for the one that holds the shock to the LCA. I tried an impact gun and breaker bars. The bolt turns very little but then seems to get stuck. I sprayed WD-40 on it last night and have tried jacking up the LCA, compressing the springs while on the car, and combination of both but the bolt won't come out. Is there anything else I can try or should I just take the whole LCA out with the shock and see what I can do about that?

scampbell

iTrader: (3)

when i installed mine i took out two bolts that run vertically into the LCA, they were pretty big bolts, you will see them if you look beneath the LCA

laobo979

iTrader: (5)

Should of taken the nut for the shock out first. If it just stuck and out of the LCA thread take a hammer and a extension to drive it out.

chi123

iTrader: (12)

I should have been more specific lol but I was referring to the rear LCA. On the fronts, yes I removed the two bolts that point upwards.

chi123

iTrader: (12)

Okay, so basically when I try to turn the bolt, it turns like 1/4 turn and gets stuck. When I look down the LCA, I see that the rubber bushing or whatever is turning with the bolt and then stops. Does that mean the shock bushing is rusted to the bolt?

Gville350

iTrader: (10)

Very common problem...in fact, my Civic I just sold tonight had that exact problem. But I was still able to install Tein H-Techs even with the shock attached to the LCA. If you want to replace the LCA or that bushing, that is up to you...but it is not 100% necessary. You can remove the LCA with the shock attached and mange to get the springs on.

chi123

iTrader: (12)

I guess I'll drop the LCA then and install the springs like that lol. I'm hesitant to do that since my HKS exhaust piping is blocking the bolt to remove the LCA. Any idea where I can find the bushing?

kab2103

Try using your scissor jack to jack the control arm up and see if that helps. When I had a hard time getting mine off this seemed to help quite a bit. I don't know if you are having the same problem I was but just a thought.

chi123

iTrader: (12)

I finally got my lowering spring on. Had to use like 3 floor jacks lol. One was lifting the car up, one was lifting the arm, and the other was pushing up the knuckle bolt. I got the springs in without taking the shocks out like you said Gville350. It wasn't easy though, a helper would have made things much easier and faster. I hope the springs settle more. They were suppose to drop the front 1.6 and the rear 1 but the rear didn't seem to drop at all. Either my stock springs were sagging or something.

Gville350

iTrader: (10)

Before and after pics?

Glad it worked out for you...its definitely not easy. I had an extra pair of hands...so I bet it was no fun for you.