there are no bolts on the tophat, just two nuts


in the rear you have 6 bolts through the lower control arms, three on each side... the subframe, the shock, and the hub / trailing arm

 

heres what you should try first....

2 bolts here... 3washers go behind




and then just the bolt that goes thru the lower strut...
once ya remove those 3 bolts YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO JUST USE YOUR FOOT ON THE SPINDLE AND PUSH IT DOWN and with the two upper strut nuts off you should just be able to simply push the spindle down and pull the struts... out...

AWHOLE LOT EASIER than messen with those other LCA bolts that are so prone to seize up!!!!!


ive heard of TONS of people with nightmares about those LCA bolts siezing up... and if thiers a easy way around touching those its by removing that upper brace which should allow enough flex in the spindle to remove the struts. i wish i tried that before messing with my other side cause even tho the bolts did come out no problems... the threads for both bolts didnt look preaty at all! and i think the bolts where like 7-8bucks each..... but still worth it id say! ya just spent what? 160bucks for the springs... whats another 20bucks

just stick with ONLY buying the washers at the hardware store

 

thast what i meant, my bad

so addiction you're saying dont remove the strut/LCA bolt, just remove the whole strut/LCA assembly, install the new spring and correct the camber all at one time wihtout having to remove the bolt that is so prone to seizing up?

 

no.... you HAVE to remove at least one bolt, there is no way around it

I'm assuming you have read this? https://www.hondacivicforum.com/m_225963/tm.htm
it's for a 92-95, but yours is basically the same.

see this, this bolt has to come out.

for the next step -- "wiggle the whole assembly out" -- it's easiest if you ALSO remove
- the inner LCA bolt at the subframe
OR
- the outer LCA bolt at the trailing arm / hub
OR
- the upper control arm in Addiction's picture, which you have to unbolt anyway for the "washer trick"

it just gives you more room to work and makes it easier for the whole assembly to come out

 

^ yea i've read that, i get how to do it, just trying to figure out what addiction was saying....sounded like he was saying there was some way to avoid having to deal with taht commonly seized LCA bolt, but oh well

 

ya see thiers 3 bolts on the LCA the spindle bolt, the suspension bolt and the strut bolt... by just taking out that one MXS pictured and the upper arm 2 bolts that i pictured you can at least stay away from those other 2 LCA bolts... cause all 3 have been known to seize up... just cross your fingers and HOPE your strut bolt isnt!


i did my drivers side by just removing two of the LCA bolts and it was easier to get the struts in and out BUT with my passenger side i had both the inner and outter LCA bolts seized up BUT luckely before i started blasting heat and drills i went ahead and did the washer trick and SHOCKINGLY the assembly moved down alitle so i desided to put my foot down and tried to pull the strut out and it worked... WAY EASIER than heat and hours of drilling! LOL

 

was your camber off really bad just from the S-Techs? You had afteramrekt shocks though too hey?

And while I'm here, these just came in the mail



Polyurethane shift bushings, will put them on the same day i do my S-Techs

 

my camber with those 3 washers was great... BUT it threw off my TOE...
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e2...ntsheet004.jpg

but my passenger side TOE adjuster is froze up so he couldnt fix it i still have to replace that dam thing.....

 

few pics, o2 simulator finally installed, got a CEL from something else though (sensor heater wire actaully)



also, 2slo4u TOTALLY hooked me up with some blue turn signal bulbs that lightup amber, look great, that was really cool of him to do (he went out and bought them for me and shipped htem to me). Thanks alot man, heres what they look like



and after much bullsh*t, S-Techs are supposed to be installed tomorrow, god damn, i honestly vote myself laziest person on HCF, or the busiest, i seriously havent had a day to do these since i've got the compressors