shock removel help please

I haveing trouble removing the front shocks. I have removed the dampner bolt like the books said. shouldnt the control arms drop down now? seprating from the strut. I didnt see any real guides just something in the faq but no pictures at all. Thanks guys

http://www.nsxprime.com/forums/showthread.php?t=84548
post #6 : 2x4 methode rocks :biggrin:

Remove the bracket that holds the speed sensor wire to the lower arm, then you can get the shock out from the bottom.

And no, the arm will not drop. The 2x4 method works for the rear shocks.

HTH,
LarryB

The shock bottom mounts are tight (WD40 helps here and a light coat of oil on mounting surfaces helps when remounting). Use a good set of spring compressors and the struts should slide out with a little tap of a rubber hammer. The top nuts holding the shock to the mount were seized on mine and I had to cut them off (it was fairly soft metal and cut easily). Do use the 2X4 method on the rears. It makes it sooooo much easier.
Good Luck and Happy Motoring!

Thanks for the replies

For stock shock length fronts, I move the speed sensor wire out of the way and use a 2x4 to push the lower a-arm down and some pry bars under the shocks to coax them out.

When installing my bilsteins, I remember using the 2x4 methode in the front too to remove the stock shocks :smile:

Ryuji said:

When installing my bilsteins, I remember using the 2x4 methode in the front too to remove the stock shocks :smile:

Click to expand...

mmm......from past experince I thought the front shock would bind on the upper a-arm if you lowered the suspension, but if it worked for you, it worked.

Regards,
LarryB

im going to try the 2x4 on the front since this has worked for many. ill let yall know how it goes. Thanks

Also use a cloth or towel to protect the cv joint boots when removing the rear shocks.

ok 2x4 works for getting the arms down. well i got them down as low as i could get them. there still just a bit left of the shock left not allowing me to wiggle the shock free. i tighten up the bolt on top push down on the arms with 2x4 and it still will not clear. its like the shock is too long.

Perhaps a little of WD40 on the lower shock attachment and shake it a little to free it from the arm.

Hksdrager7 said:

ok 2x4 works for getting the arms down. well i got them down as low as i could get them. there still just a bit left of the shock left not allowing me to wiggle the shock free. i tighten up the bolt on top push down on the arms with 2x4 and it still will not clear. its like the shock is too long.

Click to expand...

This was part of the problem when doing the front shocks on my car.
In my case, I also used a spring compressor along with the 2X4 to get the front shocks off. Compressing the springs just enough allowed the mounting hat to clear the shock tower.

Yes the 2x4 alone will not allow a stock length shock to be removed. The way I have done it has been to remove rear bolt on the upper A arm.
(See Attachments Photos)
Then I use the 2x4 with minimal effort to drop the suspension down and guide the shock out. Note I leave one of the 3 nuts on the top hat with 3-5 threads engaged to allow the shock to hang. It also serves to pull the shock out of the bottom bracket as you pull the suspension down.

You should also take a look at Larry Bastanza Post #3 it is a different approach but for the same reason he pointed out in Post #8.

Also I disconnect the sway bar and I'm assuming you have both the left and right front in the air (Or all four tires)

+1 on the 2x4 for the rear it makes all this a one man job!

Removal of Front or Rear does not involve any pry bars or spring compressors!

mrbythatmuch said:

Yes the 2x4 alone will not allow a stock length shock to be removed.

Click to expand...

I have removed complete OEM suspension and put on OEM suspension using the 2x4 method several times. It is not necessary to remove the bolt on the upper A arm, but it may make it easier (I've never tried it this way).

First make sure you have both front wheels in the air on jack stands, not just the one wheel at a time. Remove the sway bar bolts.

The 2x4 placement in the last photo will not give you proper leverage to remove the suspension. Use a small little block of wood to put on top of the rotors (if you have small children, go raid their toy box for a small wood block). This will allow you to rest the 2x4 at the 12 o'clock position without damaging the brake rotor shields.

Having the proper length 2x4 also helps. You will have to experiment wih which size works best for you. I normally just sit on the 2x4 and can control the leverage with just my weight on it. This allows me to pull it out with both hands while sitting on the 2x4. You don't want the 2x4 too long, or else it makes sitting on it very hard. You don't want it too short or you won't have enough room to sit on it.

The other trick is to put the key in the ignition and unlock the steering wheel. Roll down your windows in case you lock yourself out. With the steering wheel unlock, turn the rotors by hand (this only works if both front wheels are suspended in air). Turning the rotors almost completely to one direction (I forget which direction) will give you more clearance room to work with.

Use a large pry bar to get the bottom part of the shock out over the control arms.

If I remember correctly, try to get the bottom out first before working on the top.

Good Luck

NSXclear Quote things in full context sure the 2x4 with a pry bar and/or spring compressor can get it out. Lots of people have done it that way leading to many to just say drop it off at the mechanic
Again Note:
Larry Bastanza Post #8 (And my experience has been the same) the 2x4 will only get you so far then you'll have to resort to a pry bar or spring compressor to get compress the shock. My suggestion is to avoid fitting a square peg in a round hole.

NSXclear said:

I have removed complete OEM suspension and put on OEM suspension using the 2x4 method several times. It is not necessary to remove the bolt on the upper A arm, but it may make it easier (I've never tried it this way)....

Use a large pry bar to get the bottom part of the shock out over the control arms.

Click to expand...

The 2x4 placement in the last photo will not give you proper leverage to remove the suspension. Use a small little block of wood to put on top of the rotors (if you have small children, go raid their toy box for a small wood block). This will allow you to rest the 2x4 at the 12 o'clock position without damaging the brake rotor shields.

Click to expand...

A block on top of a block on top of the rotor which will spin sounds like inviting a problem. In the photo above the 2x4 is not on the rotor but rather the caliper mount and with the top A-Arm free No Pry Bar or extreme force is needed. But if you wanted to stand on it you could and it wouldn't slip.

I think I remember attaching the cup of the stock shock (after using a spring
compressor) with the spring with a big cable to avoid the shock to go any
further lower...
Then the 2x4 will pop the shock out


ps : not possible with the bilsteins because the cup is not attached to the
shock

looks like im going to try to remove the upper a arm bolt like in the pic. is the torque for that bolt 43 lbs? doesnt seem right but from the manual that all i can see. also should i put the bolt back in before replacing shock, it will have lowering springs on it. thx mates

I can't believe that you're still experiencing problems removing the front shocks. If you lived near me I'd be happy to come do the job for you.

Have you removed the wheel speed sensor brackets from the lower A-arm? Did you remove the brake line bracket from the shock? Have you turned the steering wheel from left to right? Are you using spring compressors? Is the bottom shock mount binding in the lower A-arm?

Although it is a little tricky, you should not have to remove the A-arm bolt.

Yes 43 lbs
http://www.daliracing.com/v666-5/info/acura-nsx-service_manual_91/9_suspension.pdf

Also see the other attached photo the arrow under the lower control arm is where I placed my floor jack to raise and lower the suspension. I did this when removing and installing the upper A-arm. The reason being there is a sweet spot where the matting surfaces are best aligned. And its not in the fully dropped position. Depending upon the tolerances this connection point will remove/install easier or harder.

Hksdrager7 said:

looks like im going to try to remove the upper a arm bolt like in the pic. is the torque for that bolt 43 lbs? doesnt seem right but from the manual that all i can see. also should i put the bolt back in before replacing shock, it will have lowering springs on it. thx mates

Click to expand...

woo ok everyone i got the front shocks off!! once i took that bolt from upper a arm out it drop out so easily. Now these rear shocks even harder. i took out the sway bar im using the 2x4 but the arms dont seem to drop low enough to get the shock out lol can i take out one a arm bolt like it did in the front?? i pushed the arms as far as they would go and the most i could get the shock out was just in front of cv boot.

On the rear, PROTECT the cv boot. When the shock pop off, it can damage the boot (better safe than sorry :frown.

oh yeah i got it out. i protected that boot heavy rag on top. i pried it out but the problem was you have to pry it to the side. putting the strut to the side of the cv boot. man i wish someone would have been clear about that. all day on that one side. oh well tomorrow 10 mintues on the other. then spring compressor time and reinstall

It seems that you learned the hard way :wink:
You'll be happy at the end :biggrin:

While this is too late now as you have already got it off, I have a method that worked great. Although it is not as thought out as the 2x4, I literally just had the g/f stand on the brake rotor and all the assembly so to speak and push down on it. The front was a strong push and I could pull the shock out and as for the rears, well the drivers side I had to push with one hand, pull the shock with the other while she basically bounced for 20 seconds trying to get it low enough to get out. Although this seems way more effort, it is really rather simple. Oh the g/f only weighs 125 lbs so any one heavier would just make it that much easier. My bro just had to stand on it the first time we did it.