texasmax

iTrader: (4)

Finally got around to installing my Illuminas and Tokico springs. Started with the front end. Have the KYB boots- 3B103 for front, 3B108 for rear. Got both strut/spring assemblies off, compressed the springs, and took everything apart. Now I'm in the process of re-assembling the new springs and struts.

I've spent days going through the FAQs, threads, and sites related to this process, and felt fairly confident before starting. Here's the issue- do I need to trim the KYB boots? If I don't trim them, not enough of the top of the strut (the threaded bolt) comes through when the whole thing is assembled to get the nut onto it. If I do trim them, the top of the boot is not held up on the top of the strut. The only part of the boot that catches on the strut is the very top, which is the first ot go when it gets trimmed.

The stock strut and boot don't have this problem because the top opening of the boot is wide enough that it doesn't hang on the top of the strut, but it's fitted to "stick" into the bottom of the upper perch.

People with this combo- did you trim? And, by the way, did you use zip ties for the bottom of the boot? I'm thinking I need to in order to hold it over the whole piston.

Thanks!

Pic of the top of the strut coming through the un-trimmed boot.


Same, with the perch on top of it.


Same, with the rest of the bracket on top. It's hard to see here, but the threaded bolt is visible but not accessible at all.


Pic of the trimmed and untrimmed boots next to each other.


Stock shock and boot- the boot will slide down the strut, except is notched to attach to the upper perch.

Stuntin' 101

no u shouldnt trim them, and yes use a zip tie to hold them on the bottom.. they should have came with the boots. from the pics, it looks like you cut off the bumpstop from the top of one of the boots. really shouldnt do that..

Stuntin' 101

you have to push the top of that boot down further.. the bumpstop should be on the on the smooth metal part of the piston..

njmaxseltd

iTrader: (19)

The fronts should go down pretty easily onto the piston. Push the boot down about 1/2 way, tie the bottom up and leave it.

The rears are a PITA to get down onto the shock. Spray some WD-40 on that little nub on the shock and inside the boot so it slides over that nub easier. When it's onto the shaft correctly it will be below the nub.

Kevin, did you get your subframe reset on Saturday?

texasmax

iTrader: (4)

Thanks for the help. Guess I need to pick up a new boot now. Sh*t.

Just to make sure, I should force the top of the boot down onto the piston itself (on my setup, its tight enough that it will take a nice hard shove, and once its on the piston, it will grab on pretty tight). Correct? And, any use for the washer that came with the boot?

Stuntin' 101

no tom i didnt.. i called ted on thursday, he told me he still wasnt sure if he was going to have time to do it, and asked me to call back friday. on my way home from work thurday, the passanger front bearing went bad. so i didnt call back to make any arrangements cause i needed to get that fixed locally saturday instead. im planning on calling him again this coming thursday to see what his weekend looks like.. i will let you know.. on another note, i finally got the hub rings today i ordered. tried to put them on, and they were way off.. the genius's at the rim place that measured it, measured the opening in the rim wrong, so there way off... so now i gotta go back there again.. this is going on 2 weeks already for these friggin things..