I am close to installing a new suspension on my Y2K3 and was wondering if I should plan on a DIY project or see if I can get a local suspension shop to install it. I am ready to buy the H-tech and Illumina setup but I can't decide if I should install the setup myself or have a local shop do the work?

I was curious if most of you installed the equipment yourself or paid the local shop to put it on the car. If you paid for the installation, what was the cost?

 

It's not hard to do... i was quoted anywhere from 120 - 240 for all 4... then i'm like no way so i went out n bought some spring compressors and some tall jack stands n a 6 pack. Took me good 2 hours to do it saved a bundle.

 

On my last car I installed new struts myself... Took basically all day Saturday and some of Sunday... What you should ask yourself is do you want to spend a good day to do it, and do you want to use hand tools or do you have access to air tools. Yeah, it's not hard to do, but compressing the spring can is probably the most time-consuming part of the install. You'll definitely need a breaker bar to remove those stubborn bolts, and air tools would make things a whole lot quicker. Keep in mind you'll need an alignment afterwards, too. I called Pepboys out of curiosity and was quoted $240 for the install, including alignment.

 

took me like almost a day and a half to finish this strut/spring job. I also put in tokicos and illuminas in my setup and i have my struts set on 2/5 all the way around (soaks up them bumps alot easier). the reason it took me forever is because i spent the at least 4 hours contemplating on replacing my dust boots; I had small little cuts on the rivets of the dustboot. do yourself a favor, order 4 new dustboots from redlinemax and then cut them accordingly to houscors instructions on his website. Do some searching for his website but i believe its just www.houscor.com. no sure however. With all the tools he's says you need on his website is for sure what your gonna be using.

I'd rather pay myself 230.00 to install springs and struts. This was the price a local shop like meineke would ask for for this job. If i could spend that money on some nice A$$ tools for this job then it would seem like i'm hiting 2 birds with one stone: one for my tools and two for the experience.


P.S: You will need a breaker for this job: gaurenteed! use it for the back struts. that huge bolt that holds the strut into place near the rotors is a mighty biznatch to crank off...use lots of PB Blaster or WD40. Thank god it was just one big bolt

 

I just did this 1 week ago. Did it with me and a friend. rented a spring compressor and torque wrench and used my friends breaker bar. This is definately DIY, as long as your have the proper tools.Took us all day with a few breaks to eat lunch and dinner and stuff. Got it done with no snags and was worth ever second of it. Just make sure you have someone strong enough to break those bolts, and someone small enough to climb into your trunk to get the rear shock bolts. Give yourself plenty of time and it'll be worth it.

 

I have a mean scar on the top of my hand from said bolt.

 

I did all 4 struts a few weeks ago by myself. It took me a total of about 4 hours, including getting everything setup and putting everything back away. I can't see at all why this job would take any longer than that.

PS, I didn't need a breaker bar for the back bolt. Mine was tight, but I still got it off using a regular 1/2 inch drive. I just had to hit/tap it to make the bolt loose. The hardest part of the whole job for me anyway was crawling around in the trunk.

 

Yeah getting to those rear strut tops you have to use some u-joint adapters for sure. Definetly a pain in the ***, I had forgotten about that.

DF

 

if you have never done this before, it may take a whole day to do. people here that did it in 4 hours are either experienced, or have had freind's help, that's experienced. just be careful, and wrap your front cv boots in a towel, in order not to cut them with the bottom of the strut.
if you can get it done for $200 for all 4, it's only a days work. pay someone and enjoy your saturday off. if you enjoy working on cars anyway, they you can do it yourself.
looking back at the time i have spent dropping the back, and then the front, i wold have paid someone to do it for $100-200. i am very glad to have learned this on my own, and would not pay more than that to get this done.

 

Took me 8 hours the first time to get my coilovers intalled and adjusted just right the first time i did this.

 

Suspension install is Deff DIY If you have right tools it should be pretty decent.

 

I just used about a 4-6 inch extention and went from the top. Worked perfectly.

 

diy, you can get a spring compressor from autozone for free from their loan a tool program. then all you need are some tools and jacks stands.

 

Thanks for all the good information. I am pretty handy and have a full set of Craftsman Mechanic's tools, but for a couple hundred bucks, it might be nice to drop it off somewhere and have the equipment installed.

I will probably DIM, but I wanted to see what everyone else thought of the experience.

 

I changed my front struts for the first time just following the stickies on changing struts and the information in them is quite valuable. All that I must add in addition is get some PB blaster and spay some on the knuckle bolts and the blaster helps break loose those strut bolts quite easily.

I did it in 4 hrs (1 hr on apprehension will it come out correctly) for the fronts, it is definetly a DIY job.

 

I had a local shop do my struts and springs for $200. What a catastrophe.
I made them do the WHOLE job a total of three times before they got it right. They didn't cut the bumps the first time, and the second time - they didn't reassemble the rear strut assembly properly. UnBElievable!

I'd do it again myself, but I'm not real excited about using those rental spring compressors from Pep Boys/Autozone. Man~ you can REALLY hurt or kill yourself if one of those cheap-*** clamps comes loose. i LITERALLY broke the last one I rented, and decided NEVER to rent that cheap POS again.

Bottom-line: if you do this yourself, KNOW what you are doing.
If you pay to have it done: cheaper is NOT better. Go to a pro who KNOWS how to swap susp. components and LISTENS to your needs (ie: cutting bumpstops).

gr

 

Actually, this apprehension was introduced in the stickies (may have been true but then folks started talking about killing people like they knew someone had actually died) and therefore everyone has latched onto it like there is no tomorrow in fearing folks doing the spring compression.

I loved the Autozone spring compressor (Great Neck Spring compressor) and using this was really safe and cannot go wrong.

http://www.autozone.com/servlet/UiBr...EGRN%7C%7Etrue

Now, when compressing the spring I put the whole assembly on a piece of cloth pointing the hat away from me, put a foot on the bottom of the strut, standing and bending over simultaneously compressed both sides and it was very easy. I started off compressing the first spring like a novice, but then when I had to compress the second I had already learnt the mistakes and got a lot more bolder to try it confidently!!!

 

DIY, I did the swap on my old 3rd gen. It took me a while since it was my first time, but I wouldn't trade it for anything. I love working on cars and believe me it was a whole lot easier then installing the LSD in my 240sx I just sold.

 

definately diy if you don't mind getting dirty..

i just replaced my springs, and it took me about 7 hours... and when it comes to working on cars, i'm pretty new to it..

if i have to do it again (probably will, running stock struts), it'll probably take half the time as i made alot of stupid mistakes and had to go out to get some parts, etc.

also, how important is it to get an alignment after reinstalling struts? if the car drives straight, should that be ok?

 

My buddy did mine at his shop for 75.00 dollars. Put tokico hps on my 03. I am sure its a easy job, but I don't have the tools or patients. Changing my oil and other maintance items i do myself but suspension i will leave to someone else.

 

helped my freind do it on his 01 AE, i ended up doing basically all of it but it only took me maybe 6 hours, and ive never done any suspension work on a maxima before. all i had was a fsm and a lot of time.

 

I was expecting trouble with the two top strut bolts in the trunk because of what I've read here. It wasn't too bad at all with an extension.

As far as what I said earlier in the thread, I have done a couple of strut jobs before so I'm experienced with these. Having said that though, if I could have it done for $200 or so, and I didn't have access to tools and a big garage, I'd let them do it.

 

Well, I have a two car garage and a nice set of Craftsman Mechanics tools, so I really don't have any excuses to try this suspension upgrade myself. In addition, I have a nice air compressor and have been wanting to buy some air tools anyway...so why not take the opportunity to invest in some new tools and knock it out.

Now I just have to pull the trigger on the equipment!