I'm installing new KYB struts and lowering springs all the way around. I completed the front without any issues but am having a difficult time compressing the new rear springs. The springs coils are so close together I can't get the spring compressor far enough apart to compress them.

Anyone have any tips?

 

Many times a spring compressor isn't need as the lowering springs are so tight they can be installed without compression when the piston rod is fully extended.

 

I tried to manually compress the spring by pushing down on it but no luck.

 

If you have some smaller ratcheting straps you could use two of them. I haven't actually done this but it's worth a try. You shouldn't have to compress them much.

It may be worth it to bring them up to a shop and have them do it. A suspension shop will have a press that does it in almost no time.

 

I was able to press down the spring while my buddy put on the nut. Got everything put back together and now both sides clunk. I realized I forgot to reinstall the bump stop.

 

ouch

 

That sucks! At least it wasn't the fronts though.

 

Took 1.5 hours to remove the rear struts, take them apart, reassemble (with bump stops), rides great!! Thanks for all the useful tips.

 

1.5 hours! - My compliments!

I also replaced my rear struts this weekend. No lowering, just plain replacement (with KYB's GR2/Excel). I had to re-work one side, but the job took me almost two days (incl. 1/2 day of garage clean-up). Spring compression wasn't difficult but I spent a lot of time trying to torque the upper three nuts properly. Those nuts are hard to get to with ordinary hand tools ..... I was so sore I swore I'll never do this again, ever.

However, it's incredible how much better is the car driving now (my front struts were replaced 18K miles earlier).

 

LOL. You have to take off those brackets. Fold down the seats, remove all of the bolts, then you can remove the brackets and have full access.

 

Just did this job six months ago. Those brackets can stay put. You just need the right length extension to get at the one nut up against the back. There is a cut out stamped into the bracket just for that reason. The other 2 are easily accessible. The best way is to just climb in the trunk and lay on your side. Might as well get comfortable.

 

....It takes me about an hour +/- 15 minutes for all 4 struts

 

^^^^^^this is no bullsh!t^^^^^^^^. Dude is a complete animal. He's probably 170 pounds soaking wet but your jaw drops when you see how fast this guy blows out a full suspension job. Well worth paying this guy to do it. Don't even bother trying to help you'll just get in his way.

 

I pulled the inner trunk cover away from the rear seat to expose the bolts. I used an extension with a deep socket to reach the bolt in the back and just the deep socket for the front.

 

Hahahah! This is quite possibly one of my favorite posts of all time!

 

Yep! Exactly the right way to access those retaining nuts!

 

😀😀😀👍👍👍💪💪💪

 

Exactly, that's what I did. And I used all kinds of socket extensions, wobbly sockets, you name it. That's not what the problem was. The problem is that I have a bad back, and more than 7 crosses on my back (perhaps you get the point here, young guys), and climbing into the trunk is fun no more. But ... with what I have learned, I could do rear struts (both of them) in a perhaps 4 hours and I might even shave an hour off, .... if I tried really hard.