I recently ordered tokico blues,h/r springs from ebay(JDM enterprise)...I also ordered strut boots/bearings from Dave B. for my 01 max(80,000 miles). I am looking around for a place to install since I am not to familiar with this install. I was quoted a price of $680, $600 and finally 280 from my local nissan dealer. The dealer is the place I bought the car from and have had several things done there and the dealer is good with the work they do. I know $280 (for three hours of install) is pricey but I am sure they will find "other" things that need replaced if I take it to the dealer.. I have inspected my car and spoke with Dave B. and we both agreed that the 01's have good suspension. Any thoughts about this would be appreciated...Thanks..

 

Typically 40 - 60/wheel/corner. So that dealership price seems reasonable....for a change

Make sure and have them align it after they install it, if not, take it to someone who will.

 

Floor jack: $30
Jack stands: $10
Spring compressors: $10
Set of basic box-end metric wrenches: $15
Set of basic 1/2" drive metric ratchets: $20
Needle-nose pliers: $5
Haynes manual: $10
Labor: $0
Total: $100

Learning something about your car, tackling an easy/basic install, and spending an afternoon getting your hands dirty: PRICELESS.

And you'll still get to keep the tools and Haynes manual!

Seriously though, spring/strut install is pretty straightforward with the most basic tools. Take a saturday afternoon, invite a buddy over to help out, and do it yourself.

Even for a first-timer with basic tools it shouldn't take more than 3-4 hours...

Dealer quoting 3 hours labor is hilarious. I can change my entire suspension out, by myself, without a lift in less time than that!!! (ok, so I do have an impact wrench )

 

seriously do it yourself.

 

Unless you run into the problems I did, it IS actually pretty easy. The only place you might run into problems is with the top nut on the struts. Mine just would not break loose, I had to pay a shop $20/side to take apart and put back together my spring strut assemblies. At this point I will tell you the biggest advantage of doing things yourself, you know it's done right. I had to bring those spring/stut assemblies back 3 times because they put them together wrong. So I know those things are in there correctly, I don't have to worry about them.

 

i try to do a lot myself on the max, but i didnt think doing a spring strut install myself, i thought the job was too involved and the person would need a lot of expertise in suspension.... but im starting to think i should have.....

 

Its hard to beat that satisfied feeling when you can say "I did it myself". As an IT pro I love getting my hands dirty on weekends, except when I get grease in a paper cut!

 

Wait till you get brake cleaner in said paper cut.


As the other guys said.. If you can turn a wrench and have the strength to jack up your car and remove your wheels, you can do the job.

If you take it to a shop, expect to pay a couple hundred bucks, as you've already seen.
for a mechanic, the fronts take about 10 minutes each, and the rears take about 20 min each.

For a beginner, plan all day if you're going to do it yourself.


OR.......
Find a more experienced .orger locally in the regional forums, and buy them a case of beer to help you do it.

 

Took another orger and I (who had never really worked on cars before) 2.5 hours to change out springs. No lift.

Lowering it down on the new springs and watching it settle to the new ride height for the first time is so satisfying...

 

Does that mean you'll help me bleed my brakes for a case of beer?

(p.s. sent you an email)

 

280 is not bad from the dealer. Although I am suprised they would put aftermarket parts on the car, most dealers will only handle OEM parts.

I've done Tokico Illuminatas and springs on my car. I'm also in Akron... if you don't think you can do it alone, shoot me a PM. I'd be glad to help, and I already have the tools you'd need.

 

umm yeah, pretty much.
but you'd better catch me before I move to my new house this weekend!

 

Thanks everyone for the answers...Irish thanks for the detailed reply and you are giving me the incentive to try this with some help from another orger...I have done most repairs on the car myself (maf,coils,spark plugs, cai) but no experience with suspension...I read housecor's write up and it doesn't seem that bad except for being careful with the spring compressor...I will keep you posted....

 

So you're going to try this yourself, Paul? I could try and help if you need me.
Or ask SNOMAX since he has tools.

I don't have any airtools. When Mishmosh helped me install mine, it took like 5 hours and he had all the air tools and everthing.

 

Thanks for the offer of help Jason...I will keep you posted on when/where I am planning to do this....My tokico's arrived today and I am waiting on the springs to arrive..

 

Cool, no prob.

 

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Have fun with your

 

its easy as ****, rented the spring compressor from autozone for FREE, jacked up my car had a friend help me and we used AIR tools, took like 5 hours the first time though for all four LOL

 

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