Fit - Coilovers installation

Courtesy: patyong
Link: http://www.fitfreak.net/forums/fit-suspension-brake-modifications/59453-diy-coilovers-installation.html


The following DIY article is for the installation of coilovers on a JDM 2003 Honda Jazz / Fit. It should work on any USDM Honda fit from 06 - 07. The difficulty of this installation is to be considered as a slightly more advanced installation and is only recommended for people who has the correct tools and knowledge.





Required Tools:
- Jack
- Jack stands
- 6 mm allen key
- 14 mm socket
- 17mm socket
- 19mm socket
- 14mm combination wrench
- 17mm combination wrench
- Mallet
- Breaker bar
- WD40
- Air tools – Compressor, Wrench, Hose etc
[FONT=&quot]o [/FONT]Highly recommended
- Anti-seize lub
- Gloves



Step 1: Open the hood and hold the hood up using the rod. Loosen the bolt in which is holding the strut tower that you’re going to work on. This part will be tricky for those cars with stock suspension.

Tips: You may find it quite difficult to remove the bolt, as the strut will somehow turn in the same direction during the process of loosening the bolt. Here is some trick, which works for me; I sprayed the seized nuts with some WD40 and let it sit in for 5 -10mins. I then used an Allen key (wrapping it with a cloth so that it doesn’t damage the plastic area of the car) to hold the strut in position while using a mallet to hit on the 17mm combination wrench.

If at this point of time, you’re unable to remove this bolt. Do not proceed further.

Step 2:
Completed procedure check: You should have loosened and removed the bolt in which is holding onto the front strut you’re working on.

Make sure handbrake is engage and jack up the car. For safety purpose use a jack stand instead of jack to hold the car up.


Using a 19mm socket, loosen and remove the lug nuts that are holding the wheels. If you don’t have an air impact tool, you might need a breaker bar to loosen the bolts.


Tips: You may turn the steering wheel towards the side that you’re working on to give yourself more room to work on the bolts. This usually depends on the size of the tools that you’re using.

Step 3:

Completed procedure check: You should have loosened and removed the bolt in which is holding onto the front strut you’re working on.

Now, proceed to the shocks and you’ll find the ABS sensor attached on the shock. Unclip the sensor by either pinching the tabs or using a flat head screwdriver to depress the tabs. Be very careful not to break the tab off. Using a 14mm wrench combination, remove the bolt holding the sway bar end link to the shock.



Then remove the end link away from the shock assembly.

Removing bolts from end link tips: Some of you might find it difficult to remove the bolts, if this occurs to you, use an Allen key to hold the bolts in position, then use a 14mm wrench combination to remove the bolts altogether.



Step 4: Stock shock assembly removal

Next, proceed to remove the lower two nuts using a 17mm combination wrench and a mallet or 17mm socket with air impact gun.

Tips to remove the two nuts: For those that don’t have an air compressor, you might have some trouble removing them. You can spray some WD40 and let it sit for 5 – 10mins (be careful not to spray it on the brake rotors or brake pads), then use a 17mm combination wrench, with the mallet hitting on the combination wrench in the direction that will loosen the nuts.

With these 2 nuts off, you should be able to remove the shocks immediately. However for those with stock shocks, you may experience difficulty in removing the shock. You can use the mallet to hit lightly on the joint with the other hand holding onto the knuckle so that there’s no free falling involved.



With the shock assembly coming off, rest the knuckle onto a jack stand so that the knuckle isn’t hanging mid-air.

Tips: As some of you might have read Tofuman’s DIY article and he recommended not removing the bolt holding onto the front tower strut. I’ve tried his method and personally find that it’s easier to remove the particular bolt before proceeding to work on the other bolts. This is because it allows you to remove the shocks immediately once you have remove the other bolts.

Step 5: New coilover preparation.

Completed procedure check: You should have removed the shock assembly.
(Read the manual provided, prep your coilovers for installation.)

Depending on the coilovers that you’ve purchased, some coilovers came ready to install but the Ohlins that I bought, needed some parts from the stock shocks to complete the prep process.



Also, you might want to use some anti-seize lub on the nuts to prevent them from seizing in the future.

Also, make sure you’re using the correct side (Right & Left) of the coilvers, this should be stated in their part number. Check your installation manual.

Step 6: Installation

Now that you’re sure that you’ve prep the coilovers. You’re ready to install.
Put the coilovers strut into the strut hole, and then slot the coilovers joint into the knuckle. Using the two nuts to tighten down the joint assembly. Next, assemble the end-link (either using the original one or the new one that comes with your coilovers). After this, proceed to clip the ABS Sensor back onto the shock, if your coilovers doesn’t come design with a position to clip the ABS sensor, use a zip tie to hold it in position. By now, you should have everything in position except the strut tower nut. You’ll tighten the nut ONLY after you have drop the car back onto the ground, this is so that the weight of the car will rest onto the coilovers, allowing you to tighten the nut fully.



Now, check all the nuts that holds the coilovers have been fully tighten and proceed to put the wheels back onto the car, tightening the nuts of course. Level the car and proceed to tighten the strut tower nut.

Follow the same procedure for the next front shock.

Step 7: Rear suspension removal

Completed procedure check: You should have installed the front coilovers at both sides.

Jack the rear side of the car up with a jack and place the car on a jack stand. Make sure that the handbrake is engaged. Remove the wheels



This is what you should see after removing the wheels. (You should see stock suspension set up instead of this.)



Proceed to loosen and remove the rear strut tower nut using 14mm socket with air impact tool. Then proceed to the bottom of the car to remove the 14mm nut using a socket air impact tool. At this point, the rear shock assembly should come off right away. Repeat this step for the other side.





Now you should have both sides of the shock assembly off the car.

Step 8: Rear spring removal

With both the rear shock assembly coming off, you should be able to slot the springs right out from the car. If you’re still having issue removing the springs, you might want to use a hydraulic jack that you have and compress the spring a little till the point it drop off by itself.

(CAUTION: NEVER PUT YOUR HANDS OR ANY PART OF YOUR BODY AT THE BACK OF THE CAR WHILE COMPRESSING THE SPRINGS AS IT MAY FLY OFF FROM THE CAR AND HIT YOU. COMPRESS THE SPRING BY POSITIONING YOURSELF AT THE SIDE OF THE CAR)


Step 9: Rear coilover installation

Now that you should have everything out, proceed to install the rear coilovers after you’ve prep them for installation.

First by slotting both sides of the springs provided by the coilovers you’ve purchased back into the car. Then reverse the step mentioned above. (Tightened the lower end, making sure the the strut is fitted into the hole before slowly lowering the car back onto the ground, tighten the rear struts.)



Done!

Estimated time of installation with impact tools: 2hrs plus
Estimated time of installation without impact tools: One whole day.

Lesson learn: With the right tools, it saves a lot of time.