help with my strut!

[geo41e]

ok..l'm posting this thread for a mate, dom, who owns a 5th gen accord.

he took of the struts, and wus..well..l think trying to take out the spring or something, and u know where u put the alan key on the top part, and then use a 10 or 12mm wrench to unscrew the top? well, he broke the tred for the alan kety by using a smaller sized alan ker or something.

anyway, he wus wondering whether anybody has a strut lying around, or any suggestions to help him out??

thanks again guyz

[Dominik]

Thanks Geoff,

As above, while lowering my car i completely stripped the Allen Key hole at the top of my strut trying to unbolt it :x :x :x

The whole story is this:
* Didnt have any allen keys so i decided to try holding the top of the strut (threaded part) with plyers while i undid the bolt at the top.
* Ended up mutilating the threads.
* So then i found an Imperial allen key sent and tried that.
* I started getting it undone, but because of the mutilated threads the bolt was damn tight near the end.
* Finally the allen key slipped, and every thing we tried hammering in there (inc the right sized allen key) ended up stripping the hole completely.
* Finally decided to cut the whole damn nut off

So, being stubborn as i am, i decided to continue lowering the car. The rear driver's side strut is hand tightened using a nut from the engine bay (same size as strut-top nut, but no anti-slip nylon stuff). Total time taken: 4.5hrs

Incidentally, the rear passenger side took me about an hour (now that i had the right allen key)...



So! Now i need a strut to replace the one i mutilated (drivers side rear). Does anyone have a spare strut lying around? (dont mind if its a little worn, i'll prolly replace all of them soon). Anyone installed lowered shocks lately?
I am driving to Coffs Harbour this friday, and i dont want to do it on this dodgy strut...

Oh, and my car is now half lowered :?

[Dominik]

Well, thanks for the overwhelming replies and offers of condolences :)

I have managed to source a second hand strut from HonBits; delivered to my work for $91.50

The moral to this story is: Dont EVER attempt to dismantle a strut without ALL of the proper equipment. You WILL fail, and it WILL piss you off.

Now i can look forward to doing the fronts tonight!

[Dominik]

AAAAArrrrrgghhghg!!!! FFS, why is this happening to me?

Got the fronts on, managed to injure my finger in the process, and guess what... I threaded another bolt!

This time its the fork at the bottom of the front strut. Luckily it can be separated from the shock. Another $40 from HonBits...

So far i've spent:
$25 - Spring Compressors
$15 - Breaker Bar
$91.50 Replacement strut
$40 - Replacement suspension fork
------------------------------------------
$171.50 total. Plus about 12hrs work

I was originally quoted $200 to lower it by my mechanic. Damn i wish i had taken that offer.

[h22a accord]

u not having much luck with it mate.

i did an enigine swap and broke nothing, sheer fluke cos normally i always end up busting something lol!!!