How to change suspension in BH / BE Legacy

[Marky]

I thought I'd contribute something useful - someone might find it handy

Before picture - this is on factory shocks, and Eibach springs. Shocks were buggered so took the opportunity to upgrade to some adjustable coilovers. I have no idea what brand these ones are - they aren't D2's but who knows, they work and I got them for an absolute steal. Car already has cusco swaybars front and rear (23 and 21mm or so?) and I don't like the wheels much either

So to do this, you'll need sockets & spanners - 12, 14 and 19mm.

Step one - crack the wheel nuts before you jack it up, then get the wheel / s off - no harm if you do just one side at a time (some cars the swaybars make the job hard if you do).

Step two - Undo the two 12mm bolts holding the brake hose and ABS wiring to the strut on either side. Then remove these two bolts attaching the strut to the hub - 19mm ratchet on one end, spanner on the other - they are very tight so make sure you don't round either of them off. I ended up using a pipe to add some leverage to my ratchet, cracked them off, easy done, the hub will now swing away from the strut.

Step three - undo the three 12mm bolts on the top of the strut tower, watch it fall 3 inches and get itself stuck in amoungst all the front hub assembly. Swear a bit, and monkey it out of there. Go you, you've just removed one corner, repeat this in reverse to install new strut, don't forget the brake lines and they are different for drivers / passengers side.

Step four - remove just the back panel of the boot floor to get access to the two 14mm strut bolts - nothing complicated, it just unclips. Does no harm to just undo both sides now.

Step five - Similar to the front, crack the bastard 19mm bolt holding the strut to the hub (leverage or hammer handy again) - mine refused to pop out nicely when pulling the bolt through, even when coerced, ended up having to just wind it out, didn't do any damage - just had me frustrated. Now watch in wonder as it falls on your foot, luckily you had your safety jandals on.

Step six - Putting the new strut in is slightly easier with a friend helping to do up the top two bolts for you, if not just use a jack (there's a sissor jack in the boot remember...) to compress the strut a little and hold it in place, as mine hung slightly longer than the hub drooped to, just lifted it a bit to the point the back bolt slid in. Do up the big bastard bolt at the bottom and the two at the top, and you're finished.

Voila, you have now saved yourself a few hundy in labour and replaced your own suspension. This took me 2 hours with literally one arm - my right arm is broken at the moment so couldn't use it for anything much. Also painted over the red paint someone had done the brakes in, been meaning to do that for ages.

Now go make sure you get a wheel alignment - it might drive straight but better safe than sorry, and take the extra couple minutes to double check everything is nice and toight.

[Guest]

dont forget the cert maatey

well done btw!!! mint write up