[quikSTi]

I'm not finding anything about this by keyword searching, so I'm hoping someone can tell me from experience how to solve my dilemma:

I recently bought an '04 STi w/JIC coilovers installed and decided to switch it back to OEM strut assys. I removed the coilovers last night and put the rear OEM struts on without any problems. But the OEM front struts are about 2 in. longer than the space they need to fit in. I loosely mounted two of the top nuts and am having problems figuring out a way to compress the spring (in order to get the bottom of the strut around the top of the CV boot to line it up with the lower strut mounting holes on the back of the hub). It appears there's no way to get a spring compressor to fit up under the fender, and the axle/CV joint/boot is in the way so I can't get a jack underneath the strut (a trick I've used on other cars).

Any suggestions on how to compress the spring while installing a front strut? Thanks for any help.

Keith Q.
Cary, NC

[Conehead]

Are you doing this with one side of the car jacked off the ground or one end? It's my understanding (ask me how I know!) that if you are doing the fronts then the whole front end needs to be raised in order to unload the front bar (same for the rear). I tried to do mine with one side jacked and had the same problem you're describing.

Kev

[Rev]

Conehead got it right. If you're jacking one corner, you won't be able to get the strut in.

[quikSTi]

Unfortunately, that's not it, but good thinking. I've done lots of strut installs and also learned that lesson a long time ago. The entire front end is raised, both wheels are off, both struts are loose, hanging by two of the three top nuts per side. I tried pushing down on the hub/rotor and only picked up about 1/4-1/2", not nearly enough to clear the bottom of the strut over the CV boot.

Does the front swaybar maybe contact a lower stop and need to be disconnected from the control arms?

[Xman]

the front swaybar doesn't need to be disconnected. I've found that having all four wheels off the ground at once makes it much easier, however only the front can be done. I put the bottom of the strut to behind the axle first, then get the top in position and raise the entire strut up into place. I then swing the bottom over and it goes right into place. If the rear of the car is not raised you may need to push up on the strut to compress the spring slightly and down on the brake rotor to deflect some bushings, but it should go without too much force. Just be careful not to rip the CV boot.

I've done at least a dozen WRX spring/strut installs and the STi is certainly a bit more difficult, but not impossible with the tools you have described.

[quikSTi]

Originally Posted by Xman

I've found that having all four wheels off the ground at once makes it much easier, . . .

Thanks for the suggestion, I'm definitely up for trying it. I have one jack left at this point, and it's capable of lifting the entire rear of the car off the ground at once, which I have never attempted w/the STi. Is there any location under the rear that is okay for lifting the entire back of the car up?

Otherwise, I can use two smaller individual hydraulic jacks, but I need to free them up from the front of the car as they are holding the front up right now. Where's the best place to put jackstands to support the front of the car (hopefully without having to raise the car extremely high off the ground)?

Keith

[Xman]

put the single jack underneath the rear diff carrier. That should solve your problem and really make it look like you are doing some rally service

[quikSTi]

Will do. Thanks, Xman.

Keith

[quikSTi]

Just a follow-up for anyone interested. I was finally able to get the front struts bolted in last night. Turned out it made no difference on my STi whether the rear wheels were on the ground or off - the space for the front struts remained unchanged (thanks for the tip, though, XMan - it was an easy "trick" and worth a shot). Out of desperation, I ended up disconnecting one end link from the front sway bar. Although this didn't increase the space for the strut to fit, it did make pushing down on the hub/rotor a lot easier, allowing me to gain enough space to slip the bottom of the stut over the CV boot without damaging the boot.

I think the reason this worked is because with the sway bar disconnected, the force needed to move the (one) hub downward is half of what it was when the sway bar is connected. If I had a second person to help, it would probably be do'able with the sway bar connected, but I wasn't able to exert enough downward force with one hand (while positioning the strut with the other hand) to gain the needed space unless the sway bar was disconnected.

[Rev]

Well that is strange! When I did have both front ends lifted up, I had enough space to fit the strut!

Both front wheels off the ground, is enough to unload the suspension

Anyways, glad you managed to figure it on your own

[quikSTi]

Originally Posted by STi_Thunder

Well that is strange! When I did have both front ends lifted up, I had enough space to fit the strut!

Both front wheels off the ground, is enough to unload the suspension

I suspect the reason mine hasn't been a common problem is because I removed a shorter set of struts (JIC coilovers) to put on a longer set (OEM). Most people install either same length or shorter struts. I'm betting the control arms had taken a set in their bushings at the location where my shorter struts had extended when I lifted the front end up, and I had to overcome the resistance of the bushings to get the control arms repositioned low enough to get the longer OEM struts in. I guess it won't be confirmed until I do another suspension swap, probably in the Spring.