# HELP with suspension installation!!



## MCHNHED (Dec 22, 2002)

aright... i am installing the following parts on my '96 200SX...

*
1. Eibach Pro kit
2. KYB AGX shocks
3. Koni (or Motivational?) bump stops
4. Motivational rear strut mounts
*

...but i having a little trouble now figuring out the exact order of the parts for the rear suspension. the directions included with the Motivational rear strut mount were rather ambiguous, and the ones on the website were only for the B15... 


i am going to provide a bunch of pics.


*KYB rear strut assembly with Koni bump stop and setup as shown in Motivational instructions...*











*KYB rear strut assembly with stock 'ribbed' bushing underneath strut mount and one urethane bushing on top...*










*so do i do anything with these stock parts in the new assembly...??*

















*for reference, here is the stock strut assembly as it came off the car...*












*in addition.. i am having a little problem using this spring compressor that i got from AutoZone.
i was able to compress the stock spring (maybe cause it was more spread apart?),
but it won't work with the Eibach spring. it only compresses the one side,
making it bent so i cant put the strut mount and stuff on right... here's the pic...*










*am i doing something wrong???*


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## Zen31ZR (Mar 24, 2004)

As far as the spring compressor goes , you may have to get 2 of them , put them on opposite sides of the spring and draw each side down equally.......... It's a pain , but it should work. 

As far as the strut assembly goes , I suppose get it as close to stock as possible.


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## ittamaticstatic (Nov 5, 2003)

Flip the bottom hook to look like the top on the clamp. yeah you need two spring compressors (one on each side) and tighten and them each a bit at a time. put in the new strut which looks good but not sure if the stock boot goes on new bump stop. slide strut into new spring and tighten nut at top. Then loosen clamp a bit on each side back and forth till they (compressors)come off making sure none of the urethane bushings and etc. move out of place. (not likely)


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## motivational1 (Jul 15, 2002)

MCHNHED said:


> aright... i am installing the following parts on my '96 200SX...
> 
> *
> 1. Eibach Pro kit
> ...


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## MCHNHED (Dec 22, 2002)

motivational1 said:


> The B-15 instructions are the same. You have your bumpstop on upside down. No big deal. The 2 red bushings on the top would be better if the protruding parts faced away from eachother, but it doesn't hurt anything either way. I didn't realize they were drawn wrong on the instructions. You can compare them on the website instructions.
> 
> You don't use any parts that I didn't list. Use only the parts on the instruction sheet.



so you are saying that the correct installation order (from TOP to BOTTOM) should be as follows... ?

1. STOCK top nut
2. STOCK gold washer
3. red urethane bushing (w/protrusion facing up)
4. red urethane bushing (w/protrusion facing down)
5. Motivational rear strut mount
6. STOCK rubber ring
7. red urethane bushing (w/protrusion facing up)
8. hardened metal washer
9. New bump stop

so basically... all i have to do differently (from the first picture that i posted) is...

1) flip the top two urethane bushings around so that the protrusions are opposite each other
2) flip the bump stop around


and then somehow figure out how to get the spring compressed enough...


correct??


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## MCHNHED (Dec 22, 2002)

also... what is the setup for the front? the same thing?

and which way does the bump stop go in the front? with the smaller diameter pointing down or up?


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## motivational1 (Jul 15, 2002)

MCHNHED said:


> also... what is the setup for the front? the same thing?
> 
> and which way does the bump stop go in the front? with the smaller diameter pointing down or up?


Yes, you have it all correct now for the rear. The front bumpstops also go with the tappered end down. As far as spring compressor you need 2 Mcphearson strut spring clamp tools. They should have them at most local auto parts stores for rent or for sale.


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## MCHNHED (Dec 22, 2002)

motivational1 said:


> Yes, you have it all correct now for the rear. The front bumpstops also go with the tappered end down. As far as spring compressor you need 2 Mcphearson strut spring clamp tools. They should have them at most local auto parts stores for rent or for sale.



thanks for quick replies mike. now everything makes sense.

and i went back to AutoZone last night and talked to the guy at the counter... turns out that i had the wrong kind of compressor. the one in the picture is called a *'coil-spring compressor'*. what i need is a *'strut-spring compressor'*. i wasn't aware that there are two different kinds. now i know. i'll post more pics when i'm done.


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## MCHNHED (Dec 22, 2002)

*UPDATE: finally done.. with a slight problem*

OK, after i got the right compressor i finished the installation of everything earlier tonight. only problem now is that the FRONT suspension makes a ton of noise!! every time i drive over the slightest little bump its like CLANK CLANK... sooo annoying. i must've done something wrong...  anyone have any idea whats goin on here?


here are some pics for reference...

*Rear: compressed Eibach spring using the correct 'strut-spring' compressor*











*Right-rear side: installed*








BTW - is it a problem that it's a little off center from the rubber piece at the top?
this one was a bitch to deal with and get aligned right...



*Right-rear side: close-up of the strut mount assembly*











*Left-front side: KYB strut with Eibach spring versus stock crap*











*Left-front side: installed*











how does everything look? most importantly is that i find out how to fix that clanking noise coming from the front, hopefully by tonight!!!! i thought i put together the front assemblies perfectly, just as they were stock, only replacing the *struts, springs, and the bump stop*. i put them together in this order from TOP to BOTTOM... (part names are derived partly from an FSM)

*
1. Top nut
2. Strut mounting insulator
3. Strut mounting insulator bracket
4. Thrust bearing
5. Upper spring seat
6. Upper spring rubber seat
7. New bump stop
*

again, what could i have done wrong?? not tightened the top strut nut enough? :fluffy:


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## psuLemon (Apr 23, 2003)

i have the clanking noise too, but i figured out that since i lowered my car, my cheap ass custom exhaust hits, i haven't had time to check it thats what really happens cuz im lazy and it just gives me more reason to get a stromung exhaust and get stronger hangers.. look at your exhaust and see if you can see dents are anything..


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## wes (Apr 30, 2002)

The rears look fine, they were offset a bit on my car... 

With the fronts it sounds like you may be right. It can be hard to get the top nut tightened properly, I used a pair of vice grips in a towel on the top of the strut shaft and hit it ever so lightly with an impact. CUred any and all noises. 

Note do NOT crank on it with an impact and use some for of back up on the strut shaft to keep it from spinning too much.


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## MCHNHED (Dec 22, 2002)

*good shit*

psuLemon - well considering that.. 1) i never had this clanking noise before the suspension installation and.. 2) the clanking is coming specifically from the front struts.. i don't think it's the exhaust at all.

wes - i was actually joking when i said that i must not have tightened the top strut nut enough... but i just spoke with Mike from Motivational Eng. and we figured that that is what the actual problem is. i never tightened the top strut nuts down all the way (even though i still could, thanks to some anti-seize and wd-40).

i will try tightening down the top strut nut and then see what happens. thanks guys.


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## Uni (May 25, 2004)

What's the status on the installation? What is the results.. how's it feel brotha


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## psuLemon (Apr 23, 2003)

they will feel good.. trust me, he just had a slight install error...


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## MCHNHED (Dec 22, 2002)

psuLemon's right. they are real nice. the only problems were that the order of installing the parts was a little mysterious, and then i didnt tighten down the front strut nuts all the way. :fluffy: i was able to speak with Mike from Motivational Engineering on the phone and we were able to clear things up real quick. everything's all good now and i'm very happy.

as far as how they feel... well, they are gas shocks. they make little hissing noises when you go over bumps, which i thought was pretty cool.  they feel very different than standard hydraulic shocks. they are stiffer than stock, of course, with a tighter and quicker bound/rebound. i have the fronts adjusted to 2 and the rears set at 4 and they feel great. when i used to take corners at high speed the body would roll before the tires started to skid. *now* when i take corners at high speed (which i can do at higher speeds than previously) the tires start to skid before there's any hint of the suspension letting up.

overall, it doesn't feel like a standard sport compact anymore. it now drives like a high-end sports car, which i can compare to from experience.


in addition, although this procedure is rather self-explanatory for those who are versed in these installs, i figured i should do a quick write-up that might be helpful to some as a sticky.


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## psuLemon (Apr 23, 2003)

^thats a good idea... i have mine set on 1 because the roads are so shitty in PA, like mchned knows.. but i set mine to act more like stock and ill change them when i race and what not


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## MCHNHED (Dec 22, 2002)

just posted the write-up on the install w/pics. check it out guys. lemme know what you think.


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## Uni (May 25, 2004)

Thank you, Thank you

How does it feel compared to stock



MCHNHED said:


> just posted the write-up on the install w/pics. check it out guys. lemme know what you think.


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## psuLemon (Apr 23, 2003)

just as good or better


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