bummed out.

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imported_WRXnate

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so i "attempted" to install my new swift springs today..... and it was a no go. :crybaby2:

i was having trouble getting the nut off the rear lower shock bolt... and it was starting to round over. come to find out after, i should have been using a 3/4" socket instead of a 19mm. but even with a 2' helper bar and the right socket, i couldn't get it to move. probably needed an impact gun

SO.....

then i moved to the front and made some head way. pulled the whole strut out after some work and threw my rented spring compressors on, and started cranking. well the damn things bottomed out and it didnt take the tension off the spring. with out enough tension off the spring i couldn't pull it apart. i didnt know what to do so i threw it all back together.

so i basically got no where, and my alignment might be out a little. maybe it was the lack of correct tools. or i lacked the confidence needed and the know how to go trearing into my new car. anyone have any advice? im extremely bummed right now cause ive had the springs sitting in the corner of my living room for a week. and then today comes and i get shot down. dont really want to have to pony up and drop the cash to have the dealer do it. an hour a corner at $80/hour is out of my price range right this moment. plus i get satisfaction out of doing the work myself. everywhere i read said this is a straight forward easy swap.

:help: whens the next garage day?

 
When loosening the strut bolts make sure the top is pointed at a person you hate the most
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Seriously though, something wasnt going right. It has the same susp setup as the previousl MY right?

If you wanna wait until next sunday, i can help you swap them in my garage. I have air tools and nut/bolt extractors, soo...

 
You had those compressors stretched to hold as many coils as possible right? You should have no trouble compressing them enough to take the strut apart.

 
I feel your pain. I stripped a bolt while trying to put on my exhaust. Sucks. Hope someone will lend a hand. I would, but I would probably strip all our bolts. Best of luck

 
i'm surprised at the 3/4" wrench thing, all the subes i've worked on were 19mm strut bolts, but i know they did change the rear suspension for the 08. surprised its a american bolt though.

if you figure out what to do i've got spring compressors you can borrow in cumberland. did you try the ghetto trick of leaving the car on the ground and taking both top nuts off the struts then slowly jacking the car up evenly?

that and using wd40/pb blaster on the bolts.

 
evan- no i didnt know of that "ghetto" trick. but them may come in handy. as for the 19mm thing. a 19mm socket fit, it just was not as tight as a 3/4". as for the compressors. thanks for the offer. it cost me $90 to rent from napa. but you get the whole $90 back when you return them, so its not really costing me anything. and i tried pb blaster. but it may have not sat long enough. did realize a car with only 1000 miles was going to come apart so HARD.

tyty- i think i had them out as far as i could. i may have not though, didnt bother try to adjust and re-compress. i think i was already beaten at that point and gave up.

lobstah- to be honest...i have no idea about previous year subies. i know mines a double wishbone. this is my first scoob, and im by no mean an expert when it comes to suspension. ive lowered an s10 and my titan i had before this. but trucks are EASY. this car scares me. haha things are way different. as for next sunday..... im going to be heading to pedros for a tint day... so unless its an evening thing. im out for the day. but i would love to take you up on the offer for help. might be good to have someone there that's worked on soobies before. the guy i had helping me was as lost as i was cause it was so different then his car.

andrew- thanks bud. but i suppose i can strip my own bolts. haha

 
Your MY 08 has struts up front and I believe they are struts in the back but just a different style for the double wishbone set up vs lateral links. It should not come apart that hard being a 08 My 08 Forester came apart just fine. It is a 2 person job for a lot of it.

Did you have the spring compressor for struts or reg springs? It will make a difference. Is this bottom bolt the one you had problems with?

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Lateral link set up

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yah basically mine look the same. as yours. the bottom "control arm" if that's what you call it had the threebolts and yes it was the bottom shock bolt. its a 3/4" socket, and i never did get it off. even with cheater bar on the ratchet. i would have thought it would have come apart smoothly myself. i mean nothings had a chance to rust. it seriously has 1000 miles on the car.

 
Sorry the post you saw i corrected and edited it. The first pic is a 2008 WRX the second is the old style still used on the 2008 Fozzy. Just a hint . You must loosen the nut not the bolt. Don't ask me why but the bolt on mine would not spin but the nut did with nothing but a 19mm wrench and just a tap with a hammer on the wrench.

 
no wonder that looked exactally like my car. haha. and i believei was trying to losen the nut. but cant remember now.

 
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