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Dude, I like it better like that. I hate more wheel gap in the front than the back!

Wow...that sucks dude! I hated doing the coil swaps. Even with air tools, it's not a quick job!

That's alright. It is supposed to be rainy and crappy this weekend anyway. Hopefully my buddy will let me use his garage again. I would think if he helps me, we should be able to swap all the springs out in 3-5 hours. If it is just me it will probably take more like 4-6 hours.

I was hoping to do my head swap this weekend too, but the gasket kit won't be here in time.

Well, make sure that you post up some new pictures here. Can't wait to see all your hard work payoff!!!!!!!!

*side note* Do you like driving either one of your PT Cruisers? The only reason I ask is that my wife has one as well. Just curious on your take!

King Crab wrote:Well, make sure that you post up some new pictures here. Can't wait to see all your hard work payoff!!!!!!!!

*side note* Do you like driving either one of your PT Cruisers? The only reason I ask is that my wife has one as well. Just curious on your take!

Will do! Hopefully I will get it done this weekend.

I LOVE my PT, and the wife LOVES hers as well!!

They are a blast to drive, handle good, and since both are turbo'd, they move down the road pretty good too!! Mine is a 5-speed with a few more performance mods, but the wife's automatic w/ auto-stick isn't pokey either. The turbo's run SO much better than the N/A's!! I have several unsuspecting ricers with my PT.

thumbs up for another deep amethyst!!

hul kogan wrote:thumbs up for another deep amethyst!!

Thanks!!

I really like that color!

Oh, this thread brings back memories. Lets see how many times have I done this.

1. swap in SRT struts.
2. add 1st gen extra high rates. (Really bad idea)
3. swap for high rates. (still a bad idea)
4. swap for 1st gen ACR springs
5. swap in acr dynamic struts.
6. add eibach pro kit.
7. swap for stockers.
8. swap back on dynamics with custom coil-over set-up.
9. take off dynamics swap back on stock struts.

I got so good at it I could do it in under 2 hours.

Edit: I forgot little trick I learned. if your doing this without power tools. grab a cheap strap wrench cut off the rubber part use it to wrap it around the strut shaft (make it just long enough to wrap around once) and clamp it with a vise grip and then use that too keep the shaft from spinning so you can get the top hat off.

It usually chews up the rubber piece pretty good so probably will take once piece per strut but it saves soooooooo much time and cursing if your top hat bolts are stuck and you don't have power tools or if your power tools are just spinning the shaft. I know its kind of ghetto but it works.

Edit 2: another trick I learned, when you do this have two jacks. use the first one to jack up the hub so that its in the same position as if the strut was bolted to it. Then attach the strut to the top first then use your second jack to compress the strut so that it too is level with the hub. it will now slide right on. should only take 5-10 minutes.

damn dude... you change your springs like I change my cell phones. Speaking of which I think that G1 is calling me...

But, yes. Definitely new pics after the swap!

A nice trick for getting the top hat off the strut is to put a 3" long 1/4" extension thru a 13/16" spark plug socket. Once the extension is thru the spark plug socket, put the 10mm socket on the extension.

Then you can hold the 10mm nut of the top of the strut and put an adjustable wrench on the spark plug socket and break the nut loose without the strut spinning on you.

It works GREAT!!!

2000deepamethystneon wrote:A nice trick for getting the top hat off the strut is to put a 3" long 1/4" extension thru a 13/16" spark plug socket. Once the extension is thru the spark plug socket, put the 10mm socket on the extension.

Then you can hold the 10mm nut of the top of the strut and put an adjustable wrench on the spark plug socket and break the nut loose without the strut spinning on you.

It works GREAT!!!

Works great tell the extension snaps. Yea broke two of those before I grabbed the strap wrench and vise-grip.

Yeah, I broke one too. It was cheap taiwan crap though. I went and bought a good one and sprayed the nut/threads real good on the other (3) struts with PB Blaster Penetrating Spray before I broke them loose.

2000deepamethystneon wrote:

Yeah, I broke one too. It was cheap taiwan crap though. I went and bought a good one and sprayed the nut/threads real good on the other (3) struts with PB Blaster Penetrating Spray before I broke them loose.

After breaking my brothers only two craftsman ones we decided that we needed to think of something else. Guess it doesn't help they bolts where rusted to death. Rust > New England Rusted cars.

since we are on the spring topic which is better eibach pro kit or tein springs granted it will be with eother 17 or 18 inch wheels

Alright......

I swapped the springs out yesterday.

It took me with air tools and with my buddy helping a little bit just under 3 hours to do this.

Looks MUCH better!!!! Rides better too!!

What do you think??

better

Whoo Hoo, Great job.....

Looks 100%.

Air tools + Helpful friends = Priceless.

Wow dude... That looks a lot better... a lot. Now you need to update your sig to reflect a job done right.

looks good man.
great job.

def looks ten times better!!!!!

those tails kill the car...stock ones would look way better...other than that...niceee...

flhmfd wrote:those tails kill the car...stock ones would look way better...other than that...niceee...

+1000000000000000000

Congrats ong etting them on right. Very sexy neon.

flhmfd wrote:those tails kill the car...stock ones would look way better...other than that...niceee...

I am starting to think that myself.......

The longer they are on there, the more I don't like them.

You should tint those tails... That will looks alot better.

Awesome sexy drop!!! What struts are you running? stock or aftermarket? You didnt mention it at the beginning.

mmmm...


what kind of wheels are those?


oh and i think you got it right this time.

Thanks everyone for the compliments/comments!! I really like my little Neon!! It looks a LOT better lowered!!

Mat666 - I am running stock struts for now untill they blow, then I will get a set of Tokico's or KYB's.

FAC3L3SS - The wheels I have are 17" x 7.5" Axis Wheelsite Mesh II's. I like the mesh design, but i really like the deep polished lip. They don't make them anymore.

really tho, get some stock tails...and tint the whole thing lightly with tons of clear and that car would be deeeeeeecent.

Looks awesome! wayyyy better this time around!

oh, and with everyone else, tint, or lose the ricer lights.

"Ricer lights?"

I know....I know.....they gotta go!

I am surprised no-one has given me crap about the tach mounted to the A-pillar.

Actually, I'd say tint the aftermarket tails. I LOVE that look.

Also, drop looks MUCH better. That'll still settle a bit of corse.

Now time to go get an alignment! (something I still haven't done after 1,500+ miles of driving lowered )