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How to line up civic top hat and LCA bolts?

PostPosted: Mon Jun 04, 2012 12:14 am
by couch_c
I reinstalled my stock springs not too long ago and ran into a problem, I had trouble lining up the top hat and the "U" looking piece to the lower control arms, I managed to fit it by guessing and adjusting it as close as possible. Once I decompressed the springs, the top hat doesn't move anywhere so If It didn't line up I'd have to compress it again and adjust it, anyone else know a faster, easier way than this?

Example pic: I have trouble lining up the top hat and the bottom "U" piece to the lca
http://images04.olx.com/ui/10/52/66/f_1 ... 86c8e.jpeg

PostPosted: Mon Jun 04, 2012 3:41 am
by TrailerTrash
there shouldnt be anything to guess or adjust....

take the nut off the ball joint on the lower control arm and break the balljoint free.

lower the control arm.

put the strut in place and put the nuts on the top hat but dont tighten them the entire way.

bolt the fork to the control arm but again dont tighten it down.

put a jack under the control arm and jack it up, make sure the balljoint goes in properly, tighten the balljoint nut.

now you can either jack the arm up and fully compress the suspension and tighten the lower strut bolt up, or you can drop the car and tighten the bolt witht the car on the ground.

PostPosted: Mon Jun 04, 2012 4:56 am
by couch_c
Well the thing is, the top hat needs to be in the correct position as well as the "U" piece that connects to the lower control arm, it only connects to the shocks 1 way and can't be rotated