Thanks for the video. I live in Canada where I have been driving my 2003 civic for the past 12 years. I drenched the lower bolt in Kano AeroKroil Kroil Penetrating Oil a couple of hours before attempting to remove it (the underside of your vehicle is much prettier than mine). I was able to remove it with an air impact wrench and a swivel adapter exactly as you did. I don't think I would attempt this without an air impact wrench AND the adapter as the angle is to tight. I wouldn't attempt it with an electric impact because they are not compact enough (regardless of the available torque). Definitely a 2 person job to put the new strut in. I had a friend basically standing on the wheel hub to get the holes aligned. A much improved ride. I used Monroe Quick Struts. (Not shilling for Kano or Monroe, just thought I'd share my experiences)
God you guys just don't know how lucky you are look how clean that car is for a 2001 , in Scotland that would now be mostly a rust bucket, must be a pleasure to work on your cars.
Nice video. You must live somewhere warm, with no snow ever. I am doing this now and came on here to find a video on it because the lower bolt is completely seized. I have been going at it for 30 minutes with liquid wrench saturating and my IR titanium 750 foot pounds of reverse torque with a 26 gallon 7.6cfm compressor powering it. It wont budge. Live in Minnesota.
The basic guidelines can be followed for the 2000 model too. There will be small differences, but it should be mostly the same. As long as you understand all the steps in this video, you will be able to do it just fine.
The great thing about the quick strut assemblies is that the coil spring is already installed on the strut assembly, so no coil spring compressor is needed. The only time you need to compress the spring is if you are replacing just the bare strut (Not the whole assembly).
It sounds like your last resort before turning to a cutoff wheel might be to use a torch to try to heat up the nut-side of the bolt (The side that is welded to the bracket). You have to do this very carefully though, you do NOT want to allow the strut to get too hot.
We opted to go with the entire strut assembly because it's faster and easier, but replacing just the bare strut is certainly possible. You would just need some additional tools including a coil-spring compressor.
I just saw your comment on heating the nut. This could possibly be where its seized, but unlikely. It is more than likely seized to the bushing. Heating the head of a bolt (directly on the head pointing in) will completely heat the bolt and should get it unstuck. Going at this angle would also prevent you from possibly damaging anything. Going at the nut side could actually cause you to accidently un-weld that welded nut. Then your still seized but it wont come out even when you get it onseized unless you hold the nut in place, which is a tight fit for a wrench. I am a certified Honda tech, I have been working on Hondas since I was 13 years old. If you live anywhere with snow that bolt is going to be seized.
Hi, We have a video on the front strut assemblies on a Honda CR-V, The procedure is actually almost identical to the struts on your car. Check out that video. We have the struts available for your car on our website or you can always give us a call and we can help you find the right ones for your car. Thanks!
Great video, I will use to replace my 2004 Civic Rear Structs. However, you forgot to show the vital how to 2 x 4 wood block technique alignment for mounting the lower bolts.
For this car, did the whole strut assembly need to be replaced, or could you have only replaced just the bare strut? I have a 2001 civic with 160k miles and have not replaced the struts. Just wondering if I need to replace the entire assembly or just the bare strut. Thanks!
Great video. We followed the exact same steps but one of the lower bolts will not come off to release the strut. My question is, if I can't remove the strut, can I simply replace the lower control arm with the strut still attached to it? Obviously, I would remove the top two nuts on the strut. Another question I have... I called a local reseller to see if I can simply purchase another lower control arm but they have no listing for it. Is that what it actually is called?
my rear struts are still ok, its my front ones that are blow after hitting a frost heave at highway speeds, I think I will just rebuild the inner shock and keep the spring
I have a problem, the bottom bolt, stuck on like hell. I hit it with PB blaster, air tools, hammering, you name it. Really stuck on. Any tips to break it free?
If I made a video of me doing this, the car wouldn't look black like this, it would look brownish, rusty, and corroded. The front axle nut alone had 6mm on corrosion built up.
How in THE F*&K do I get the sum-bitch bolt out if the bushings seized to it??? I spend all afternoon trying everything short of dynamite. Nothing. Needless to say, I'll be drinking heavily tonight due to the fiasco I experienced today...! Unless I hear back from one of you with a better way, the only way I can see getting it out is to cut the bolt on both sides at the mount which I'll be doing tomorrow after work... (SMFH and banging it on the table) UA-cam videos in my experience have NEVER been as easy as posted... If I hadn't learned my lesson before, I have now! :-/
this video is only good when rust and seized bolts do not exist,, if you come across lower seized pinch bolt ,, you are screwed!, apply as much heat as you want,,, ain,t gonna help, the bushing will cook
We don't recommend heat on our around the strut. The strut has hydraulic oil and gas that can be affected. You also may have a CV axle and or wheel bearing nearby that if they get overheated, will damage the grease and eventually cause those parts to fail. Heating parts can also change the temper and could possibly weaken the part. We typically cut off severely rusted bolts/nuts with a cutting wheel. This is one of those instances where a professional repair shop can handle that with not much effort as they have all the proper tools. A do-it-yourself job gets much more complicated when that happens. A good pneumatic cutting wheel, punch and hamer can go a long long way.
APDTY I have a snap on cut off wheel with 5" cutting tools, this cant be cut out. There isn't enough clearance to get at it, unless you completely destroy the bushing. When using heat, which is the best bet, because getting that specific bolt from Honda will be both expensive and difficult to find, you don't heat along the bolt (the bushing) you heat the head of the bolt. This there is clearance for, too bad I don't have a torch. But there really isn't anything for you to damage when doing this with heat, not on this specific job.
Thanks for the video. I live in Canada where I have been driving my 2003 civic for the past 12 years. I drenched the lower bolt in Kano AeroKroil Kroil Penetrating Oil a couple of hours before attempting to remove it (the underside of your vehicle is much prettier than mine). I was able to remove it with an air impact wrench and a swivel adapter exactly as you did. I don't think I would attempt this without an air impact wrench AND the adapter as the angle is to tight. I wouldn't attempt it with an electric impact because they are not compact enough (regardless of the available torque). Definitely a 2 person job to put the new strut in. I had a friend basically standing on the wheel hub to get the holes aligned. A much improved ride. I used Monroe Quick Struts. (Not shilling for Kano or Monroe, just thought I'd share my experiences)
Where can i get the strut assembly for rear in Canada ? I went to Parts and Source . They have only shocks. Not the whole assembly.
God you guys just don't know how lucky you are look how clean that car is for a 2001 , in Scotland that would now be mostly a rust bucket, must be a pleasure to work on your cars.
Nice video. You must live somewhere warm, with no snow ever. I am doing this now and came on here to find a video on it because the lower bolt is completely seized. I have been going at it for 30 minutes with liquid wrench saturating and my IR titanium 750 foot pounds of reverse torque with a 26 gallon 7.6cfm compressor powering it. It wont budge. Live in Minnesota.
The basic guidelines can be followed for the 2000 model too. There will be small differences, but it should be mostly the same. As long as you understand all the steps in this video, you will be able to do it just fine.
The great thing about the quick strut assemblies is that the coil spring is already installed on the strut assembly, so no coil spring compressor is needed. The only time you need to compress the spring is if you are replacing just the bare strut (Not the whole assembly).
It sounds like your last resort before turning to a cutoff wheel might be to use a torch to try to heat up the nut-side of the bolt (The side that is welded to the bracket). You have to do this very carefully though, you do NOT want to allow the strut to get too hot.
We opted to go with the entire strut assembly because it's faster and easier, but replacing just the bare strut is certainly possible. You would just need some additional tools including a coil-spring compressor.
I just saw your comment on heating the nut. This could possibly be where its seized, but unlikely. It is more than likely seized to the bushing. Heating the head of a bolt (directly on the head pointing in) will completely heat the bolt and should get it unstuck. Going at this angle would also prevent you from possibly damaging anything. Going at the nut side could actually cause you to accidently un-weld that welded nut. Then your still seized but it wont come out even when you get it onseized unless you hold the nut in place, which is a tight fit for a wrench. I am a certified Honda tech, I have been working on Hondas since I was 13 years old. If you live anywhere with snow that bolt is going to be seized.
thebigz198506 bolt won't turn unless you put a he in the middle first
Hi, We have a video on the front strut assemblies on a Honda CR-V, The procedure is actually almost identical to the struts on your car. Check out that video. We have the struts available for your car on our website or you can always give us a call and we can help you find the right ones for your car. Thanks!
Great video, I will use to replace my 2004 Civic Rear Structs. However, you forgot to show the vital how to 2 x 4 wood block technique alignment for mounting the lower bolts.
Can u take the bottom nut after the mounting nuts or does it have to before?
The broken handle on the pry bar as shown at 1:20 in the video shows the consequence of beating
on the handle with a hammer!
Great video guys!
hey i want to put 2000 Si shocks and struts in my 2000 civic LX.......would they swap over? i want more sportiness without lowering the car thanks
For this car, did the whole strut assembly need to be replaced, or could you have only replaced just the bare strut? I have a 2001 civic with 160k miles and have not replaced the struts. Just wondering if I need to replace the entire assembly or just the bare strut. Thanks!
Great video. We followed the exact same steps but one of the lower bolts will not come off to release the strut. My question is, if I can't remove the strut, can I simply replace the lower control arm with the strut still attached to it? Obviously, I would remove the top two nuts on the strut. Another question I have... I called a local reseller to see if I can simply purchase another lower control arm but they have no listing for it. Is that what it actually is called?
The procedure to replace each side is the same,, but each strut is slightly different from the other side, they each have different part numbers.
my rear struts are still ok, its my front ones that are blow after hitting a frost heave at highway speeds, I think I will just rebuild the inner shock and keep the spring
I have exact same car, can you please tell me if there is any difference between the left side strut and the right side strut?
You just saved me $500.
I have a problem, the bottom bolt, stuck on like hell.
I hit it with PB blaster, air tools, hammering, you name it. Really stuck on.
Any tips to break it free?
What is the size of the nut on the top of the strut and the size of the bolt at the bottom
Unfortunately i don't remember exactly what size, they are normal metric sockets and myabe they were 15 or 17mm.
@@APDTY i saw a 17 on your socket
Is it a big deal if i accidentally switched the left and right rear strut assemblies when i installed them?
Thanks, Good level for the DIY guy.
The screw on the very top of the strut broke. How can I remove the spring now?
buen video amigo gracias
i live in NY and i had to cut the struts off with a saw the bolts are bothed seized to the clamps...ughh damn
Just went through this today lol
You the man
they should bolt right in
If I made a video of me doing this, the car wouldn't look black like this, it would look brownish, rusty, and corroded. The front axle nut alone had 6mm on corrosion built up.
How in THE F*&K do I get the sum-bitch bolt out if the bushings seized to it??? I spend all afternoon trying everything short of dynamite. Nothing. Needless to say, I'll be drinking heavily tonight due to the fiasco I experienced today...! Unless I hear back from one of you with a better way, the only way I can see getting it out is to cut the bolt on both sides at the mount which I'll be doing tomorrow after work... (SMFH and banging it on the table) UA-cam videos in my experience have NEVER been as easy as posted... If I hadn't learned my lesson before, I have now! :-/
1:45 is how I look every time I work on my car.
this video is only good when rust and seized bolts do not exist,, if you come across lower seized pinch bolt ,, you are screwed!, apply as much heat as you want,,, ain,t gonna help, the bushing will cook
We don't recommend heat on our around the strut. The strut has hydraulic oil and gas that can be affected. You also may have a CV axle and or wheel bearing nearby that if they get overheated, will damage the grease and eventually cause those parts to fail. Heating parts can also change the temper and could possibly weaken the part. We typically cut off severely rusted bolts/nuts with a cutting wheel. This is one of those instances where a professional repair shop can handle that with not much effort as they have all the proper tools. A do-it-yourself job gets much more complicated when that happens. A good pneumatic cutting wheel, punch and hamer can go a long long way.
APDTY I have a snap on cut off wheel with 5" cutting tools, this cant be cut out. There isn't enough clearance to get at it, unless you completely destroy the bushing. When using heat, which is the best bet, because getting that specific bolt from Honda will be both expensive and difficult to find, you don't heat along the bolt (the bushing) you heat the head of the bolt. This there is clearance for, too bad I don't have a torch. But there really isn't anything for you to damage when doing this with heat, not on this specific job.
and I thought my civic didn't have much rust