New Strut problem

[Kanyon]

So I lowered my car last month and decided I needed new struts too.I got KYB GR2s and tryied to do the back drivers side but cannot get the holes on the bottom to line up.The old struts were worn out and could be pushed up high enough to line up but these new ones won't budge.Anyone have any ideas?

[MixtapeMessiah]

line up where? the top the the strut tower or the bottom where it connects to the arm? it was a two man job for me when I did it, I had to have a friend push up on the bottom so I could get the big bolt to go through the hole.

[Kanyon]

Where it connects to the arm. I tried jacking the strut up from the bottom but that wont work.Did you tighten all the bolts up top first?

[MixtapeMessiah]

no I put the big bolt on the bottom in first, hit it with an impact, put the tire back on then after that have a friend lower it back on the ground slowwwwwwwly and put ur hands up there and line it up til it fits into the top holes, I dont know whats wrong with urs, mine lined up perfectly with no problem what so ever.

[Gr1m]

dont understand what your saying, but if you cant get the upper mount on the strut because of the resistance of the spring your going to need a spring compressor

[Kanyon]

No I have the strut together, I put the top bolts in and am trying to put the bottom bolts in.I'll try doing the bottom first later on tonight.

[myowneq]

I know I had to wiggle the arms on my a little to get them to line up. I also had to use a large screwdriver and hammer to line everything up on mine. I don't know how far out yours are. Maybe something's bent?

[Kanyon]

It's almost like the strut is just too long.But i know I got the right thing.

[MixtapeMessiah]

just try what I told you to do, bottom bolt first, lower the car with the tire on and line up the top of it to the holes and it should work fine

[Gr1m]

oh the bottom bolts, get the bottom one in first, then use a jack and juck up on that rubber peiece thats near the rotors to help you get it into place. make sure you hand tighten very well, when i put my air ride in the bottom bolt came lose, caused a negative camber and the inner sidewall of my tire was rubbing against my strut. richie just had the same problem and ending up blowing his tire, so make sure you tighten those fuckers good

[Kanyon]

Theres not enough room to even get the bottom hole lined up.It hits the top of the wheel well.They are the correct struts too I just looked up on KYBs site.

[Kanyon]

This should show it

[TheMeaningOfLife]

How do you have the car jacked up? By the body or a part on the suspention?

[Cliff8928]

remove the stabilizer bar end links. That should get you the room you need.

[Gr1m]

looks like hes got it jacked up by a piece of the suspension and thats why its sitting so high in the pic

[MixtapeMessiah]

dude jack the body up not the suspension pieces. Bolt up the bottom hole first then worry bout the top holes after, just do like I told you if ur jackin the body up u should be good after that seriously.

[Kanyon]

I had the body jacked up not the suspension.Got a buddy to pull on the arm while i pushed on the strut and we finally got it lined up.But then I broke one of the bolts with the impact.Hopefully Autozone or Lowes has one that will work.

[MixtapeMessiah]

go to autozone or napa, turn ur impact down u dont need so much torque for them

[Kanyon]

Well I got it all togother but when driving you can here a rattling nosie that seems to be coming from the top of the strut tower.I noticed it before after I replaced the springs but hoped the new struts would fix it.And no it's not the boot that goes around the inside,already figured that one out.

[MixtapeMessiah]

lol just let them settle and see if the noise goes away, I believe mine had a noise too for a while.

[Kanyon]

I'mpretty sure it's not just settling, it's only that one strut that does it and has been ever since i lowered it a month ago.

[MixtapeMessiah]

wait, i thought u were putting ur new struts on like this week? if you had the problem a month ago of course theres something wrong with that strut.

[BadFrog]

if it dosent settletry tightening the top strut bolt while the car is on the ground, I had a clacking noise when I did it and tightening them down seemed to do the trick right away.

[Gr1m]

Well I got it all togother but when driving you can here a rattling nosie that seems to be coming from the top of the strut tower.I noticed it before after I replaced the springs but hoped the new struts would fix it.And no it's not the boot that goes around the inside,already figured that one out.
you put the washer in backwards on the upper strut mount, i did the same thing one time.

[Kanyon]

No I had that problem with the old strut as well.I'll check the washer when I get home. Though I'm pretty sure it's on correctly. One thing I just thought of though is I used the dropzone springs that say Malibu on them.Could this be the cause?I've heard of others using them before though.

[MixtapeMessiah]

a malibu is an n-body, same as alero and grand am

Wait what year malibu?

[Kanyon]

Newer Malibu, that's what I assumed, just checking though.

[MixtapeMessiah]

ok newer mailibus should work then older ones like 98 and older wont work, so hows the problem now still messed up?

[Kanyon]

Didn't get a chance to look at it last night.Still making noises though.The top washer is on with the opening facing up.Like a bowl I guess.Isn't that the right way?

[MixtapeMessiah]

opening up, flat side down..what type of noise is it again? cracking, squeaking, does it sound like metal on metal type of sound? what what??

[Kanyon]

Metal rattling around.Hard to describe really.Maybe like a rock in a can being shook around or something, I dunno