Anyone installed the Tanabe springs on their own...?

[bobloblaw]

I'd rather install the springs myself than shell out the cash for an install from a shop (I saw THAT thread). I know that I may need an alignment and and some other work done after they're installed anyway, but doing the major work myself should save me a few hundred $$$ (which will then get dumped into a DVD Nav setup or sunroof). I'm not super-experienced with suspension work, but I'm also not a complete moron. Any advice or words of caution would be appreciated. Anyone wanna post a Versa-specific tutorial or semi-detailed description of how they did theirs? I've got the SL, if that makes any difference.

BTW - my rims and lowering kit will be installed this week, making my car finally photo-worthy. I'll post pics after it's done.

[reyes1212]

You might want to invest in an air impact gun lol that stock spring is compressed pretty hardcore and if you try uncompressing it by hand you better be ready to let go of the nut thing because it will "spriong" "bounce" on it and it will hurt like a mother....other than that...on my car i think on a wheel or two the nuts were pretty hard to take off that hold the brake in place (rotor, pads, etc)

[bobloblaw]

I think I have all the tools that I should need, judging by other information I've seen for other cars. I need to pick up a spring compressor, but other than that, I think I'm good.

[HareBrained]

This isn't the recommended method but I was able to compress my Mini springs during reassembly by putting a wheel/tire onto the strut, sitting on the tire and then start the nut on the strut shaft through the center of the wheel. Total weight was ~220 lbs. It took some balancing to keep the strut standing but it worked. (The strut change wasn't planned, so I needed to improvise.)