DIY: Installing Eibach Pro-Kit Springs

1. Drive-on Floor Lift or Hydrolic Lift (can be done with a jack and jack stands, but will significantly increase project time and risk of injury.)
2. 10 mm Combination wrench
3. 12 mm Combination wrench
4. 14 mm Socket, Universal Socket, and Combination wrench
5. 17 mm Socket and Combination wrenches
6. Torque Wrench
7. Spring/Coil Compressors
8. A print out of pages 2-5 of these instructions for use of the diagrams only. The instructions provided in my thread are more in-depth but you may want to reference the diagrams if something is unclear in my photos.
9. Someone to help you
10. OPTIONAL: An air-ratchet and impact gun to make spring compression/assembly 100x easier
11. OPTIONAL: Floor jack, magnet pen

1. Raise the car on the lift and remove all 4 wheels
2. Use the 10mm socket wrench to remove the wheel sensor harness bracket bolt:
   
   
   
   
   
3. As a general rule of thumb, whenever I remove a bolt to loosen or remove a part, I will put the bolt back in its hole so I don't lose it.
4. Move the wheel sensor harness away from its bracket.
   
   
   
   
   
5. Use the 14mm socket wrench to remove the damper pinch bolt. This bolt is directly below and behind the wheel sensor harness and may be marked with red ink.
   
   
   
   
   
6. Use the 17mm socket wrench and combination wrench to remove the damper fork mounting bolt from the lower arm. You will need to hold the nut while loosening the bolt.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
7. Remove the damper assembly from the damper fork.

1. Use the Spring Compressors to compress the OEM spring about 2.5 to 3 inches. (Enough to reduce the tension pushing on the top of the assembly so that it doesn't shoot off when you remove the tension nut.) Compression (and decompression) should be done at equal amounts on both sides. As such, this step may require two people.
2. Make sure to mark the damper assembly cap (at the top) at the point where it aligns with the end of the spring (at the bottom) where the spring sits flush against the notch in its housing. See my poor picture below. Failure to do so will cause major problems later.
   
   
   
   
3. With the spring safely compressed, use the air ratchet and 14mm socket to remove the tension nut.
4. Remove the OEM spring from the damper assembly.
   
   
   
   
   
5. Carefully loosen the Spring Compressors to release the OEM spring from the clamps.
   
6. Use the Spring Compressors to compress the front Eibach spring and install on damper assembly.
7. Remember to align the mark on the damper assembly cap with the end of the Eibach spring where it sits flush against the notch in its housing.
   
8. Use the air ratchet and 14mm socket to tighten tension nut until you meet with full resistance.

1. The same sort of lift-lower process that was used to remove the damper assembly is required to install it. This time, I used the floor jack to make the raising and lowering of the lower arm a bit easier and more precise.
   
   
   
   
   
2. With the damper assembly behind the upper arm and correctly aligned, first reattach the damper mounting nuts to the top of the damper in the engine compartment.
3. Reattach the damper fork over the driveshaft and onto the lower arm and torque to 64Nm (47lb-ft.).
4. Reattach the damper pinch bolt and torque to 49 Nm (36lb-ft.).
5. Reattach the wheel speed sensor harness bracket and torque to 9.8Nm (7.2lb-ft.).

1. Fold down the rear seat-back and remove the damper mounting nuts access lid.
   
   
   
   
   
2. Using the 14mm socket wrench and an extension, remove the damper mounting nuts from the top of the damper. Use the magnet pen or similar device to retrieve the nuts.
   
   

1. Lower the rear suspension using significant downward pressure, using similar up-and-down movements as before, and position the damper in the wheel-well with the welded nut on the bottom of the damper facing the front of the vehicle.
2. With the damper assembly correctly aligned, reattach the damper mounting nuts to the top of the damper assembly (in the back seat. This took forever! Suggest using the universal 14mm socket and an inspection mirror in conjunction with the magnet pen. Good luck here; major design flaw by Honda).
3. Reattach the damper mounting bolt on the bottom of the damper.
4. Connect the stabilizer link to the brake hose bracket to the knuckle, and reattach the self-locking nut.
5. Place a floor jack under the connecting point of the knuckle and the lower arm, and raise the suspension to load the vehicle weight.
6. Torque the damper mounting bolt to 64 Nm (47 lb-ft.).
7. Torque the stabilizer link to 44 Nm (33 lb-ft.).
8. Torque the damper mounting nuts to 55 Nm (41 lb-ft.).
9. Reattach the lid and the rear seatback.

1. Reattach all the wheels and torque the wheel nuts to 108Nm (80 lb-ft.).
2. Lower the car from the lift and drive it about 10 yds. This will allow the wheels to self-adjust their camber slightly. (Since your suspension was fully suspended during install, the tires will naturally sag a little when the car is first taken off the lift. Driving 10 yards produces several tire revolutions, allowing the tires to straighten back out.
3. Check the wheel alignment (toe) and adjust as necessary. For about 99% of us, this means take it to the dealer and have them do an alignment.

namegoeshere said:

So, you just replaced the spring but not the OEM strut/shock, right?

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namegoeshere said:

Was a camber kit not necessary either?

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xxDaJackalxx said:

According to one Eibach rep., a camber kit is not necessary for a drop as subtle as 1 in. I have heard this elsewhere as well and I believe it to be true.

Should I notice any uneven wear or other issues without the camber kit, I will certainly update. I don't anticipate any problems.

The OEM instructions have the camber, caster and toe-in specs listed on the last page. I would imagine Honda Service. Dept. has these specs on hand too. I suppose one could gently remind the Honda Service Tech. to make sure and check these measurements when conducting the alignment. That is what I intend to do tomorrow morning when I drop my car off for alignment.

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