Swift Spec R Lowering Spring Post Install Issues - 2020 Civic Si Sedan

[Mike2020si]

Finished up the car installing the swift spec r springs. Lowered the car and impacted the passenger side top mount nut to the strut. Everything went fine and I torqued it down to spec. Now to the drivers side, I impacted it tight and it spins with the strut thread. When I impact it down, the impact will stop. But when I torque it with a wrench, it spins. Keep in mind I wasn’t using the best impact but it was for sure enough because it did one side. I tried getting a go thru kit to use an Allen key to keep the strut in place when I tighten it. But the bolt is maxed out. Same amount of threading on both sides, but the drivers side just keeps spinning with the shock when I try to use a torque wrench as I did on the other side once the car is dropped.I looked at every single forum and nothing solves my issue, everyone says the strut bolt should torque without the strut spinning once the car is dropped - **bought a go thru kit, also tried RE impacting it - nothing. Same amount of threads on both sides but one shock is spinning with the strut bolt and one isn’t. Nut is tight as an MFr to the shock, but they still spin together when I try to torque. It doesnt just spin easily it’s just when I try to give it a lot of torque with the torque wrench it will spin together with the shock. I was using a dewault torque drill. Do I need a big baller Milwaukee? I would assume the one I was using is fine because it did the other side no problem??

Update: redid the install entirely! Impacted the strut bolt to the strut with a better impact and it didn’t spin with the strut. But when I went to torque it the nut still spins with the strut. There is also a minor clunk Im assuming from this, but Car drives solid as hell I did some major checks no wobbles nothing. Wierd. Well see. Maybe my strut is broken

Thankyou for getting this far :/

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[Robdog2232]

Watching, as I would like to throw some lowering springs on mine

 

[Ducota]

It’s supposed to spin. I’d be worried about the one that doesn’t.

 

[m_kluch]

Sounds like youre trying to achieve a torque thats too tight maybe. What is the setting on the torque wrench?

 

[WhiskeyTango]

I've ALWAYS torqued these with a pass thru ratchet and hex key before they ever went on the car. Those nuts typically don't require much in the way of torque either.

Like @Ducota said, I'd be way more worried about the one that isn't spinning, as it sounds like you may have damaged that particular shock.

Edit, you also shouldn't be using an impact for this job. The spinning of the shock rod can cause damage to the seals inside.

 

[vtecr]

You shouldn't use an impact on this. You run the risk of burning up the seals in the shock or chewing the top mount rubber to bits.

Is the nut tight when using an allen key to secure the strut?

 

[Mike2020si]

It’s supposed to spin. I’d be worried about the one that doesn’t.

I’ve heard the opposite. On another thread some guy with the same springs had the same issue. Obviously the strut should spin. But what’s happening is the top strut bolt won’t torque (47 pound ft) also not using a hardcore impact. It’s more of a drill. Every YouTube video I watched they used an impact to get that nut tight, than they torqued it.

 

[Mike2020si]

Sounds like youre trying to achieve a torque thats too tight maybe. What is the setting on the torque wrench?

I believe I was doing 47 whatever the video was telling me to do (“installing lowering springs with no sound” - YouTube video)

 

[Mike2020si]

I've ALWAYS torqued these with a pass thru ratchet and hex key before they ever went on the car. Those nuts typically don't require much in the way of torque either.

Like @Ducota said, I'd be way more worried about the one that isn't spinning, as it sounds like you may have damaged that particular shock.

Edit, you also shouldn't be using an impact for this job. The spinning of the shock rod can cause damage to the seals inside.

A light impact is the only way to get that top strut bolt tight, because the strut spins like it’s supposed to. So you need a quick tightening to get past the strut spinning. I’ve seen everyone do this. Using an electric sub impact
Too not any crazy air impact.

 

[Mike2020si]

It’s supposed to spin. I’d be worried about the one that doesn’t.

everything I’ve read says that once you tighten down the top strut bolt when you lower the car to the ground, it says that the strut bolt shouldn’t spin with the strut once lowered.

 

[Mike2020si]

It’s supposed to spin. I’d be worried about the one that doesn’t.

It’s supposed to spin when it’s off the car. But when everything is lowered - I’ve heard that the strut shouldn’t spin with the strut bolt. It should torque down on both sides. I’m aware a strut spins when it’s off the car haha.

 

[boosted180sx]

A light impact is the only way to get that top strut bolt tight, because the strut spins like it’s supposed to. So you need a quick tightening to get past the strut spinning. I’ve seen everyone do this. Using an electric sub impact
Too not any crazy air impact.

technically, the correct way is to use a pass through ratchet to tighten the nut while holding the strut still with an allen

 

[Mike2020si]

technically, the correct way is to use a pass through ratchet to tighten the nut while holding the strut still with an allen

I did this. And I had the same threading on both sides. However I saw another forum and got paranoid, because once they are both tightened - the drivers side strut and strut bolt won’t torque down and keep spinning together (even tho they are Godzilla tight with the go thru hex) it’s just wierd because the other side torqued to the strut without moving with it once tight. But even tho this nut is Godzilla tight to the strut, it still spins with it and I can’t get a torque reading. Same threads and no drivability issues. Wish me luck boys. Thankyou for the help.

 

[WhiskeyTango]

A light impact is the only way to get that top strut bolt tight, because the strut spins like it’s supposed to. So you need a quick tightening to get past the strut spinning. I’ve seen everyone do this. Using an electric sub impact
Too not any crazy air impact.

There's a reason they put a hex in that shock rod, and its got nothing to do with an impact. Unsubscribe to whatever YT channel you got your instructions from...

 

[Mike2020si]

There's a reason they put a hex in that shock rod, and its got nothing to do with an impact. Unsubscribe to whatever YT channel you got your instructions from...

Hate to say it man there’s tons of people who used this same method. I’m not the only “noob” but yeah will do. i used a dewault sub that was weak as balls. But it did the other side fine.

There's a reason they put a hex in that shock rod, and its got nothing to do with an impact. Unsubscribe to whatever YT channel you got your instructions from...

I’m going to attach a video to be more clear for you guys

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