I'm heading into a DIY garage tomorrow to take care of some work on the Fit. Since I have no driveway / garage / tools, yet, still like to turn the wrenches myself, the DIY garage seems the way to go. What's different, of course, is that I'm paying ($30) per hour and if something goes wrong, I can't simply leave the car for the night and come back to it the next day. So, I'd like to go in as prepared as possible. I have a lift reserved from 10AM-6PM, yet it still feels like a lot to accomplish.

If all goes well, at the end of the day tomorrow, I will have:

1. Replaced the shocks, struts, strut mounts, and the sway bar bushings (retaining the original springs)
2. Adjusted the valve clearances (maybe not worth paying the $30/hour to do this as it doesn't require a lift)
3. Changed the motor oil+filter
4. Changed the trans fluid
5. Rotated the tires

For the suspension work and the valve adjustment, I'm looking for How To guides and/or videos to get me up to speed and to know what tools I'll need ahead of time. I've found the following, but, if any of you have links to better / more accurate tutorials, please share.

Struts

• You Tube
  • Some of these YouTube videos are a UK series for the Jazz. I'm told that the US Fit is a bit different, but, can the removal/install be that much different?
• https://www.fitfreak.net/forums/fit-...l?ref=esp-link

Shocks

• You Tube

Sway Bar Bushings

• You Tube

Valve Adjustment

• You Tube
• https://www.fitfreak.net/forums/fit-...clearance.html

Finally, if there's anything else I should consider swapping out (that I can get the parts for today) or checking while I'm there, I'm all ears.

Thanks.

 

If I will be doing struts, I would buy good used springs from the wrecking yard (or even already replaced strut assemblies) and build complete assembly out of the car just to do the swap (done that way on 93 civic, bought brand new KYB rear struts from Pick your part on sale day and swapped them in less than an hour)

 

Yea, I never thought to do that. There is a you pull it junkyard out in Baldwin Park near the DIY garage, but, I don't have the tools nor the time tomorrow morning for all that. Will have to hope the stock springs are in OK shape.

Strange that I haven't seen replacement, OEM spec springs for sale for the 1st gen Fits. Have I just missed them?

 

Here are a few pages from teh Chilton manual to assist the the springs/shocks/struts portion of your day:




Chilton manual calls for replacement of wheel sensor harness clip, to that I say ... bring zip ties

If your flange nuts are worn, wouldnt be a bad idea to replace those (or at the very least, buy a few to have on deck... just in case). If you planned on running camber bolts, now is a good time to shove one in there.

 

for the sway bar bushing, I think its pretty straight forward. but here is a quick image/diagram anyways

 

Rock on! Thank you.

 

Quick update...

Your Dream Garage in east LA is my new favorite place. For ages, I've dreamed of working on my vehicles with a lift and the full bevy of tools. This was the first time it actually happened.

Ended up swapping out the rear shocks (very easy) and front struts. The only issue I ran into was getting the sway bar end links off. The nut/bolt + hex combo was totally rusted and soft. Ended up using vice grips and an air hammer to get them off. While I should have had new ones ready to go all along. I didn't. The shop ordered the passenger side one for me (only one that could be found nearby) and a buddy picked up the drivers side for me. Ended up paying double what I would have paid if I had purchased them from Rock Auto when I bought everything else. Oh well. Used the factory springs with the new struts and everything buttoned up like a dream.

Car rides much better now.

What I wasn't able to get to was replacing the front sway bar bushings. How the f*&# do you get in there? And, once you're in there, how do you deal with rusty hardware with so little room to work!?

 

the oem end links, make me cringe. this is why I went with moog "problem solver" end links, no more stripping hex nuts ever again, grease ready zerk fittings, and beefy as heck!

as far as the front sway, if not easily accessible .... this may be one of those funky situations that call for dropping the front sub frame. (I believe this is the case for gk5 guys, and sounds like gd's are in the same boat) if possible, soak all rusty nuts the night prior, and bring a torch for those really stubborn ones

nice job, I wish i had a lift to work on!