Hi all,
I've looked around for a video on how to replace the old front struts/springs with a whole new assembly but haven't found one specifically for a second-generation Honda Fit Sport. I found a great video on YouTube for the rear struts and that looks pretty simple but I can't find one for changing out the old strut/spring assembly on the front or the torques. This assembly, by the way is now on sale on Rock Auto's site in case anyone wants a pretty good deal. I've got my list made out there and for the two rear struts and the two front strut/spring assemblies, I pay $329.03 after discounts for KYB's. So, would anyone know of a good instructional video on replacing the front assemblies? Never done it before and need instruction before I attempt or even buy the parts. Thank you for any links and have a great day. (And KYB gives me $50 off that price through a rebate.)

 

Service manual on strut job. The pages might be out of order, I'm uploading on mobile. Anywho, easy to do.

 

Thanks for the info. I'm not too good at drawings but I'll take the wheel off today to have a look. Thanks again!

 

Not a fan of the choice of music but video of it being done.

 

Edit: YouTube link removed. Red beat me to it.

Torque values are all there in reds post. Make sure you buy a pair of SM5654 if you haven’t already. Consider having an impact wrench handy before you start.

 

Thank you for the video. He runs through it quickly and I'll have to have a close look at my own to see if it looks doable but since I won't be removing the springs because I will be getting the whole assembly, it should be a faster process. Lookin at it today! And hey, if anyone is thinking of doing this to all four of your wheels, I doubt you will find a better deal anywhere, with the rebate from KYB at $50 off all four. (My total cost for all four wheels will be $279.03 delivered) And here is a video on doing the rear which looks much easier because the spring is not involved.

 

Thanks but I think the SM5654 comes with the front strut assemblies? And no impact wrench here. Not even a garage to work in---livin in an apartment but will spraying the bolts, the night before with a lubricant help me to get the bolts off? Here's a pic of the assemblies of the new front struts. But it looks like I'll have to pick up some silicone lub for the job! Thank you!

 

Okay, got them ordered. Should arrive in two days! It will be so nice riding in the car without it bottoming out! Thank you all for the help. Much appreciated.

 

Assuming the picture is accurate with everything it comes with, then yeah, no need to order the mounts.

Not trying to scare you here or anything but it all depends on your luck. I started doing mine on the passenger side and it came off without any issue. I don't even think I used penetrating lubricant. Maybe a breaker bar on the two main bolts. But otherwise things went smoothly. The drivers side.... this was the beast from hell. It was as if the person who assembled this on the line had desecrated an ancient native burial ground while spitting in the face of their creator. If it had threads, then it was cursed. Every bolt took a liberal dose of penetrating oil + a blast from the torch + my 5ft beast of a breaker bar. The strut tower nut stripped the inner allen indentation and I had to go out and buy ~$40 worth of fittings to get my impact wrench on it. I had to get my angle grinder out and cut the stabilizer link off in chunks. Once the strut was out I had to cut the piston rod off because the collar nut would not budge. I don't think any single part of the drivers side went well.

I can't predict what your luck will be like, only recommend that you have the tools nearby and hope you don't have to use them. If this is your only form of transportation, it all of the sudden becomes difficult when you get mid way through the work only to find out that you have to run out and rent/buy more tools.

 

Ahhhhhhh, well, I never have much luck when doing stuff like this but somehow I usually get it done. My last "nightmare" on this car was replacing the serpentine belt but I'm hoping I will be able to get these off and on, easier. If I can't get them off, then I can always just put it back together temporarily, then go to "Plan B"---whatever that may be. I'll update when I give it a try. Thanks for the info!

 

Chiming in to list some blunders and recommendations.

1. Dont get lube between the strut mount and the body of the car. it'll cause the mount to slip and make an ominous thunk noise that'll make you think your car is falling apart
2. The top nut for the rear shock assembly is hard to torque due to clearance issues. I'll double check on size, but I had to buy a unique crow's foot. I believe I went with a 14mm made by MAC tools and purchased off of ebay. the crows foot cant be too long or you wont be able to rotate it.
3. dont skip torquing.. I added teflon thread sealant personally. The struts n shocks should come with locknuts to avoid need to retorque, but i needed to retorque mine anyways cuz of the lube issue.
4. Make sure the assemblies are preloaded before torquing. This means havin the vehicle up on jackstands and placing a jack under the control arm yer working on to compress it before making stuff toight.
5. Dont break the wires for the wheel speed sensors when disconnecting the original strut assys. sensors cost 80-100 a piece.

It'd be easier for yuh to go with full coilovers I imagine, but save your original springs incase you dont like the ride quality of the new ones. Springs last a long time and yours should still be good. Putting springs on struts yourself is a PITA, requires measuring of the top stud and also a spring compressor, but the shocks n struts are cheap and you get to keep factory springs.

Sorry for the rambles. Hope theres something useful in their for yuh. Think I could also recommend a spring compressor from amazon if you want.

 

Thanks for all that info. I hope lubing info comes with the struts themselves and I'll follow that closely. I hope I'm not chewing off more than I can do. By the prices the mechanics charge for installing all four, maybe that's the reason. I think the biggest thing will be getting the old nuts off. If push comes to shove, and I can't torque, I'll just have to "guesstimate" and really just tighten it up. I'm no mechanic so I am really concerned but hopefully I'll get through it. :-)

 

Oh here's another point that I don't think is shown in the video: for the front you need to shim underneath the rotor so it's resting on something. Once you pull the strut, that whole assembly is free and can fall and/or tilt outwards. Moving about two inches or more can pull the axle out of the transmission. While not impossible to get it back in, most here would agree this is a major pain and to try to avoid it at all costs.

 

Thank you for pointing that out! I think I saw that recommendation somewhere else too. I think, being a novice, that slow and steady is going to win the race. Biggest concern is getting the bolts off. I know this would probably take most people an hour to do but I'm sure the front alone will be an all-day job. But, good results will be worth it. Just could not ride in this car like this any longer! The car, even with 124K miles looks like a three-year-old car so I'm planning on keeping it up. Thanks again.

 

I won't bully on this, but I would recommend taking some of the money that would have gone to a mechanic and putting it to use for necessary tools.

Torque wrenches are available at home depot and lowes, and lowes also has an electric 1/2" drive impact that would get those bolts off with gusto.
the torque wrench, uh, 3/8 drive 20-80 ftlbs. should run about 60 bucks. a fancier digital one may cost around 100-120. that would supplement need for an additional inch pound torque wrench with a range of 5ftlbs-80 or 100.
The impact would set you back 200 wangs, but it's a beefy tool. It's yet to fail me.
​​​​​
If current plans fail, consider these options

 

I already have the torque wrench---it's old but it should get me "near". And I will try to get the bolts off first, then panic. I have the bolts soaking/sprayed with PB Blaster as I type so in a couple of days, hopefully they'll come off okay. The car's from San Diego so, no salted roads and hardly any rain so I'm hoping that will work a lot in my favor. Thanks for the advice!

 

OMG. Thanks for that video! My rear suspension is due and I assumed it was macpherson struts.. no way I would have done it myself.. too afraid of the coil.

 

No way am I getting any of these off without an impact wrench! Can't hold the top allen fitting well enough either. The whole thing spins. Don't know why they didn't manufacture these ends, with a square end or a socket end so one could get a good grip on them when removing the old struts from the top?. Going to Home Depot and maybe Lowes to see what they sell. I don't have the leverage with a hand wrench because I'm doing this in the parking lot of my apartment complex. The story (maybe horror story) continues. :-)

 

You know, in the above video showing how to install the new strut and spring on the front suspension, this guy puts silicone grease on the top of the outer rubber, cone-shaped assembly. Anyone know if that's necessary or preferred?? That's not shown in my Chilton. Thanks,
Jerry

 

Per the factory service manual it does not list it. I'd say skip it.