DIY: ILX coilover installation

33869 Views 45 Replies 14 Participants Last post by vindavid, 4 mo ago

SlammedILX

Discussion Starter · Sep 12, 2013

8

Hey guys, i'm here to provide you guys with instructions that i never got when installing my coil-overs.
I was in a hard debate between the D2 coil-overs and the ksports but in the end i ended up going with D2's because the purple looks nice. Also ran out of daylight since i received them at 6pm and went to work on them asap.

installation took about 2 1/2 hours since no instructions were included, and i had to figure out on my own how they was suppose to be set up.

** DISCLAIMER : I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR MISTAKES I AM JUST HERE TO GUIDE YOU TO INSTALLATION. IF YOU ARE NOT MECHANICALLY INCLINED, I SUGGEST TO HAVE SOMEONE THAT IS DO IT !!! ***

Tools that you will need.

1/2 or 3/4 Breaker bar(1/2in prefered)
1/2 Ratchet
22MM socket
19MM socket
17MM socket
14MM Deep socket
12MM socket
17MM open end wrench
14MM open end wrench
needle nose pliers
flat head screwdriver
Allen or Hex Keys for top of the strut if your coilovers don't provide you with some.

I prefer deep sockets but whatever floats your boat.

How i got them.

Step 1 optional - You can do front or rear first but i decided to let the car sit evenly on jack stands.

Step 2 - I wanted to knock out the rears since they are more time consuming and a little harder. Start removing the plastic clips from the trunk liner. Then push it aside so you can reach the strut.
There are about 10-12 push clips, 4 involve a flat head screwdriver and the rest you can just pull out with your nails.

Now evenly pull up through out this whole plastic thing (idk what its called) and it should pop right off

Step 3 - Push the interior lining towards the middle so you have room to maneuver around in there. Take your Allen/Hex key and a 14MM open end wrench to loosen the top bolt on the strut. **excuse the unfocused pic, it was kind of hard to fit my big ass camera in there.

Step 4 - Now go under and unbolt the strut with a 14MM socket.

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SlammedILX

Discussion Starter · #2 · Sep 12, 2013

10

Step 5 - Take the spring out. I didnt have a spring compressor on hand and the spring was already 80% hanging out, i know ill get flamed for this but it SAFELY POPPED OUT. It didnt over exaggeratedly shoot out and break my face.

And now it should look like this.

Step 6 - My D2 coils required i cut off a few rubber pieces so the spring would sit in level

Step 7 - install the coilover spring and strut. I didnt get a pic putting the spring on, but put the bottom in place than push down on the trailing arm to slip the top into place. Bolt the strut on with the 14MM bolt then use a floor jack to raise the trailing arm up till the top of the strut can be seen inside the trunk of the car. Go inside and proceed to bolt on the strut using the 17mm and allen/hex key. voila should look like this !

Step 8 - Drink a glass of water and eat your friends chips. By now, you'd be a little sweaty and dehydrated. You should be finished with the rears

Step 9 - On to the front ones! Pop that hood and remove these plastic covers. Use your 14MM long socket to ** BREAK THEM LOOSE DO NOT TAKE THE NUTS COMPLETELY OFF **

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SlammedILX

Discussion Starter · #3 · Sep 12, 2013

6

Step 10 - Take your wheels off, you shall be staring at this.

You will need....
white circle - 14MM
Red circle - 12MM
Orange circle - 19MM
Green circle - 22MM
Blue circles - Needle Nose Pliers

there are two sets of 19mm and 22mm so prepare to break a sweat.. again.

Step 11 - You shall be looking like this. Slip the top into the shock tower first and hand tighten the 14mm bolts onto them. Now to avoid straining your back, get the floor jack and raise the hub up until you can slip the 19mm bolt into place. Bolt everything up and double check everything is TIGHT :taz: ALSO REMEMBER !!!! there is an adapter on your coilover under the lock sleeves that bolts onto your sway bar, tighten it up with an allenkey/hex key to keep it in place.

Sorry, i would have pictures but my camera died shortly after this pic ^

Enjoy some iphone5 camera pics of the finished product.

This is my first DIY thread, any comments are welcome and if you are unsure on what to do. Feel free to leave a comment or PM me.

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Popeye

· #4 · Sep 12, 2013

Nice tutorial ; but one question . You bought them because they were purple ? :001_smile:

ilxluv

· #5 · Sep 13, 2013

Popeye said:
Nice tutorial ; but one question . You bought them because they were purple ? :001_smile:

Taiwanese mass produced coilovers with Purple perches VS
Taiwanese mass produced coilovers with Orange perches

When it's the same dame product you better believe it comes down to color.

ILX6speed

· #6 · Sep 13, 2013

Nice write up and thank god you are in So Cal lol..

Tein's Basics is probably what I'll end up with!

SlammedILX

Discussion Starter · #7 · Sep 13, 2013

Popeye said:
Nice tutorial ; but one question . You bought them because they were purple ? :001_smile:

Thank you, I kinda wish my camera didn't die so I could get more pictures.. And yes exactly what ilxluv said. There is pretty much no difference between both coils other than I ordered mine with custom spring rates. When I did some reading on each coilover, I read d2's would go the lowest. But the bad side about having a low ride is giving up comfort. Its not quite as smooth as stock, and it bounces a little but that's what the dampening is for. Plus purple just looks good

ilxluv said:
Taiwanese mass produced coilovers with Purple perches VS
Taiwanese mass produced coilovers with Orange perches

When it's the same dame product you better believe it comes down to color.

Well said. :001_tongue:

ILX6speed said:
Nice write up and thank god you are in So Cal lol..

Tein's Basics is probably what I'll end up with!

Thank you sir. Haha and yeah just let me know whenever you need help. I have the tools to take apart the ilx from piece to piece.

IMO I wouldn't go with the teins, other than the nice green paint they come in. They won't be that much off from the d2's or ksports. The plus about getting the d2's are the front camber plates and you can adjust them any way including dampening. I have teins basics on my integra and luckily I got them for free, or I would have just bought something well worth it. The d2's bounce a little, but look how low I am.

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ILX24

· #8 · Sep 13, 2013

Drop looks good, I am trying to decide between these and the Megan street coilovers. My friend has the megan ez coilovers and the car is slammed and rides nice. Like you I want the adjustable camber up front. I think the Megans can go at least this low. What do you plan on using to adjust the rear camber?

SlammedILX

Discussion Starter · #9 · Sep 13, 2013

I chose the d2's over the Megan's because 1. They dampen 2. Front camber plates 3. I've never heard anything really good about Megan's and I like purple. The ride so far is decent, I haven't gotten around to messin with the dampening or anything yet so it bounces a little bit.

I'm gunna go to buddyclub or skunk2 and see if they have a camber kit for the rear. Or install the 9th gen civic one to see if It can work with little to no modification.

ILX24

· #10 · Sep 13, 2013

SlammedILX said:
I chose the d2's over the Megan's because 1. They dampen 2. Front camber plates 3. I've never heard anything really good about Megan's and I like purple. The ride so far is decent, I haven't gotten around to messin with the dampening or anything yet so it bounces a little bit.

I'm gunna go to buddyclub or skunk2 and see if they have a camber kit for the rear. Or install the 9th gen civic one to see if It can work with little to no modification.

The megan street kit has dampening adjustment as well. Skunk2 and Megan both have camber for the rear.

SlammedILX

Discussion Starter · #11 · Sep 13, 2013

Oh. I thought you were talking about the Megan ez ones. Try them out! Worst that can happen is they are a little bouncy like mine.

I shall go with skunk2 for camber arms then.

cfrp

· #12 · Sep 18, 2013

awesome! should be stickied! what rims are you going to get?

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AcuraPWR

· #13 · Sep 18, 2013

got to love seeing a slammed ILX, have you started looking into what exact wheel and size and offset to go with? I have yet to see a stanced ILX, maybe you will be the first?

ilx_stylez

· #14 · Sep 18, 2013

Great write up! this deserves a sticky!

Did you have to trim the fender line or roll the fenders?

ilxluv

· #15 · Sep 18, 2013

Not with stock wheels at the current height I believe.

SlammedILX

Discussion Starter · #16 · Sep 26, 2013

cfrp said:
awesome! should be stickied! what rims are you going to get?

thank you ! haha you know, im not really sure yet. I want to go balls out and buy some real legit wheels since it doesn't feel right putting reps on a car like this.
a part of me is telling me to go balls out and buy TE37SL's because i have fasfa money and a couple checks i havent cashed yet sitting around, but another part
of me is saying to just buy something under 2000 since winter is coming up even though the most i have to deal with is rain.

AcuraPWR said:
got to love seeing a slammed ILX, have you started looking into what exact wheel and size and offset to go with? I have yet to see a stanced ILX, maybe you will be the first?

I get to see one everytime i look in the parking lot

cant decide if i wanna go with 17's so i can stay low af, or go with 18's or 19's to fill up the wheel gap. most likely 18x9 with a +17 or somewhere around that offset.
also the wheels i want only come in 18x9.5 lol...... i was wondering if i could make that up with a different offset or if i should just buy 18x8.5 with spacers.
honestly, it would be nice to be the first but someone had beat me to coilovers already since the shop i bought them from lagged for two months :/

ilx_stylez said:
Great write up! this deserves a sticky!

Did you have to trim the fender line or roll the fenders?

thank you sir.

with the stock rims, no modifications to the fenders were needed. just an alignment is required.
But i am planning to roll my fenders when i buy my wheels so i can get the fitment i want.
from the looks of it, if you run a wheel thats 8 wide, a roll wouldnt be needed.

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ilxluv

· #17 · Sep 26, 2013

SlammedILX said:
I get to see one everytime i look in the parking lot
cant decide if i wanna go with 17's so i can stay low af, or go with 18's or 19's to fill up the wheel gap. most likely 18x9 with a +17 or somewhere around that offset.
also the wheels i want only come in 18x9.5 lol...... i was wondering if i could make that up with a different offset or if i should just buy 18x8.5 with spacers.
honestly, it would be nice to be the first but someone had beat me to coilovers already since the shop i bought them from lagged for two months :/

Chances are there was someone that got coils even before she did. Someone on instagram posted their ILX with a supercharger fabd up. No word here on azine so that user probably isnt in the forums here. Probably a lot more of those cases.
Chances are if you went 18 or even 19 youd be stretching tires and running them low profile as well so the 17in wheels on stock tires is probably the same diameter as the 18s or 19s youd get. You're chassis clearance would stay pretty much the same though.

And din't you raise her back up the the height pictured? We need more shots so we can get a better idea of the drop. Im gonna say you're not livin up to that username yet.

SlammedILX

Discussion Starter · #18 · Sep 27, 2013

No I've been to lazy to lift it back up. But I need to, can't go lower because I already scrape on the rain gutter things on the side of the road just getting into my apartment and that's going super sideways. I don't know what they are called. Lol has anyone scraped the side of their bumper on a pothole yet? No, so therefore I am lower unless it's documented by someone else on the forum haha.

As far as wheels and tires, I want the nt03's but they only come in 9.5 wide unless I get the 17's. But I was considering 18x9.5 (unknown offset yet) and mounting on 225/40's. Throw ideas at me and we'll vote on the best choice, then I'll go out and do it for the team haha.

ilxluv

· #19 · Sep 27, 2013

We need pictures since you've said you've gone lower. Documented, you are only as low as the three pictures you have provided.
I don't mean to knock you; but it's just not slammed. Sure its the lowest on this forum. But that doesn't make it slammed. We aren't grading on a curve here.

nt03s are great. I keep seeing them pop up which means two things; the market is good for them right now but also that a lot of people had them and no longer want them.
I honestly say you should just do you buy some wheels and post up when youve got them instead of doing what everyone else wants to see. I don't know. I guess I just dont want to throw out ideas I want to use myself.

SlammedILX

Discussion Starter · #20 · Sep 27, 2013 (Edited)

3

It's kind of annoying that you keep telling me that I'm not slammed or should go lower continuously over and over, I didn't know there was a requirement to being slammed. Not trying to sound like a dick, but I'd to try and ride out my warranty. After warranty is up then I'll go balls out lol. Just look at the battle scar on my front bumper. I can't go any lower!! SoCal roads are garbage, it's a new car so I'm not trying to rape everything underneath..completely, I can't get in or out of my apartment with out scraping. Here's a few pics I just took when I went to go shut my sunroof and grab my Spanish book, no cheater park at an incline either lol. You can catch me at R1 concepts this Saturday in La habra from 11am-5pm. Its a car show and I'll be representing Kingsmen.
P.s. I might raise it a tad bit tomorrow since i have to drive on the 91&15 freeway...

As for the nt03's, I'm not surprised that they are everywhere. Just like the rpf1's, there cheap, affordable and legit wheels. I've figured out that I'm not going to get a set of wheels that not everyone has unless a pay a pretty penny for some discontinued wheels. So I'm just gunna throw on what I personally like for now, but the hard part about that is finding a set that I can actually decide on.

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