Things You Will Need
1x 2" Thick 12"x 12" HDPE Sheet
1x Vacuum
1x Drill/Drill Press
1x Dremel Tool
1x Dremel Router Attachment
1x Dremel 115 High Speed Cutter Bit
1x Sledge Hammer
2x C-Clamps
1x 2.5" Hole Saw
1x 4" Hole Saw
1x 3/8" Drill Bit
1x 7/16" Drill Bit
1x Sharpie
1x Front Strut Mount
1x Rear Strut Mount
6x 5/16" x 3" Bolts
6x 5/16" Nylon Lock Nuts
6x 5/16" Flange Nuts
4x 3/8" x 3" Bolts
4x 3/8" Nylon Lock Nuts
4x 3/8" Flange Nuts
I am also assuming you know how to remove and install the struts. And you will need the tools to do so sockets, jack, jack stands, etc.
First layout your sheet of HDPE and trace out rough dimensions of your mounts with a sharpie. Make sure to leave extra room for error around the
edge. You also want to make marks for the center hole of the mounts.
After you have traced and marked your HDPE the first thing to do is drill out the 2x 4" holes in the front spacers. Use the C-Clamps for holding the
sheet to the drill press as so.
Once both 4" holes are cut lay the front mount in the holes with studs facing the HDPE sheet. Take a C-Clamp and lightly clamp each stud into the
HDPE. This will give us our final lay out position of the front strut bolt holes. Again keep in mind that you need to cut around the outside of the mount
and make sure your layout leaves you room to do so. Then drill the 6x 3/8" holes.
Next do follow the same steps for the rear spacers. Layout where the center hole will be drilled. Then use the 2.5" hole saw to drill both rear
spacer center holes. C-Clamps are then used to make final layout postion of rear strut bolt holes. Again keep in mind that you need to cut around the
outside of the mount and make sure your layout leaves you room to do so. Then drill the 4x 7/16" holes. Your sheet should now look like this.
Now your spacers are half way finished. All that is left is to set mount down flush on HDPE sheet and do a final trace of the shape of your spacer.
Use the dremel and router attachment to cut out the shape you just traced. Start only taking a 1/16" in depth cut each time then you can move up to 1/8"
cuts as you wish. Your spacers are nearly complete.
At this point it is time to remove the struts. The rears will also need to have the strut mount removed. Use a socket on the back side of the rear
strut mount that will allow the head of the stud to fall into. Then use a sledge hammer to remove the rear studs. The fronts you can wedge a socket in
between the front strut mount and the top hat of the spring and use the sledge hammer to remove the front studs without taking the mounts loose. Next take
the 6x 5/16" bolts and nylon lock nuts fasten them into the top of the strut mount. Do the same for the rear using the 4x 3/8" bolts and nylon lock nuts.
Last step is to use the dremel 115 High Speed Cutter bit, enlarge the holes at the base of the spacers to accommodate the nylon lock nuts. Also the
front spacers will need the edge around the 4" center hole beveled to clear the mount. After this is completed the spacers will now sit flush on the mounts
with the new hardware. The rear spacers will also need beveled on the ends closest to the 7/16" holes to clear seams on the body where the spacers will touch
this will make more sense when you are looking where the rear spacer bolts to.
The strut/spacer combos are now ready to be bolted back into the baja and you get to look at the results of your labor. Also it is time to get it
aligned. I love having lifetime alignment at Firestone. I made these for my 2003 Baja.
Before Front was 28 1/4" from ground to center of bottom front fender well. The rear was 26 3/4" from ground to center of bottom rear fender well.
After Front was 31 1/4" from ground to center of bottom front fender well. The rear was 30" from ground to center of bottom rear fender well.
As always let me know if you have any questions. And if you thought this was helpful feel free to donate paypal zx2reme@hotmail.com all donations will go to more parts and more How To's.
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