Any tips for Removing Front Struts??

[cliffybabe]

Hi guys

Im gonna take my front struts off my cab tonight.

Any tips or tricks??

Any advice would be great

Thanks
Neil

[E30_Aza]

yeah , .........dont. only jokin dude

[buster]

dont forget to put them back on !!








Get a good ball joint splitter so that you dont damage them with the fork type splitter.

[320Touring]

Hi guys

Im gonna take my front struts off my cab tonight.

Any tips or tricks??

Any advice would be great

Thanks
Neil

Plenty of WD 40 on the 3x 13mm nuts at the top, and the 19&17mm on the balljoints.

TAKE THE BOTTOM BOLTS OFF FIRST- saves any hassle trying to relocate them when pulling it off the rack and control arm.

You'll need a splitter and a hammer to get the bottom balljoints off.

Have a mate hold the strut when you loosen the top bolts-its freaking heavy

[cliffybabe]

Hold on im only taking off th efront suspension struts, DO i need to touch the ball joints??

[Ant]

loosen the top nut on the struts 1st ( middle of topmount ) do not remove it yet !!!!!!

if you're changing the inserts, loosen the locking collar with a large hammer/chisel combo before taking them off the car, its a lot lot easier than struggling later on

enjoy

[cliffybabe]

Im changing the springs over

[Ant]

you'll need to pop the track rod and the bottom balljoint , caliper etc to get the legs off M8

[320Touring]

Im changing the springs over

in that case dude

WATCH YOURSELF!

those front springs can do plenty of damage to you.

get good quality spring compressers or dont bother

[Chris-W]

get good quality spring compressers or dont bother

Think 'loaded gun'.

[stuartgallafant]

neil, what is wrong with you?!

you do my freaking head in!!!

i been tellin' you for the last 6 months, i will do the lot for you at work, as there is no way that you'll be able to do it on your own, but all the time, you keep doing other stuff, meaning i cant get round to take the poxie struts off your car

leave it before you injure yourself. i'll come round this weekend, or next week in the evening, take the struts, do all the work at work, then put them back on the following evening

the worst thing is, your gonna put lowering springs on, without even changing all the mashed bushes thats also on your car...

[cliffybabe]

Stu i dont think the bush's are mashed mate, I just wanna have ago at doing it myself

[TheRealest]

its an easy job to do, reckon a set of spring compressors is only cheap (£10-£20) from car spares! ur gonna need an allen key to get the abs sensor off if ur car has it! whilst doin the job may b worth replacin top mounts to, again cheap enough part and whilst its off...

[stuartgallafant]

Stu i dont think the bush's are mashed mate

the front end still doesnt feel right. you said you're gonna keep the cab, so you might as well do a lot a once, than little bits and pieces here and there. when you lower a car, it upsets the geometry, and puts extra strain on the other components. just trying to keep you safe mate

I just wanna have ago at doing it myself

nothing wrong with that. thats why i said i'll come round and HELP. so i can shine some light on it for you.

my advice was just not to lower it yourself. i've seen/heard of so many accidents when lowering cars, even with the proper springs compressors, let alone the cheap sh!tty ones that you can buy

like i said, just trying to keep you safe...

[cliffybabe]

Stu i dont think the bush's are mashed mate

the front end still doesnt feel right. you said you're gonna keep the cab, so you might as well do a lot a once, than little bits and pieces here and there. when you lower a car, it upsets the geometry, and puts extra strain on the other components. just trying to keep you safe mate

I just wanna have ago at doing it myself

nothing wrong with that. thats why i said i'll come round and HELP. so i can shine some light on it for you.

my advice was just not to lower it yourself. i've seen/heard of so many accidents when lowering cars, even with the proper springs compressors, let alone the cheap sh!tty ones that you can buy

like i said, just trying to keep you safe...

See he does luv me

[DanThe]

Raise both sides of the car before taking the leg off, if you jack one side at a time the ARB is in twist and will cause havoc when you try to remove/replace the bottom ball joint.

Unless, like Stu says your joints and bushes are mashed, it wont be as difficult then

[Morat]

Fancy popping up to Yorkshire and helping me change my front end then ... free beer!!

[DRIFTBOY]

its an easy job to do, reckon a set of spring compressors is only cheap (£10-£20) from car spares! ur gonna need an allen key to get the abs sensor off if ur car has it! whilst doin the job may b worth replacin top mounts to, again cheap enough part and whilst its off...

Instead of struggling with a cruddy old seized-in abs sensor can't you just unplug it from the engine side of the inner wing and feed the wire through ?
That's how I've done it on mine.

I agree it is worth doing any other parts that might be worn while it's apart though - saves a lot of time, effort and hassle in the long run.

Good luck though!

[stuartgallafant]

Fancy popping up to Yorkshire and helping me change my front end then ... free beer!!

not really up for going a few hundred miles just for a beer!!!

neil, it looks like i'll be helping you this saturday then?!

you can do my stereo, and i'll do your struts??? deal???

[cliffybabe]

not really up for going a few hundred miles just for a beer!!!

neil, it looks like i'll be helping you this saturday then?!

you can do my stereo, and i'll do your struts??? deal???

hmmm saturday??? Im getting new tyres fitted first thing with duffs and then im ur's

[stuartgallafant]

sweet!

i'll talk to you later about over a ruby!!

[cliffybabe]

sweet!

i'll talk to you later about over a ruby!!

ur coming, wicked

[stuartgallafant]

hell yeah, i cant miss my favourite food!!!

[cliffybabe]

I have no front suspension

No control arm's,roll bar or struts Stu has been a busy boy, Ill put some pic's up tonight

Tomorrow she will be lowered, with new bush's all round.

Cheers Stu

[Morat]

/me looks at pile of beer.

ah well best make a start on my own then

[320Touring]

/me looks at pile of beer.

ah well best make a start on my own then

not to far from scotland dude, esp with beer

[dazleeds]

Fancy popping up to Yorkshire and helping me change my front end then ... free beer!!

what needs doing fella??

sure i could find some time to lend a hand