DIY•Front strut cartridges

[ZINCHOTRAN]

I've looked online. I've rechecked the FSM and the Haynes manual.

What is the easiest way someone found to replace a front strut cartridge?

Maybe we can add this as a 'how-to', with pictures, after I do it this week(end).

Thanks afore hand.

[morgan]

remove wheel
remove brake caliper
remove 2 bolts under steering knuckle holding it to casing
pull control arm down, pull casing off knuckle
remove 3 nuts from top plate/camber plate, pull casing out
put spring compressor on spring
remove top nut on strut holding it to top plate/camber plate
remove top plate & top hat
remove spring
remove gland nut
remove strut
***add oil per FSM in strut housing if needed***
follow steps backwards...

[ZINCHOTRAN]

The gland nut, with out the use of the SST, may intimidate other people. Sometimes we just need to be creative.

Removing the top nut, with out the availability of an air compressor, seems like a challenge. Would anyone suggest breaking the nut free while it is attatched to the car?

When I removed the sport springs from my 2001 Dodge Neon R/T, and replaced them with OEM springs, the steps were similar for the AE86. The exception being the top nut of the top plate. The tools and methods differed.

Thanks Morgan, let's keep this going. We all love to have pictures as a reference for our specific vehicles.

I wish I took pictures and made some DIY's for when I:

Rebuilt and painted the front and rear calipers.
Removed and replaced the brushes in the alternator.
Replaced the plunger and contacts in the starter.
Replaced the head gasket and let the valves soak in simple green.

The problem is a lot of people on this forum have more knowledge and a better understanding of how and why the parts work together.

Sometimes a novice may gain insight that a veteran forgot or missed.

[morgan]

for gland nut-either a big monkey wrench of a vice. hold the nut in either to remove/install

for the nut on the strut...theres 2 flats on the strut itself that line up with 2 flats on the top hat. vice grips on the top hat and a wrench on the nut. stand on the vice grips and loosen nut. quick and dirty, done it that way a few times.

one of these weekends im planning on removing my front springs to cut them a little bit shorter, ill take pics and do a write-up. want my ride height in the front about 1/2" lower

[ZINCHOTRAN]

I grabbed my spring compressor from the house a few minutes ago. Now I'll begin replacing both front strut cartridges and rear shocks. I bought both the KG4762 and the KYB GR-2/EXCEL G.

I'm thinking of driving for a month on each to see how they feel.

[ZINCHOTRAN]

Oh BOY! That was FuN!

I just replaced the right front strut cartridge and reinstalled/torqued the bolts. I started around 1700 and ended at 2015.

Now I'll go home and eat me some curried burritos and drink some rice wine.

When I replace the left front strut cartridge and rear shocks I'll take pictures and post them online. What's amazing is my strut mount has no play or binding. And it is the one that came with the car. (As far as I know). It does have the TEQ symbol.

~Hachi Roku 4 Life~

[ZINCHOTRAN]

Here is the promised link:

http://betwixtfantasyandreality.weebly. ... ridge.html

Let me know if I can improve it. Or it is okay, 'as is'

[4bangerpower]

I used a big pipe wrench on the gland nut to remove it. You'll need a spring compressor too. No need to make a high velocity projectile out of you top hat when the nut is removed.

[ZINCHOTRAN]

The link I gave in my previous post was my own DIY with pictures about replacing the front strut cartridges.