- Wed Mar 03, 2010 10:54 am
#2440424
i had a read up on the forum before attempting changing my springs and saw only really one guide on how to do this...
ive just completed mine now and thought id write up another how to guide...
fronts:
jack car up and place axel stand under to support the car incase of accidents!
take off the wheel
pop the bonnet
there are 3 14mm nuts holding the strut to the car crack these but do not remove fully
use a breaker with a 17mm socket to crack the main strut nut
now back under the wheel arch use a 10mm socket to take out the bolt hollding the abs wire to the strut
use a 12mm socket to remove the bolt holding brake line to strut
remove the split pin from the steering arm ball joint using some pliers (place somewhere safe)
use a 17mm socket to remove the nut from the ball joint.
now use ball joint remover to pop the ball joint apart (once apart move the steering arm out of the way)
ok now there are 2 big bolts remaining, top one has a 21mm nut and 19mm bolt, on my car i found these were not straight bolts they have a cam on them and so needed to be rotated in the hole to line up for removal (possibly camber bolts??)
the lower bolt is also 19mm with a 22mm nut, this just tapped out with a hammer.
remove the strut from the car, i leant the hub forward after and it held position with no stress to break or abs lines...
removing the spring:
i found that i did not need spring clamps, but do not take my word for it as you may need them.
i place a small hex allen key in top of the strut and used a 17mm spanner to take top nut off.
swap over the springs then replace top cup and bolt back on, you may have to compress the spring by hand slightly to get the nut back on!
refitting the strut:
place strut roughly in place under the arch looking into engine bay line up the bolts with the holes in engine bay then loosly place the 14mm nuts on the bolts to hold strut up.
push hub back into place on the strut, might need a slight downwards push first to get the 2 bolt holes to line up.
refit the 2 big bolts and their nuts, 22mm at bottom 21mm top.
refit the abs/brake lines.
push steering arm ball joint back together and replace the 17mm nut refit split pin.
tighten 3 14mm nuts in engine bay
refit wheel
lower car back to the ground and then using breaker bar give the 17mm nut on strut a quick tighten.
rears:
jack car up
place axel stand under for support
remove wheel
there are 2 17mm bolts to remove under the arch, once hold the strut to the lower arm and one holds the rear control arm to the hub, mine were really tight so when i refitted them i used a lot of copper grease.
then in the boot fold rear seat down, remove the plastic cover there is a popper that holds the boot carpet to the plastic trim and then just use aflat head screw driver to pop the trim out.
2 14mm nuts hold the strut into the boot remove these
the strut should now (with a tug) remove from the car.
use a hex allen key again with a 17mm spanner to remove the top cup, again i didnt use spring clamps but dont hold me to it!
swap the springs and refit top cup and nut (try to tighten the nut as much as you can here as there is limited space once refitted to the car to try and really tighten it any more.
push strut roughly back ito place, i wedged a axel stand under to hold it up so that i could refit the 2 14mm nuts in the boot.
tighten the 14mm nuts fully.
line up the hole on the strut to the lower arm, you may need to use a jack to help raise the lower arm for alignment,
refit the 17mm bolt
use a jack to raise hub to the control arm and align the holes and refit 17mm bolt
refit wheel
lower off jack
done!!!
so tools needed:
10mm socket
12mm socket
14mm socket
17mm socket
19mm socket
21mm socket
22mm socket
flat head screw driver
allen key
ive just completed mine now and thought id write up another how to guide...
fronts:
jack car up and place axel stand under to support the car incase of accidents!
take off the wheel
pop the bonnet
there are 3 14mm nuts holding the strut to the car crack these but do not remove fully
use a breaker with a 17mm socket to crack the main strut nut
now back under the wheel arch use a 10mm socket to take out the bolt hollding the abs wire to the strut
use a 12mm socket to remove the bolt holding brake line to strut
remove the split pin from the steering arm ball joint using some pliers (place somewhere safe)
use a 17mm socket to remove the nut from the ball joint.
now use ball joint remover to pop the ball joint apart (once apart move the steering arm out of the way)
ok now there are 2 big bolts remaining, top one has a 21mm nut and 19mm bolt, on my car i found these were not straight bolts they have a cam on them and so needed to be rotated in the hole to line up for removal (possibly camber bolts??)
the lower bolt is also 19mm with a 22mm nut, this just tapped out with a hammer.
remove the strut from the car, i leant the hub forward after and it held position with no stress to break or abs lines...
removing the spring:
i found that i did not need spring clamps, but do not take my word for it as you may need them.
i place a small hex allen key in top of the strut and used a 17mm spanner to take top nut off.
swap over the springs then replace top cup and bolt back on, you may have to compress the spring by hand slightly to get the nut back on!
refitting the strut:
place strut roughly in place under the arch looking into engine bay line up the bolts with the holes in engine bay then loosly place the 14mm nuts on the bolts to hold strut up.
push hub back into place on the strut, might need a slight downwards push first to get the 2 bolt holes to line up.
refit the 2 big bolts and their nuts, 22mm at bottom 21mm top.
refit the abs/brake lines.
push steering arm ball joint back together and replace the 17mm nut refit split pin.
tighten 3 14mm nuts in engine bay
refit wheel
lower car back to the ground and then using breaker bar give the 17mm nut on strut a quick tighten.
rears:
jack car up
place axel stand under for support
remove wheel
there are 2 17mm bolts to remove under the arch, once hold the strut to the lower arm and one holds the rear control arm to the hub, mine were really tight so when i refitted them i used a lot of copper grease.
then in the boot fold rear seat down, remove the plastic cover there is a popper that holds the boot carpet to the plastic trim and then just use aflat head screw driver to pop the trim out.
2 14mm nuts hold the strut into the boot remove these
the strut should now (with a tug) remove from the car.
use a hex allen key again with a 17mm spanner to remove the top cup, again i didnt use spring clamps but dont hold me to it!
swap the springs and refit top cup and nut (try to tighten the nut as much as you can here as there is limited space once refitted to the car to try and really tighten it any more.
push strut roughly back ito place, i wedged a axel stand under to hold it up so that i could refit the 2 14mm nuts in the boot.
tighten the 14mm nuts fully.
line up the hole on the strut to the lower arm, you may need to use a jack to help raise the lower arm for alignment,
refit the 17mm bolt
use a jack to raise hub to the control arm and align the holes and refit 17mm bolt
refit wheel
lower off jack
done!!!
so tools needed:
10mm socket
12mm socket
14mm socket
17mm socket
19mm socket
21mm socket
22mm socket
flat head screw driver
allen key