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the old antrx.com wiki => old wiki articles to be converted => maintenance issues => Topic started by: noss on Jun 12, 2006, 02:43PM
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(http://img128.imageshack.us/img128/2725/dsc00105ku.jpg)
[author]noss
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ok, i recently changed my rear struts on my t, and i thought i'd do some photos and a little write up to show that it isnt actually that hard.. this is the 2nd time my dad and i have done this (first time was on the trx of course) and it took us far less time this time around.. although we came across some major issues (parts missing from the suspension mr_trx supplied me) and i had to buy new nuts as the thread on the new struts is different, and i also had to have some parts machined up.. this time however, i sourced my parts from a warehouse in sydney, and i got everything that i needed making the job far cheap and easier.
what you will need:
jack, jack stands, something to chock the wheels with. 14mm, 17mm, 19mm and 22mm ring spanners and sockets. pipe wrech thing. spring compressors. a helper.
(http://img50.imageshack.us/img50/6374/fsm10ka.th.jpg) (http://img50.imageshack.us/my.php?image=fsm10ka.jpg)
this is an exploded view of the suspension as per the nissan/ford service manual. please note, this sway bar shown is different to what is on our local models.
preparation:
first up, remove your parcel tray. now remove you back seat. you will need to remove the cusion you sit on first (this is held in with clips) tif you have a gli or exectutive, you will need to remove the whole backrest as its one piece, people that have the split fold back rest, this doesnt have to be removed, however you will have to remove the side sections, there is one philips head screw at the bottom, and the top is held in by a clip.
loosen the nut on the centre of the struts but do not totally undo it.
(http://img102.imageshack.us/img102/2365/dsc00027xq.th.jpg) (http://img102.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc00027xq.jpg)
loosen the nut in the centre.
put bricks or similar under your front wheels to stop the car rolling fowards. loosen your wheel nuts, jack up your car and place it on jack stands. when the rear of the car is raised, release the hand brake.
(http://img102.imageshack.us/img102/6217/dsc00042gn.th.jpg) (http://img102.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc00042gn.jpg) (http://img102.imageshack.us/img102/5504/dsc00050dx.th.jpg) (http://img102.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc00050dx.jpg)
jack up the car and chock the front wheels.
the process: (do this for each side)
remove your wheel.
(http://img102.imageshack.us/img102/9039/dsc00063ze.th.jpg) (http://img102.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc00063ze.jpg)
remove the rear brake caliper, then the disc. there are 2 x 17mm bolts on the back of the caliper which will need to be undone. put the caliper aside - its attached to the hand brake cable, so support it or tie it somewhere out of the way. the disc simply comes off once the caliper has been removed.
(http://img127.imageshack.us/img127/6909/dsc00088he.th.jpg) (http://img127.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc00088he.jpg) (http://img127.imageshack.us/img127/3182/dsc00094fd.th.jpg) (http://img127.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc00094fd.jpg)
the brake disc and caliper removed.
(http://img50.imageshack.us/img50/3716/fsm2brakecaliper4vy.th.jpg) (http://img50.imageshack.us/my.php?image=fsm2brakecaliper4vy.jpg) (http://img113.imageshack.us/img113/6640/dsc00128ze.th.jpg) (http://img113.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc00128ze.jpg)
these pictures are an attempt to indicate where the 2 x 17mm bolts are on the caliper.
undo the 14mm nut on the swaybar link pin. take note of the arrangement on the link pin of the bushes and washers. you will need to replace these in the same way.
(http://img46.imageshack.us/img46/1594/fsm3linkpin0kb.th.jpg) (http://img46.imageshack.us/my.php?image=fsm3linkpin0kb.jpg) (http://img46.imageshack.us/img46/9822/dsc00198ba.th.jpg) (http://img46.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc00198ba.jpg)
the fsm shows the incorrect setup for the sway bar. the photo shows the 14mm link pin/nut that you need to undo and remove.
you will next have to undo the 19mm bolt shown below
(http://img224.imageshack.us/img224/3346/fsm419mmbolt1qh.th.jpg) (http://img224.imageshack.us/my.php?image=fsm419mmbolt1qh.jpg)
next, the 22mm bolt that holds the parallel links. its a bit of a pain to undo, but a bit of force and a helper should get it out fine.
(http://img149.imageshack.us/img149/72/fsm522mmbolt8vx.th.jpg) (http://img149.imageshack.us/my.php?image=fsm522mmbolt8vx.jpg)
once you have undone all these. either you or your helper should sit on the ground holding the strut assembly - it is rather heavy, so if your name is budgie, it might be an idea to get someone stronger to hold onto it ::) the other one of you will need to undo the 3 bolts at the top of the strut tower shown in the image below
(http://img150.imageshack.us/img150/2342/fsm6strutbolts4ra.th.jpg) (http://img150.imageshack.us/my.php?image=fsm6strutbolts4ra.jpg)
carefully pull the strut assembly out of your car, obviously without scratching your car. once the strut assembly is out, you will have to compress the springs - i skipped this step as my springs are so low there is no need for compressors. take note how the strut piston is pulling down on the spring in the following picture rather than sticking up above the spring - this indicates that the strut is cactus. a good strut, when you push the piston in, the piston will come back out by itself.
(http://img150.imageshack.us/img150/6171/dsc00109er.th.jpg) (http://img150.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc00109er.jpg) (http://img150.imageshack.us/img150/5799/dsc00119uh.th.jpg) (http://img150.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc00119uh.jpg)
the strut assembly removed. left is the failed strut unit, on the right is the new cartridge installed. see how much further the piston protrudes above the spring.
removing the spring is as simple as removing the nut from the strut piston that you loosened earlier. take not of how everything comes apart as it will have to be put together the same way.
i appologise for the quality of the following images, i had auto focus turned off and we didnt realise. i've tried to make them look as decent as possible with some heavy work in photoshop.
you will need to place your strut unit into a vice and get a pipe wrench or similar to undo the locking nut on the unit. it wasnt actually that hard to undo on the t, but on my trx this piece had seized and it was a real pain to get undone. just remember there is oil in the unit and it will pour out (dad yelled at me - i didnt realise he didnt want the oil in the garden ::))
(http://img154.imageshack.us/img154/4999/dsc00223vj.th.jpg) (http://img154.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc00223vj.jpg) (http://img154.imageshack.us/img154/4730/dsc00233ax.th.jpg) (http://img154.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc00233ax.jpg)
on the left, the strut unit in a vice. and the right - dad and i playing it up for the camera :P
remove the piston from the strut, and empty the remaining oil somewhere you wont slip on it ::) also make sure that you dont lose the o-ring from the stock unit - in most cases you will need to re-use this or source another one as a replacement doesnt come with your cartridges.
you will notice that the strut cartridge is slightly smaller than the casing, if you install it as is, you will get a horrid rattling noise as you drive along and your strut bounces around in the casing. to overcome this, pour 200-300ml of oil (motor oil, gear oil, whatever you have laying around) into the strut casing. insert your new strut cartridge, and clean up any oil that seeps out (if you have overfilled the casing) or add more oil if you havent put enough in. fit the o-ring to the top of the strut cartridge. i strongly recommend liberally applying some teflon thread tape to the locking nuts to ensure there is no leakage of oil after the struts have been re-installed - particularly if you have had to re-use the standard o-ring.
after you have tightened the locking nut, re-install everything in the reverse of the removal procedure. make sure you sufficiently tighen all nuts and bolts in the process. once the car is back on the ground, dont forget to tighten the centre nut on the strut piston!
there you have it. struts replaced. too easy.