Updated 11/8/2006
updated 11/8/2006
Here's the basics:
1. Break the big top nut loose but don't remove it, then loosen the 3
smaller top nuts.
2. Remove the pinch bolt & drop the knuckle down off the strut--may
take some coaxing with a dead blow hammer.
3. Remove those 3 top nuts and the whole strut-mount-spring assembly
comes out in one piece.
4. Compress the spring (the "OEM" brand spring compressors from
AutoZoo are surprisingly good quality, and not too expensive--I don't
rent stuff from them any more because it's always banged up and/or
completely destroyed)
5. Once all the spring load is off the strut mount, remove the top
nut. Then you can throw the old strut and mount in the garbage and
swap the spring over to the new strut.
Installation is pretty straightforward at this point, although I had
some trouble getting one of the struts started into the knuckle since
it's such a tight squeeze. A jack under the knuckle helps to push it
onto the strut, but you need to direct the knuckle properly while
raising it up so it doesn't bind on the strut while you're trying to
jam it on there.
I don't know much about the rear struts.
Dan Carman
__________________________________________________________________________
see also:
__________________________________________________________________________
I recently had a alignment on my car and the mechanic working on my car said my front struts are on their "LAST LEG". Maybe I don't agree because the struts aren't leaking fluid the car doesn't bounce up and down at all if you push down on the car. There is kind of like a noise coming from the suspension though, sounds like there are bolts in a metal coffee can being shaked around when ever i go over very rough road. I'm just curious if anybody had some ideas what was causing this and if that mechanic if full of it? Any help appreciated!
John Pedraza
SARC cars are very hard to tell if the shocks are bad unless there are
visible signs of leakage. With the motor off the shocks are in a
"hard state" and you can not bounce the car. When the car is
idling they go into a "soft state" being a lot easier to bounce due to
the valves being open. OEM replacements are not cheap. There was
talk of aftermarket non-SARC shocks but I don't think anyone came up with some
good alternatives.
Here's the OEM part numbers and price from Ford Parts Network....
AM-910-G Genuine Ford RH front strut $ 129.99
AM-911-G Genuine Ford LH front strut $ 129.99
AM-912-G Genuine Ford RH rear shock $ 118.99
AM-913-G Genuine Ford LH rear shock $ 118.99
Paul Nimz
'97 TR
Don M got new struts and when I drove his car, then mine I knew I needed new
struts. (& they never leaked)
With new struts the car rode much better and I had much better control when I
pushed the car, especially at high speed.
My car had 60,000 miles when I put the struts on, if yours has >50,000 miles,
get new struts.
Tim Wright
97 VW
BTW - you will need another 4 wheel alignment after you replace your struts.