Front strut failure

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macplaxton
Posts: 3283
Joined: 09 Feb 2008 02:29 am

Re: Front strut failure

Post by macplaxton » 16 Nov 2011 08:45 pm

A quick guide to removing a nearside front strut. Some bits can be skipped depending on what you are doing.

1) Loosen a few things up first. Pop the bonnet and slack a couple of turns the three (13mm) bolts that hold the top mount to the body and the 1 nut (19mm) that holds the top of the damper rod. (Don't use a 7mm crappy monkey-metal spanner to hold the damper rod still. It'll break and you'll have to scramble down to the tool shop and get fleeced 'cos you're buying a single quality replacement so the bloke you borrowed the 7mm spanner off doesn't go ballistic. :oops:) As much as I hate the things, use a large adjustable spanner or something similarly substantial.
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2) Slacken the wheel nuts (19mm, but on this car there were 21mm dome nut). Jack the car up and support properly, etc.,etc. Remove nuts and wheel and give the hub nut cap and few taps and pop it off. Slacken the hub nut (24mm). This might need to be unstaked first.
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3) Remove the calliper carrier by undoing the two biggies (17mm) that hold the caliper to the strut and two (11mm) that hold the brake disc guard to the calliper.
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4) After wrestling the calliper off and tying it out of the way to avoid straining the flexi-hose, remove the hub nut and remove the hub/disc assembly. Then undo the last two (11mm) bolt that hold the brake disc guard onto the strut. The slacken off (and wind almost all the way off) the nut (17mm) for the track rod end.
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5) Leaving the nut on to protect the threads, give the track rod end a whack to split the taper and because you can't remember where you last left your ball join separator.
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6) Don't forget that as this is the nearside to remove the speedo cable. It's just a push fit and once you have pulled it out check that the rubber wotsit (pictured) is removed from the strut and put back on the cable.
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7) Then dive in for the bottom ball joint (19mm) and slacken it almost all off...
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8) ...only to discover that it's probably easier (without the ball joint splitter you can find) to undo the two bolts (17mm either side) that hold the ball joint to the bottom wishbone.
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9) Have the jack ready under the bottom ball joint to catch it. It'll ping out sideways extending a couple of more inches. WATCH OUT!
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10) Remove the top three bolts (13mm) and get ready to catch the strut assembly when undoing the last one.
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Refitting is the reversal of removal. Aye right. It's probably easier to get the strut back in if you undo the lower diagonal arm and the anti-roll bar drop link from the lower wishbone. Re-stake the old hub nut on an unused portion of the lock collar. When refitting the 3 top mount bolts, use some Loctite 271 or similar blue thread locking goo.
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Further dismantling of the strut can be done if you have a couple of spring compressors handy. This would be done for spring, damper, top mount, top mount bearing or top cup replacement.

I would bung it back together as it is and worry about doing a Nice Shiny Mac™ powder coat job later when back home.

340pw sm4
72 DAF 44 Estate 78 Volvo 343DL Black BeautyImageImage
82 Volvo 343DL CVTImageImage 88 Volvo 340DL Diesel

MCHUDD
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Joined: 18 May 2006 03:43 pm
Location: BELFAST UNITED KINGDOM

Re: Front strut failure

Post by MCHUDD » 17 Nov 2011 09:18 pm

Hi Mate.
That was better reading than a Haynes manual :lol: :lol: :lol:
Cheers Mark.
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pyoorkate
Posts: 31
Joined: 09 Sep 2009 11:39 am

Re: Front strut failure

Post by pyoorkate » 19 Nov 2011 06:28 pm

Hiya!

Thanks (again) for that - that's awesome. Hopefully he'll be back on the road soon as I can get down there! :)

--
Kate WE

pyoorkate
Posts: 31
Joined: 09 Sep 2009 11:39 am

Re: Front strut failure

Post by pyoorkate » 29 Nov 2011 07:58 pm

Unfortunately, my plan didn't go to plan, as it were. With four hours to do the work in we pulled up at my mum's house. I virtually lept on the car, getting it up and started very quickly. Unfortunately, I couldn't find my 6-sided socket set when I left, and having got there the need to have it became more apparent. The 17mm caliper bolts were solidly rusted on, and my eventual attack of them with the impact driver just made them round off somewhat. The monkey metal 17mm ring spanner that I've had kicking around for years is now an 18mm ring spanner with some circular notches peeling out of it.

Eventually, it became brutally apparent that none of the tools I had with me would shift the b*stard objects, I gave in, rang a local garage and a local recovery firm, cut my losses and head home :(

Hopefully he'll be sorted in the next couple of days, and i'll go down tuesday and collect 'im. However, the guide will be very handy for when I nicey the car later!

macplaxton
Posts: 3283
Joined: 09 Feb 2008 02:29 am

Re: Front strut failure

Post by macplaxton » 29 Nov 2011 08:09 pm

I take it from the above, the leg arrived safely?

The calliper bolts are a fine threaded and flange-headed thing with serrations. Not off-the-shelf sort of stuff, but I'm sure something can be done on a temporary basis. (Didn't think to bag 'em up and chuck 'em in :oops: )

Unfortunately, I've a load of side-wall drive socket set here, well at least three. I seem to end up buying one for the back of each car: 1 Aldi, 1 Lidl and 1 Norauto and I've probably another couple too (Halfords massive set and a tiny Bahco one.)
72 DAF 44 Estate 78 Volvo 343DL Black BeautyImageImage
82 Volvo 343DL CVTImageImage 88 Volvo 340DL Diesel

pyoorkate
Posts: 31
Joined: 09 Sep 2009 11:39 am

Re: Front strut failure

Post by pyoorkate » 30 Nov 2011 11:14 am

I'm sure it'll be okay, I think just a bit more umph will get them undone, but I didn't have the umph or the tools available, and it costs me 40 quid each trip down there (in petrol)...

N'er mind, 'm fairly sure the garage will sort 'im.

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