My first how to post. Changing front struts and springs also installing lift kit.
Get your tools
Spanners 10, 12, 14, 17
Sockets 10, 12, 15, 17, 19
Breaker bar
Three flat screw drivers for levering ''stuff''
Cir clip pliers with large and small tips. Don't buy these ones I got from Repco. They broke on the second use leaving me a
3hour job for the second side. But thats another story
2 axle stands
1 jack (make sure it can lift the car high enough so the tyres are 2" off the ground before you start or you won't get the wheels
back on because the lift kit will allow the suspension to drop. Trust me from experience.
Wheel chocks
Lump hammer
thread lock (I use medium on everything just to be sure nothing rattles loose)
Axle grease if you like just to re grease some stuff as the opportunity is there.
Chock the rear wheels
Open up the bonnet
Remove the fuse box to you can access the top of the strutt on the passenger side. Other models might be differnt, mine
is a 4cyl J20a.
Crawl under the car and remove both the sway bar links
Jack up the car and put it on axle stands just behind the front wheels on the chassis rails jack points. No photos here sorry.
Remove the front wheels
Remove the steering control arms. Loosen the nut with the 19mm & breaker bar but leave it on to protect the threads for
the next step. Then belt the side of the hub assembly around the thread where you loosened the nut. You can see where
I've done it where its a bit flat just under the socket in the photo. The shaft under the thread is taperd and jammed into
the axle hub. Hammering it with the lump hammer will pop it out. Then remove the nut and drop the arm away.
Remove the brake line clip from the strut. Just lever off the clip with a screw driver. Remove the brake caliper and hang it up out of the way with zip ties or rope. Remove the disc brake so it doesn't fall on
your foot.
Remove the CV cover, not sure what it's called. Then remove the retaining clip or Cir clip. This will allow the hub to come
off the car in a bit.
Loosen the bottom nut under the axle hub assembly. Sorry no photo here.
Loosen the nut on the top of the strut. You need to hold the large hexagonal washer while yo do this. I was able to wedge
a large screwdriver against the tower to hold it still.
Now just crack the nuts on the bottom of the strut ever so slightly so they are finger tight. Take not in this photo I already
have camber bolts. You might just have two of the same bolt. The larger one.
Now you are just about ready to remove the strut and axle hub together.
Place the jack under the lower control arm under the spring. Be wary at this stage as you are now dealing with the potential
energy in the spring. Raise the jack just to take some pressure, not too much or you will lift the car up. Now remove the
top nut on the strut.
For this next bit slowly lower the jack. The spring will push the jack down and the strut will lower out of the tower. With
mine it was quite controlled and stopped nicely. As soon as there is room you can lift the axle hub off the locating thread
at the bottom and pull the hub off the CV with the strut, you might need to push the strut shaft down and wriggle it all a bit.
Put the assembly aside because the spring still needs to be dealt with. Now on mine I removed the jack and the lower control
arm stopped and spring was still in. Then I pushed the lower control arm down till the spring was lose.
Now swap the struts, install the camber bolts and reverse everything. The small end of the spring is the bottom. Make
sure when you put the springs back in you rotate them to seat properly into the seats where the recess is.
Black raptor kit
Keep the large washer and plastic cover from the old strut and transfer to the new one.
My old lift springs vs the new ones.
Stock front strut vs new 2" extended
I hope I got everything. This is just how I did it and it might not be the best way but worked. Took me about 2 hours
each side on my first go and learning at the same time. Well about 4 hours on the second side because my cir clip pliers broke and my jack wasn't tall
enough to lift the car of the axle stands and then I had to refit my bash plate.
If there are any mistakes let me know and I'll fix them up. I hope this helps someone.