[Shotimes] Front Strut R&R Part 1

[George Fourchy]

I'm getting sick and tired of this....this was a 6.3 kb message.....but the server
thinks (apparently) it was too big.  Other messages on the list are as big as 15 kb,
and there is one with an attachment that is 53 kb.  What's up with that!!??

On Sun, 14 Nov 2004 21:21:57 -0500 (Eastern Standard Time), Carl Prochilo wrote:

> That was done on purpose.  George's intentions were/are
>good.  The idea is that once you know the routine, it should in fact take
>about 30 minutes.  I'm assuming the time is quoted as the time to pull the
>strut out of the car.  There is obviously some additional time to apply
>the spring compressors and then remove the insert from the strut if that
>is the case for you.

We don't have rusty cars out here that are younger than 25 years.  We just don't. 
Whether in the PnP for 6 months, or in my driveway for 15 years (in two months),
they don't rust....at least the fasteners don't sieze.   I apologize for that, and I
send my sincere regrets to the rest of you that have to deal with rust and frozen
fasteners.  (Really!)

I got a first-hand dose of frozen strut fasteners when I helped Kris and Andy
Angermeier swap a pair of rears out of the '91 plus they drove to the Madison
convention.  Things were progressing normally....a bit slower than I was used
to...but normally....until it was time to remove the nut from the right rear tension
strut.  It turned about 1/4 of a turn, and then that was it.  After some extra
effort, thanks to my right leg, it gave up the ghost with a snap and bang,
tinkle-tinkle, as the 20 inch ratchet hit the pavement.  I am VERY glad I don't have
to deal with that on a regular basis, when I do struts on my car or someone else's
here in my garage.

The following scenario supposes that the tools are laying out ready to go, and the
air is on, with the Workmate set up and ready to take a strut.

Time to remove a single front strut on my car in my garage....  

Thirty seconds to loosen the big nut in the center of the top, and to loosen the
three nuts that hold the strut to the tower...10 seconds to open the hood.  Two
minutes to remove the center cap from the wheel and loosen the lugs (digging out the
wrench and key from the glove compartment).  An extra minute if it is the right
front, which has a bugered up lock that the key has to be driven onto with a hammer.
 90 seconds to jack it up and place the jackstand.  90 seconds to remove the five
finger tight lugs and the tire.  A minute per, to remove the pinch bolt, the sway
bar link, the antilock sensor, and the tension strut nut and bushing.  One minute to
loosen and invert the tie-rod nut so that it can be tapped out with a hammer.  30
seconds to slide around to the front of the car and push the knuckle backwards off
the tension strut so that it will slide down the strut body.  15 seconds to slide
the knuckle off the strut (remember...I have spread the pinch on my knuckles long
ago.....add 2 minutes to rethread the pinch bolt in backwards and tighten it against
a shim in the pinch if that hasn't been done before).  One minute to unscrew the
three nuts on top, and to pop the strut out of the fender, and into the Workmate. 
That's 12 minutes, 45 seconds.

To remove the spring....

One minute to install the strut in the workmate, and place the two spring
compressors opposite each other on the spring....remember, the top nut is loose. 
One minute per compressor to impact them down so that the spring is loose.  30
seconds to remove the nut and bearing/retainer.    Three minutes, 30 seconds.

To install a Koni strut cartridge in a non modified stock strut.....

One minute to measure and cut off the top of the strut housing (with a sawsall with
metal blade) and remove the the innards.  Two minutes (ok, maybe three) to turn the
housing over, predrill a small pilot hole in the bottom for the retainer bolt, then
drill the actual hole.  One minute to slide the new cartridge down into the strut
and tighten the bottom bolt.  One minute to slip and snap the top seal and strut
bumper onto the new strut rod and top of the strut.    Five minutes.

End of part 1.

George