[Shotimes] Re: Front Strut R&R Part 2

[George Fourchy]

Part 2....

To install the spring onto the new/re-cartridged strut.....

Thirty seconds (or less) to reset the rubber spring seat insulator and set the
spring in place.  Thirty more seconds (or less) to replace the bearing/retainer and
snug the nut with a box wrench.  Thirty seconds per side to remove the spring
compressors.   Total, a minute and a half...maybe a minute.

To install the new strut in the car and set it down.....

Thirty seconds to make sure the bearing is oriented properly to start the three
studs in the tower.  Thirty more seconds to snug the three nuts up on top.  One
minute (being generous here) to line up the knuckle with the strut and seat it on
the bottom of the strut.  A minute to slide it up to the proper place....cutting the
tab to lower the strut in the knuckle might take 3 or 4 extra minutes, to get it
just right.  Thirty seconds per to get the 5 fasteners mentioned above started in
the knuckle.  An extra 30 seconds is allocated to align the hole in the tie-rod stud
with the castles in the nut for the cotter key.  A minute to mount the tire and
start the nuts.  Add 2 minutes for my secret method to center my wheels since the
new lug holes are out of round.  A minute to let it down, and 45 seconds to a minute
for each lug nut to tighten it properly.  30 seconds to put back the center cap and
lock-bolt.    13 minutes, nominal.  Add 2 for centering the wheel and whatever it
might take to lower the strut.

So, that's about 35 minutes per side (that's on the long side, actually!) for the
fronts, considering all the steps.  In fact, I've often done a single side in under
25 minutes in real time.  I remember it took about 7 minutes total to remove the
spring, install the cartridge, and replace the spring, back when I installed Konis
in the Lowrider.....that was WAY back in the mid'90s, and I don't guarantee that it
doesn't take less time than I've described here.

The bottom line is that I can install a set of 4 Tokikos (or cartridges) in 4 hours,
easy (in my garage, with my jacks and air).  The rears take about 45 minutes each,
because of the awkward upper fasteners and the deep big nut.  That's on a California
car.  I installed Chris Casselton's struts a pair at a time in about that time,
total.  When I was popping off the front knuckles, I had to do one of them two or
three times, as it came off so fast she missed it the first time.

George