khalimadeath
09-16-2012, 01:14 PM
If your replacing the control arms this is even more benificial. I didnt take pics but after reading many write up's I decided to do this my way. Not sure if any of you have done it like this.
-First do the obvious, jack the car and remove wheels.
-Then PB blast the pinch bolts and lower strut mount.
-Pop the "hidden" body plugs out by the upper strut mount in the engine bay. There will be 2 13mm nuts you have to loosen about halfway.
-Take the 16mm lower strut nut off and wiggle the bolt out about half way (You might be able to get it out all the way. If you can, do that). Use a screw driver and hammer it out till it hits the lower control arm.
- Then take the 16mm nut off the upper pinch bolt then hammer that out. Tap the control arms out. Stick a screwdriver in the crack between the pinch bolt mount and tap. Ive never had a problem with this bolt, I can have it in and out in about 30 seconds. Some people have lots of gripes about it.
- At this point you can pivot the hub around. Wiggle the lower strut bolt out now while moving that around.
-Now remove the 13mm nuts that were under the body plugs, and the 16mm top hat bolts.
- wiggle the top hat loose and take it off the upper spring perch while that is still under the car. That will allow more room to take the strut out.
Boom! Now reassemble with the new parts and install in reverse. Sorry if the description is a little lacking, its kind of hard to describe without pictures but I was on too much of a roll to stop and shoot the process. This is how my roommate and I removed both front struts in less than 45 minutes, and this is only my second time in 3 years doing this.
-First do the obvious, jack the car and remove wheels.
-Then PB blast the pinch bolts and lower strut mount.
-Pop the "hidden" body plugs out by the upper strut mount in the engine bay. There will be 2 13mm nuts you have to loosen about halfway.
-Take the 16mm lower strut nut off and wiggle the bolt out about half way (You might be able to get it out all the way. If you can, do that). Use a screw driver and hammer it out till it hits the lower control arm.
- Then take the 16mm nut off the upper pinch bolt then hammer that out. Tap the control arms out. Stick a screwdriver in the crack between the pinch bolt mount and tap. Ive never had a problem with this bolt, I can have it in and out in about 30 seconds. Some people have lots of gripes about it.
- At this point you can pivot the hub around. Wiggle the lower strut bolt out now while moving that around.
-Now remove the 13mm nuts that were under the body plugs, and the 16mm top hat bolts.
- wiggle the top hat loose and take it off the upper spring perch while that is still under the car. That will allow more room to take the strut out.
Boom! Now reassemble with the new parts and install in reverse. Sorry if the description is a little lacking, its kind of hard to describe without pictures but I was on too much of a roll to stop and shoot the process. This is how my roommate and I removed both front struts in less than 45 minutes, and this is only my second time in 3 years doing this.