Strut assembly (front) — removal, inspection and installation
Removal
1. Loosen the wheel lug nuts, raise the vehicle and support it securely on jack stands. Remove the wheel.
2. Unbolt the brake hose bracket from the strut (see illustration). If the vehicle is equipped with ABS, detach the speed sensor wiring harness from the strut by removing the clamp bracket bolt.
i. 2 Brake hose connection attached to the strut assembly
3. Disconnect the stabilizer bar link from the strut (see Strut assembly (front) — removal, inspection and installation).
4. Mark the relationship of the strut to the steering knuckle (see illustrations).
i. 4a Mark the relationship of the strut to the steering knuckle (to preserve the camber setting when reassembling
i. 4b to detach the strut from the steering knuckle, remove the two nuts, then knock out the bolts with a hammer and punch
5. Separate the strut from the steering knuckle. Be careful not to overextend the inner CV joint. Also, don’t let the steering knuckle fall outward and strain the brake hose.
6. Loosen the three upper nuts (see illustration). With the nuts loose, support the strut and spring assembly with one hand and remove the three strut-to-body nuts. Now remove the assembly out from the fender well.
i. 6 To detach the upper end of the strut from the body, remove the upper mounting nuts
Warning: Do NOT remove the center top nut of the strut assembly when removing the assembly from the vehicle. Remove this nut ONLY when a spring compressor is properly attached and is compressed enough to relieve the spring pressure off of the upper strut bearing. Follow the strut/spring assembly removal procedures in Strut/spring assembly — replacement.
Inspection
7. Check the strut body for leaking fluid, dents, cracks and other obvious damage which would warrant repair or replacement.
8. Check the coil spring for chips or cracks in the spring coating (this will cause premature spring failure due to corrosion). Inspect the spring seat for cuts, hardness and general deterioration.
9. If any undesirable conditions exist, proceed to the strut disassembly procedure (see Strut assembly (front) — removal, inspection and installation).
Installation
10. Guide the strut assembly up into the fender well and insert the upper mounting studs through the holes in the body. Once the studs protrude, install the nuts so the strut won’t fall back through. This is most easily accomplished with the help of an assistant, as the strut is quite heavy and awkward.
11. Slide the steering knuckle into the strut flange and insert the two bolts. Install the nuts, align the previously made matchmarks and tighten them to the torque listed in this Chapter’s Specifications.
12. Connect the brake hose bracket to the strut and tighten the bolt securely. If the vehicle is equipped with ABS, install the speed sensor wiring harness bracket.
13. Install the wheel and lug nuts, then lower the vehicle and tighten the lug nuts to the torque listed in the Tune-up and routine maintenance Specifications.
14. Tighten the upper mounting nuts to the torque listed in this Chapter’s Specifications.
15. Have the front-end alignment checked, and if necessary, adjusted.