图文并茂：Strut/spring Replacement

[hardywang]

本文以 Pontiac Grand Prix 为例子，其他车型请灵活运用。

[hardywang]

Be sure to jack the front of the car up from a central point. Choose your jacking point carefully.

It's imperative that you do one end of the car at a time as opposed to one side at a time. When you jack up one side, the sway bars will apply upward pressure to the suspension of the side that is in the air. This will make it impossible to remove the strut/spring assembly.

[hardywang]

There are two large bolts holding the bottom of the strut and rotor/hub assemblies together. These are threaded to a point, and then ribbed vertically to prevent stripping. They're in there very tightly; once you remove the nut on the back, you'll need a decent sized hammer (preferrably a rubber mallet) to pound the bolts out. The trick is to remove the bottom bolt first; this one you can pound out with little trouble; be sure not to hit it hard enough to do damage to the fender guard. The top bolt, however, will likely catch itself on its way out, and will take a little elbow grease to remove. This is because the strut is creating downward pressure, as well as gravity pulling the strut down.

[hardywang]

With the bolts out, pull the two assemblies apart. Be very careful not to apply too much pressure to the brake fluid line at the front. It has just enough slack to do the job, but you can cause damage to it if you pull too hard.

Now the strut assembly should be hanging by the three nuts on top of the strut tower. Remove these nuts, and remove the strut assembly.

Again, take caution around the brake line.

[hardywang]

The strut assembly has been completely removed.

[hardywang]

This is a close-up of the tools that you'll need to remove the top of the strut assembly. Before attempting this step, compress the spring. A spring compressor can often be purchased for $25-$40, but most automotive parts stores will rent them out for a moderate, completely refundable deposit. Compressing the spring is for your safety; injury can and will occur if you do not compress the spring prior to removing the top nut.

[hardywang]

Progress Group springs and Koni adjustable struts. Highly recommended setup; the PG springs can be purchased at Island Motorsports for about $200, and the Konis are available through the Grand Prix Store for $750 plus core.

[hardywang]

The tools you are seeing are a Craftsman adjustable box-end wrench, and a 1/4" socket with a Torx bit; at the top of the strut assembly, you'll hold the adjustable wrench on the large nut, with the Torx bit in the center. Turn one or the other as you prefer. Do this slowly.

Sometimes, you'll get lucky, and it'll be obvious how the spring was placed in relation to the rubber stops at either end, as you remove them. If this is the case, great. If not, use a piece of chalk and mark on the rubber stops where both ends of the spring originally resided. It's important to get the new spring into the same orientation.

Once the nut and the hat are removed, slide the dust boot off of the strut.

[hardywang]

This is the dust boot we just removed from the strut. Inside, you'll find the bump stop, which in the case of the revised Eibach and PG springs, will need to be trimmed. Remove the bump stop from the dust boot. Be careful not to damage the dust boot in the process. Note: only the bump stops for the front struts require trimming. Do not trim the rear bump stops.

[hardywang]

If you picture the bump stop as being three sections, you want to remove the bottom-most section as shown. Always consult the instructions that came with your springs, of course.

[hardywang]

Reassemble the strut and spring. As previously noted, be sure that the new spring falls into the same orientation as the original spring. If you are installing lowering springs instead of stock springs, you will not need to compress the spring for reinstallation.

You will reuse the top and bottom rubber stops, dust boot (with trimmed bump stop back inside), and the entire strut hat from the stock assembly. Cleaning the dirt off each component is a good idea, and if you feel the need, relubricate the top portion of the hat. Dirt in the rotating portion of the hat is a bad thing.

[hardywang]

Reinstall the strut assembly. Start with the top nuts. When you get to the large bolts at the bottom, it's a good idea to place them both in as far as you can push them and ensure that you can get the nut on at the other side. You will not be using the mallet/hammer to pound them back in as you did to remove them; this will cause damage to the vertical ribs. Use the nut to draw the bolt through.

[hardywang]

Having at least two people present will make the swap infinitely faster.

[hardywang]

Yes, the bolts at the top of the strut tower in the rear are a pain to get to.

[hardywang]

Be sure to note the connection point between the rear sway bar and the strut assembly; this will be important when you reinstall the strut.

[hardywang]

Lug nuts need to be torqued down to 100ft./lbs., and it's a very good idea to re-check them within 25-50 miles after doing the swap.

Remember that you will need an alignment after swap. It may help the alignment shop for you to slightly enlarge the bottom holes of your new struts if you are lowering the car.

[hardywang]

Clean up your mess, check all bolts, lugs, etc. to be sure they're tight, and take the car out for a ride. All done!

[-GoGoGo-]

所需资源之粗步估计: 零件+工具+两个壮丁+一整天+两包烟+一打啤酒......

[悠闲]

上回有张照片不小心露了一下局部，看到耳朵上还整了个眼儿。

[-GoGoGo-]

作者: 悠闲

上回有张照片不小心露了一下局部，看到耳朵上还整了个眼儿。

OPS! 原来HARDY小同学的小胳膊上如此毛茸茸, 真MAN啊!!