Front

REMOVAL
1. Raise the front of the vehicle and mount it on a jack stand.
2. Remove the wheel and tire.





3. Detach the brake hose and front speed sensor wiring from the strut assembly.

NOTE: Do not pry or force the components.





4. Remove the strut assembly from the knuckle and wheel house.
5. Having removed the union between the strut and the knuckle, jack up the lower arm. Attach the brake hose, Brake line, front speed sensor wiring harness and drive shaft to the knuckle with wire to prevent them from being damage.





DISASSEMBLY





1. Remove the dust cover with a flat-tip screwdriver.





2. While holding the spring upper seat with the special tool, loosen the self-locking nut.

CAUTION: The self-locking nut should be loosened only, not removed.





3. Press the front coil spring with the special tool.
4. Remove the self-locking nut from the strut assembly.

INSPECTION





1. Check the strut insulator bearing for wear or rust.
2. Check the rubber parts for damage or deterioration.
3. Check the spring for deformation, deterioration or damage.

REASSEMBLY





1. Install the lower spring pad so that the protrusions fit to the holes in the spring lower seat.





2. Attach the special tool to the front coil spring, then press it on the strut.





3. Join the dust cover and bump rubber.





4. Assemble the spring upper seat to the piston rod, fitting the notch in the rod to the D shaped hole in the spring seat.





5. Line up the holes in the strut assembly spring lower seat with the hole in the spring upper seat.

NOTE: The job is easily accomplished with a guide pin [8 mm x 227 mm (0.32 inch x 8.94 inch)].

6. Thread the self-locking nut onto the strut assembly.
7. Align the two ends of the coil spring to the grooves on the spring seat.





8. Using special tool, hold the upper spring seat and tighten the self-locking nut to the specified torque.

Tightening toque
Tightening of spring seat to piston rod: 60 - 70 Nm (600 - 700 kg.cm, 43 - 51 ft. lbs.)





9. Pack grease in the strut upper bearing and install the cap.

CAUTION: Make sure that no grease is on the insulator rubber.

Recommended grease: SAE j310a, Chassis grease (NLGI No. 0, equivalent)

10. When installing the strut, the mating surface must be cleaned.
11. Tighten the following parts to the specified torque.

Tightening Torque:
Strut upper installation nut: 40 - 50 Nm (400 - 500 kg.cm, 29 - 36 ft. lbs.)
Strut assembly to knuckle: 110 - 130 Nm (1100 - 1300 kg.cm, 80 - 94 ft. lbs.)

12. Install the brake hose and front speed sensor wiring to the strut assembly.