How to replace struts on a Lancer
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Joined: Dec 2011
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From: Knoxville, TN
Victory !!!
If the lower two bolts (strut bolt and bolt connecting trailing and lower arms) are frozen with the sleeves, here is how you can work around the problem to change your strut... Took us about 2hrs and half.
1-First unfasten the upper arm and unfasten the lower bolt holding the strut to the lower arm, and the bolt connecting the lower and trailing arms - you can leave the nut on the latter bolt.
2-Next break loose the strut nut, by a quarter turn or so. Use either an impact or: 6mm flare nut wrench + 17mm 60 degree open wrench.
3-Then jack up the strut from under using a floor jack. Then install spring compressors on the spring and tighten them a little further. Next release the floor jack slowly and make sure the strut/boot/sprin extend gently.
4- use a disc cutter and kill the bolt holding the strut, and some rubber. Makes lots of smoke and nice sparks
- Use gogles !!!
5-Remove the top bolts holding the strut mount
6-Place a long tube (72") on the lower arm (in between lower and trailing arm) and under the chassis. To have the tube stay in play, use a floor jack to block the tube in place. Then ask a friend to push down o nthe tube, while you push down on the head of the strut mount. After lots of shouting, the thing comes off...! To ease the process, you can ask your friend to stand on the tube with his two feet (~200 lbs...!). The tube must therefore be solid, I used plumbing 3/8 " tube, 1/2 is probably better.
This is what you get:
And what remains of the lower part of the strut:
And the strut with the compressors
Surprise when we unmounted it: two plates instead one one are present on the top of the bellow bumper...
To put the strut back, change the strut assembly/mount as explained above. Then take the reverse steps...
Make sure the rubbers of the strut are positioned properly as you will have to remove the spring compressors strut on the car, thus you need to have it well aligned.
To put it back we had to compress the spring generously, and use all our strength to push the arms down.
When untightening the spring compressors, make sure the spring goes in the groove marks as it should.
If the lower two bolts (strut bolt and bolt connecting trailing and lower arms) are frozen with the sleeves, here is how you can work around the problem to change your strut... Took us about 2hrs and half.
1-First unfasten the upper arm and unfasten the lower bolt holding the strut to the lower arm, and the bolt connecting the lower and trailing arms - you can leave the nut on the latter bolt.
2-Next break loose the strut nut, by a quarter turn or so. Use either an impact or: 6mm flare nut wrench + 17mm 60 degree open wrench.
3-Then jack up the strut from under using a floor jack. Then install spring compressors on the spring and tighten them a little further. Next release the floor jack slowly and make sure the strut/boot/sprin extend gently.
4- use a disc cutter and kill the bolt holding the strut, and some rubber. Makes lots of smoke and nice sparks
- Use gogles !!!5-Remove the top bolts holding the strut mount
6-Place a long tube (72") on the lower arm (in between lower and trailing arm) and under the chassis. To have the tube stay in play, use a floor jack to block the tube in place. Then ask a friend to push down o nthe tube, while you push down on the head of the strut mount. After lots of shouting, the thing comes off...! To ease the process, you can ask your friend to stand on the tube with his two feet (~200 lbs...!). The tube must therefore be solid, I used plumbing 3/8 " tube, 1/2 is probably better.
This is what you get:
And what remains of the lower part of the strut:
And the strut with the compressors
Surprise when we unmounted it: two plates instead one one are present on the top of the bellow bumper...
To put the strut back, change the strut assembly/mount as explained above. Then take the reverse steps...
Make sure the rubbers of the strut are positioned properly as you will have to remove the spring compressors strut on the car, thus you need to have it well aligned.
To put it back we had to compress the spring generously, and use all our strength to push the arms down.
When untightening the spring compressors, make sure the spring goes in the groove marks as it should.
Last edited by bolc; May 2, 2012 at 05:13 PM.
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Northchuck
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May 1, 2010 05:19 PM
