Strut Assembly: Assembly
CAUTION:
Use care not to damage coil spring coating during spring assembly. Damage to coating will jeopardize its corrosion protection.
NOTE:
Left and right springs must not be interchanged.
NOTE:
If coil spring has been removed from spring compressor, proceed with next step, otherwise, proceed with step 4.
- Place coil spring (part number tag end downward) in compressor lower hooks following manufacturers instructions. To ease strut reassembly, rotate coil spring around until lower coil end is in same location as it was upon disassembly. Proper orientation of spring to strut (once installed) is necessary.
- Position compressor upper hooks over coil spring following manufacturers instructions.
- Compress coil spring far enough to allow strut installation.
- If separated, install isolator onto upper seat. See Figure. Be sure to match master notches built into each up to one another. See Fig 1.
- Install upper isolator and upper seat on top of coil spring if previously removed. See Figure.
- If pivot bearing has been removed from upper seat, install pivot bearing on top of upper spring seat. See Figure. Bearing must be installed on upper seat with smaller diameter side of pivot bearing toward spring seat. Be sure pivot bearing is sitting flat on spring seat once mounted.
- Install spring lower isolator on lower spring seat of strut matching isolator alignment pin with hole in strut. See Figure.
- Install jounce bumper on strut shaft with small end pointing downward. See Figure.
- Install dust shield on strut shaft. Collapse and stretch dust shield down over top of jounce bumper until dust shield snaps into slot on jounce bumper. jounce bumper will be at top of inner dust boot. Return dust shield to its fully extended length.
- Install strut through bottom of coil spring until lower spring seat contacts lower end of coil spring. Match step built into strut lower seat and isolator to lower coil end, then install clamp to hold strut and coil spring together.
- Install strut mount over strut shaft and onto top of pivot bearing and upper seat. See Figure. Loosely install retaining nut on strut shaft.
- Install Strut Nut Wrench (on end of a torque wrench), Special Tool 6864, on strut shaft retaining nut. See Figure. Next, install a 10 mm socket onto hex on end of strut shaft. While holding strut shaft from turning, tighten strut shaft retaining nut to a torque of 115 N.m (85 ft. lbs.).NOTE: Before releasing tension compressor has on spring, using following figure as reference, rotate upper spring seat and upper isolator (notches in each) to line up with hole in strut and clevis bracket (within 5° of one another). See Fig 1.
1 - NOTCHES IN UPPER SEAT AND ISOLATOR 2 - HOLE IN STRUT LOWER SEAT 3 - STRUT CLEVIS BRACKET - Slowly release tension from coil spring by backing off compressor drive fully. As tension is relieved, make sure upper mount, pivot bearing and upper seat are align properly.
- Remove clamp from lower end of coil spring and strut. Push back spring compressor upper and lower hooks, then remove strut assembly from spring compressor.
- Install strut assembly on vehicle. (Refer to SUSPENSION/FRONT/STRUT - INSTALLATION)