Table of contents: Removal ↓ Installation ↓
A car enthusiast is able to independently perform a fairly large amount of work related to the suspension, despite the fact that certain work requires the presence of special devices.
Attention! Welding and straightening work on the front wheel suspension elements is not allowed. Damaged parts must be replaced with new ones.
Removal
Removing the shock absorber strut by disconnecting it from the hub is a problem in the sense that it will subsequently be necessary to contact a workshop to adjust the wheel alignment.
1. Obtain new self-locking nuts and a new ball joint clamp bolt.
2. With the vehicle standing on its wheels, unscrew the bolt securing the axle shaft to the wheel hub.
3. Remove the wheel mounting bolts.
4. Place the front of the car on jack stands, ensuring that it is in a level position. Otherwise, the anti-roll bar will become tense.
5. Remove the wheel.
6. Disconnect the anti-roll bar struts from both shock absorber struts and remove the anti-roll bar by pushing it upwards (see illustration).
7. Disconnect the brake caliper and secure it to the body with wire. Do not disconnect the brake hoses.
8. Disconnect the transverse steering rod by pressing out the ball joint pin of the rod end.
9. Remove the clamp bolt of the ball joint to which the lower wishbones are attached.
10. Disconnect the ball joint from the shock absorber strut using a pry bar. This will disconnect the lower wishbones from the shock absorber strut (see illustration).
Caution: Do not attempt to widen the slot on the steering knuckle using a screwdriver or similar object.
11. Turn the steering wheel to the stop and press the axle shaft end out of the hub.
12. Open the hood and remove the cover on the mudguard pillar that covers the shock absorber strut mounting nut on the mudguard.
13. Loosen the strut mounting nut with a socket wrench, while holding the shock absorber rod from turning with a socket wrench. Also support the strut itself so that it does not fall (see illustration).
14. Remove the shock absorber strut.
Installation
When installing the shock absorber, use new self-locking nuts and also replace with a new ball joint clamp bolt.
15. Install the new clamp bolt with its head pointing in the direction of travel.
16. Secure the drive axle shaft to the hub and secure the shock absorber strut.
Attention! If the previous shock absorber strut is installed, the connection of which with the steering knuckle was not broken, then in this case the wheel alignment does not need to be checked.