front shock replacement

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farmer0_1

New member
did some looking on your fine site but cannot find a detailed thread on front shock replacement . my ride just sprung a leak in the left front shock so i bought some replacement kybs and want to install them safely. i do alot of wrenching but my other rides are all leaf spring. removing coils makes me ask. thanks in advance. i sure have been reading alot of great info.
 
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You'll have better luck searching for lift kit installs since the front coilover is taken out in those installs. Some search terms that might help: OME, coilover, toytec, ect.
 
Getting them out is no big deal. One bolt on the bottom and three on top. The hard thing is switching the old springs over to the new shocks. You have two choices. Buy/rent a set of spring compressors and do it yourself or pay a shop to do it. I tried and failed to do it myself, the silly compressors kept slipping and it was very scary. So I had a shop do it.

Then putting them back in was pretty easy. There are some good write-ups and discussion threads out there if you keep looking.
 
so i take it they look like a mcpherson strut when they come out. then you remove the spring . and change it to the new shock.
 
I just did my OME 890/spacer up front.

Jack up the front end to sit on some stands.
undo the bottom shock bolt.
undo all three 14mm nuts on the top of the strut
remove the strut assembly.....

Now here is where it gets tricky...

take it to a local shop and have them swap coils for you! :jump:

I rented the compressors as well and HELL NO...that shit was not safe...

I paid 60 bucks for them to install my spacers for me!


Just my 2cents
 
I recently did this and installed Bilsteins. There were a few tricks like unhooking the front sway bar to allow the control arm to come down further to hook up the lower shock mount easier. I'll be happy to answer any of your questions. It's a pretty easy removal. I then used a spring compressor (tool lending program at Advance Auto parts - give them credit card and charge is removed when you return the part). They do that with most of their specialty tools.

Once the new spring is on, I installed the assembly with the spring compressor still attached, then removed the compressor. I think I have some pictures from the install actually. I was thinking of doing a DIY. Let me know what you need.
 
now i see how it can come out as a unit or change it in place. going to have to wait until i get back from vacation. shock just started dripping should be ok until i get back. thanks for your info .
 
great info . i have the shocks in the shop waiting till i get back home. will decide then which route to take. thanks a bunch.
 
farmer0_1 said:
now i see how it can come out as a unit or change it in place.
Click to expand...

The strut assembly (coil and shock together) must come out as one piece and then be separated using the spring compressors. I also advise against doing a DIY strut disassembly/reassembly. It can shoot pieces at your face and kill you if the compressors slip or break. I bent 3 compressors during my 1st install and will not do that again.
 
there are always several ways to get to the end result wanted. i was a fleet mechanic for the local phone company from 78 to 90 with only two guys most front strut work went to the line up shop. we had 125 or so units to keep on the road . most were 1/2 ton vans up to two ton line trucks. i do have my battle scars from a few of those things i didn't see coming but am very safe anymore takes too long to heal anymore. this is why i ask to start with was to get opionions on how to . again thanks.
 
brian2sun said:
The strut assembly (coil and shock together) must come out as one piece and then be separated using the spring compressors. I also advise against doing a DIY strut disassembly/reassembly. It can shoot pieces at your face and kill you if the compressors slip or break. I bent 3 compressors during my 1st install and will not do that again.
Click to expand...

:iagree:

Yep, I'd take them to a shop to have them disassembled/assembled. I was even nervous about compressing the rear springs myself. Lots of energy in those things when compressed......
 
Those directions are for a 4th gen. Not that it wouldn't work out the same on a 3rd, I don't know. Just wondering if it mattered.
 
I'm also going to use the "no spring compressor" method on my 3rd gen. I'm only replacing the shocks. Just to be clear, I won't need to have any struts assembled, the coil remains in the suspension assembly?
 
Im also curious about this method for 3rd gen cause im wanting to put my lift spacer and new shocks into the fronts too. anybody recently done this on a 3rd gen???
 
well, I just tried the no spring compressor method on my '99 and it did NOT work. I have the lower half as far down as possible, unbolted as seen in the picture and even with a HUGE pry bar to apply pressure to get it lower but it still is under spring pressure. Maybe it is because I have a '99 with the taller springs...not sure. I will be pulling the entire spring/shock assy. out and using a spring compressor. bummer, I was hoping this would work.
Oh well.

Mike
 
ya i did this method with ome 882 coils !!! i had to unbolt the sway bar end links tie rod ends and loosen the lower a arm bolts a little
 
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