OK, I have been playing with this for half a day already! After finally braking the axle nut loose I took the nuts off the steering knuckle and then realised that the spring is gonna push the strut down ones I take it off. I am doing it for the first time and Haynes manual is not really helpful. I ran to Autozone and got the spring compressor, but there is just enough space to hook two neighboring loops. Compressed them but that was not enough. Completely out of options now. Please HELP!!!

 

you don't need spring compressors. You can take the entire spring/strut assembly off the car and the spring will not come loose. To change the axle you can just undo the two bolts that attach the strut to the hub, or you can remove the three bolts from the top of the strut tower as well and remove the whole unit to give yourself more room. The spring stays in the strut when you take it off the car, you don't have to compress anything.

 

I see what you say, I removed the two bolts holding the strut and the spring pushed the strut even more down into the axle, that is weird, something is not right here. I just called my uncle who is not mechanic by profession but by calling, and he told me the same thing, that the spring should not push the strut down.
Hmm, I am gonna leave it till tomorrow, I am too tired to go on, but thank you guys for helping out!!!

But if someone has a clue what I am doing wrong, please tell! I have unscrewed nothing but the two bolts holding the strut and the steering knuckle togather....

 

Haynes Manual says after removing the nuts that hold hub and strut together, I need to replace them with NEW nuts, is that really necessary?

 

Really? no. Replacing nuts is a "standard" recommendation if you have to take one out. The threads can get damaged of they were overtorqued.Their cost are negligeable compared to the risk of reusing a used nut with worn threads. This is easy to do for a garage with all the nut sizes available in the parts bins. Buy for a DIT' er, it is a pain to interrupt the job and go for purchasing the parts.


Documentation recommends same also with the engine oil drain plug. But I dont change drain plugs at every oil change, I trust myself I dont overtorque. Judgment call.

 

Make sure to jack up both sides of the car evenly, then the strut won't be pushed down.

 

THAT"S MY PROBLEM!!!!!! I jacked up only one side....!!!
Thanks man!!! Now it makes sence!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

By any chance did you see this link to show you how to change the boots?

http://www.motorvate.ca/mvp.php/401

I just finished the boots on my car yesterday, had trouble getting the right side axle out, so I just changed the outer boot WITHOUT takiing the axle out. removed the boot, and the end (with a hammer to knock it off) and then cleaned up the outer joint and replaced it.

Mike

 

When you remove those three bolts at the top of the fender where the strut comes through, the strut will fall out of the car. It will come out as a unit, and will be fully intact. This will give you ton's more room. Just remember to unhook any brake lines from the strut before pulling it out of the car.

Good Luck!

 

But you DON'T have to remove the springs, just remove the 2 large bolts that hold the wheel hub to the strut, it will then fall away to allow room to remove the axle.

Mike

 

Not officially. But removing those three bolts up top gets the strut assembly out of the way completely, and give more room to work... as the strut does hang down right in the way.

Now, if the lower two strut bolts had not already been removed.....

If you do not remove those two bolts that attach the strut to that large casting the wheel bearing mounts in... and remove the strut and casting as a unit, the alignment should not change. (as long as the outer tie rod isn't turned when it's removed)

Good Luck!

 

Thanks Guys! Now I feel confident to go on. I put it alll togather yesterday since I needed the car asap, but on Monday, tomorrow, will make a second try. I am sure this time it will go all smooth. My problem was that I jacked up only one side.... that's why strut was pushed down..

MikeF, thanks for a write up!

 

If your replacing the whole c.v. with new axles, the springs is the least of your problems. Once you crack the axle nut, disconnect the tierod nut, and pop the tierod out, you still have to get the axle out of the car. When I did mine i did both at once. that passenger side axle is a pain in the *****....you have to beat the daylights outta the axle to get it free from the inner bracket that holds it into place..

 

Success!!! Replaced yesterday both axles with my uncle with ease. Everything went smooth except we had to make extra trip to autozone because they gave us one wrong axle. Also it completely went out of my had I would have to top of the gear oil. Other than that everything went much easier than I anticipated, because of my first failed attempt.