Welcome to Just Commodores, a site specifically designed for all people who share the same passion as yourself.

New Posts Contact us

Just Commodores Forum Community

It takes just a moment to join our fantastic community

Register

[VR-VS] VS strut removal

jashdown91

Jashdown?
Joined
Nov 16, 2008
Messages
121
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
live in ballina, thats near byron bay, everyone kn
Members Ride
VS Acclaim S1
Ok, I've seen threads all over this site on how to remove the struts from a VP and a VT and every other make of Commodore, but none on the VS. So i figured i would make one, seeing as i changed my front springs last night with relative ease. And no this doesn't include stuffing around with ball joints, which isn't necessary in the VS series.

Ok, to kick it off, what you will need.
<a href="http://s304.photobucket.com/albums/nn176/jashdownnn/?action=view&current=IMG_0336.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn176/jashdownnn/IMG_0336.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
That is:
-Socket set
-Lots of different sized spanners
-Spring clamps
-Big hammer
-Shifter

Also a jack of some type, jack stands, and chocs. Better safe than sorry.

Ok, First of all you need to jack your car up. Before you do this, crack the nuts on the front wheels and put some chocs behind your rear wheels, can chuck some in front of them as well if your a bit nervous like myself.
Once the chocs are in, put the jack under the cross-member and jack her up until the wheels are clear of the ground, then chuck some jack stands under the chassis rails.
<a href="http://s304.photobucket.com/albums/nn176/jashdownnn/?action=view&current=IMG_0333.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn176/jashdownnn/IMG_0333.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

Pull your wheels off and have a gander around inside your wheel arch and see what makes your car turn.
<a href="http://s304.photobucket.com/albums/nn176/jashdownnn/?action=view&current=IMG_0335.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn176/jashdownnn/IMG_0335.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
See those two big bolts in the top centre, you have to undo those. You also have to undo the bottom of the sway bar link, where it connects to the sway bar, don't bother with where it connects to the strut.

Those two big bolts that hold the strut to the steering knuckle are bloody hard to undo if you have never had them out before. So what i recommend is getting a 22mm spanner around the nuts (i think thats the size) and whack it nice and quick with the hammer, keep going until you crack the nuts. Then get a socket set on there and take em out. the rotor and hub will lean outwards so get something to support it so its not putting pressure on the brake line.

Now undo the sway bar link, do this by putting the shifter around the flat spot on the link, and a 9/16 spanner on the nut on the bottom and sit there for about 20 minutes trying to undo the little sucker.

Ok so by now you should be able to wiggle the strut around a little bit and pull the sway bar link out of the sway bar.

No go up into your engine bay with a 13mm socket and undo the 6 nuts the hold the strut.
i didnt have a 13mm socket so i had to use the sh*tty 13mm spanner, and it took a long time.
<a href="http://s304.photobucket.com/albums/nn176/jashdownnn/?action=view&current=IMG_0337.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn176/jashdownnn/IMG_0337.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

You should get a mate to hold the strut when your undoing the last couple of nuts, you dont want the strut to fall down and strip the threads, its pretty heavy.

After its out of the car, you can clamp the spring just enough so you can turn it in the strut, then undo the top nut on the shock absorber. Pull the supper plate thing out and then the other piece (dont know what its called) and there will be a washer and a nut, undo this nut and then take out the spring. Make sure you remember exactly how you pulled the strut apart, because it has to go back together the way it came off.

Now just chuck the new spring in or whatever it is your doing and put the strut back together the opposite of how you took it apart. Then do the reverse of everything above to put it back together.

Hope that makes it a little easier or clearer for people.

It also saved me 110 bucks labour, so its not a useless bit of information as well. Anyway, goodluck if you try. its really pretty easy.
Let me know if i missed anything.
 
Last edited:

jashdown91

Jashdown?
Joined
Nov 16, 2008
Messages
121
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
live in ballina, thats near byron bay, everyone kn
Members Ride
VS Acclaim S1
wow. 590 views or something and not a single comment! atleast let me know if its any good sometime!:beer chug:
 

sweefu

Active Member
Joined
Dec 1, 2008
Messages
2,742
Reaction score
6
Points
38
Location
Canberra
Members Ride
VY Berlina V6 / R31 Skyline
looks top notch mate!
i dont need to change my struts but still looks like you covered everything
 

jashdown91

Jashdown?
Joined
Nov 16, 2008
Messages
121
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
live in ballina, thats near byron bay, everyone kn
Members Ride
VS Acclaim S1
looks top notch mate!
i dont need to change my struts but still looks like you covered everything

YES!

the first comment on this thread from someone that isn't me!

haha thanks mate.
 
Last edited:

Trayner

Fresh prince of Pakky, Gangsta
Joined
Aug 21, 2008
Messages
1,411
Reaction score
93
Points
48
Location
Pakenham , VIC
Members Ride
Gangsta Hundy
Good write up man , also you can use the stock jack to hold the strut while your undoing the top nuts :beer chug:
 

jashdown91

Jashdown?
Joined
Nov 16, 2008
Messages
121
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
live in ballina, thats near byron bay, everyone kn
Members Ride
VS Acclaim S1
Good write up man , also you can use the stock jack to hold the strut while your undoing the top nuts :beer chug:

good point mate. never thought of that. ill use that when i pull the damn things out again to find out why theres a lot of knocking when i go over a speed bump. thanks :thumbsup:
 

Kirbs

L plater
Joined
Mar 1, 2009
Messages
224
Reaction score
1
Points
0
Location
Bunbury
Members Ride
VT SS II
Cheers mate, Should be a great help (Y)
 

Cheap6

New Member
Joined
Jun 19, 2005
Messages
2,498
Reaction score
74
Points
0
Members Ride
VP Exec
Two comments:

The two nuts and bolts that hold the strut to the upright are torque to yield i.e. they are permanently stretched when tensioned correctly. As such they are meant to be replaced (and the new bolts/nuts tightened to the correct spec.) if they are removed. I don't know what the spec. is off the top of my head.

In order to maintain the camber adjustment, push the upright so as to put the adjusting bolt - the small (10mm head?) bolt in the upright that points towards the centre of the car - hard up against the strut before tightening the two bolts/nuts.
 

PSI2FLY

Default
Joined
Jun 12, 2009
Messages
9
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
Mascot
Members Ride
97 VT SS 5.0 Man
Torque Settings

In thread how to remove the Front Strut on VS commodore, does any one the torque settings for those two big bolts connecting the strut to the main rotor hub assy??

Much appreciated.
 
Top