Jashdown?
VS strut removal
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.
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.
Pull your wheels off and have a gander around inside your wheel arch and see what makes your car turn.
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.
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 by jashdown91; 31-07-2009 at 04:25 PM.
Jashdown?
wow. 590 views or something and not a single comment! atleast let me know if its any good sometime!
Originally Posted by lindsay.VS.Wagon.
My VS Acclaim
http://forums.justcommodores.com.au/...ml#post1199955
looks top notch mate!
i dont need to change my struts but still looks like you covered everything
Jashdown?
YES!
the first comment on this thread from someone that isn't me!
haha thanks mate.
Last edited by jashdown91; 03-11-2009 at 09:36 PM.
My VS Acclaim
http://forums.justcommodores.com.au/...ml#post1199955
L337
Good write up man , also you can use the stock jack to hold the strut while your undoing the top nuts
Jashdown?
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. thanksGood write up man , also you can use the stock jack to hold the strut while your undoing the top nuts
My VS Acclaim
http://forums.justcommodores.com.au/...ml#post1199955
L plater
Cheers mate, Should be a great help (Y)
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.
Default
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.
Very good point there
Great writeup mate. Will probably be giving this a go soon
But because im a mechanical retard, which one is the sway bar link? Anyone hve a pic?
Cheers
Maxxiz, the sway bar link is shown in the third photo down. In the picture to the right of the photo it's the one with the red bushes (One of each side). Your link bushes might be black, red, blue or yellow. Depends on the brand. The links connect to the sway bar. Both links need to be taken off at the same time.
Rags 2 riches!
Also undo the big 24mm nut instead of all the 13mm nuts on the strut tower its much simpler, beyond that great right up mate.
VS Strut removal
Hey just had a go at putting new springs in the front using your instructions, Great work mate helped me out heaps. Thanks
operation HQ under way.
plus 90 deg
gonna give this a go soon next week when my new ones come. ive order monroe gt lowerd stuts with sl king springs, does this make it any easier? seem as ive got brand new struts and springs?
probably be the same as you would need to remove the strut tops off the old shocks unless your getting those replaced also
Hey, giving this a go on the week end, any one have a diagram or picture of how the strut should look pulled apart?? And so you dont need to compress the springs until the whole strut is off the car?? Cheers.
Exhaust Guru
The easiest way to do this is to crack the big nut on the strut while the weight is still on the car, then remove it. Jack the car up slowly until everything is loose. Remove the wheel, undo the swaybar link and the two mounting bolts, then remove the whole lot.
Fitting lowered springs can be done without spring compressors.
Have a look here, correct strut assembly 3rd post has a picture of it.
done this last weekend, was alot easier then i thought, followed these steps, only this i had trouble with was
1. taking the breaklines off the strut, finally realised i had to twist it off haah duhh
2. u cant just wiggle the strut round and remove the sway bar link, i had to get a jack under then and compress the strut to get it out.
apart from that was easy, the first one me and the old man mucked around for about an hour doing it but the second one i done by myself in around 30 mins and im a 16 yo with next to no mechanical knowledge haha and yes make sure u have a 22m spanner lying around for those 2 big suppoirt nuts. i had to get on me pushy and ride down to supercheap and get one haha
anyway thnx alot for the help mate, for all those people not sure about giving it a shot, just do it. if you have a brain you will work it out, saves u abita dosh awell haha
Great write up, did it last week end, wasn't too hard, took about 3 hours all up (First time i've ever tried this) so if I can do this, ANY ONE CAN!!!
Also if you can get hold of a rattle gun, use it! Was impossible to undo the top couple nuts on the strut with out one (Had to take them around to the mechanics to quickly borrow theirs)!
GL to everyone else giving this ago!
V Fast S furious
gonna give this a go this afternoon let u know how i go
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