jashdown91
Jashdown?
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- 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¤t=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¤t=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¤t=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¤t=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.
Ok, to kick it off, what you will need.
<a href="http://s304.photobucket.com/albums/nn176/jashdownnn/?action=view¤t=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¤t=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¤t=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¤t=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.
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