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[VT-VX] VX VU:- How to change shocks and springs

Pete SS

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Here's a guide on how to change the front shocks and spings and the rear springs on a VU. I presume the front on a VX will be the same but the rears are different.

There is another guide on here but it seemed a bit complicated so I've done this one :p

Firstly, make sure the car is well supported, all safety precautions are taken, blah, blah, blah

Tools needed:-
spring clamps
19mm socket
22mm ring spanner
24mm ring spanner
5/8 spanner
14mm socket
axle stands
jack
angle grinder?!?!?


Fronts first:

After jacking the car up, clamp the spring
Step1.jpg


Support hub assembely with jack.
step6.jpg


Undo the two bolts here.
Step2.jpg


Undo this bolt. Note spanner on under side to stop rod twisting.
Step3.jpg


Undo the bolt on the other end of the rod.
Step4.jpg


The removed rod.
step5.jpg


Now for the hardest part I found. Undoing the top nut on the strutt. My old ones (KYBs) had a 6mm allen key to undo and no matter which brand of allen key I used, they all snapped or twisted. In the end I grinded the nut off as I wasn't bothered about damaging the thread because I'd got new strutts to put in. When I put the new ones in, they had a 10mm bolt head on top so it was easy to tighten them up :)
step7.jpg


Lower the old shock with the spring clamp on and strip it down as you will need parts for your new shocks.
step8.jpg


To re-install is the reverse of the above. The only thing of note is when attaching the rod, use the jack to help lift the hub assembley into position.

REARS:-

I only did the springs on the rear as my shocks where fine.

Clamp and compress spring
rear1.jpg


Mine old springs where ultra lows so fell out but getting the new super lows back in was a bit harder.
The springs need compressing as much as possible first. Let the handbrake off and get a mate to push down on the hub and you should just about be able to get the new springs in.
rear2.jpg


After finishing take a drive to your local garage and get the wheel alignment and camber checked and make sure bolts that need to be loctited, are.

I think that's it, let me know if I've missed anything.

Pete
 
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jazza15

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Great write up mate. Great pictures as well, just about anyone could do this job by following your how-to.

Anyway, I've got a question to ask anyone. Thinking about doing some work with the front struts (ie. replacing top bearings and bushes). Would these spring compressors be safe to use, or should i go for something not made in taiwan and/or with the twin spring grips per end as Pete used in this how-to?
2PC COIL SPRING COMPRESSOR SET BEARING STRUT SPACER KIT - eBay Coil Springs, Suspension, Steering, Car Parts, Accessories, Cars, Bikes, Boats. (end time 27-May-09 22:49:09 AEST)
 

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Ute Finatic
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Just wondering why you used compressors on the front? Bit pointless using them on the front to remove the whole strut.

that was the same question i was going to ask...
 

jazza15

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I'm assuming that it would relieve the pressure on the strut bolts attaching to the knuckle.
Then it would be a matter of just removing the bolts, without the strut firing out with them. Am i close?
 

Ozzie

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I'm assuming that it would relieve the pressure on the strut bolts attaching to the knuckle.
Then it would be a matter of just removing the bolts, without the strut firing out with them. Am i close?

Not even warm lol

The top strut nut is not preasurised at all.
I'll admit their sometimes hard to get undone but the right size spanner (21mm or 22mm if i remember correctly) and it will undo.
 

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Ute Finatic
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Not even warm lol

The top strut nut is not preasurised at all.
I'll admit their sometimes hard to get undone but the right size spanner (21mm or 22mm if i remember correctly) and it will undo.

The front strut IS pressureised, it just depends on what TYPE of springs you have in it. If there lowered they'll be less pressuried, and stock ones more pressurised.

Well to remove the SPRING (not the whole strut brace) from the strut itself, you would need a compressor. but to remove only the strut itself from the car, you wouldnt need a compressor.





......and i have a feeling were going to go around in circles a bit in a minute...
 

Pete SS

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It can be done without compressing the fronts, but as Jarrad says it just takes the tension off the bolts.

As for the spring compressors, there was a pair of the single hook ones in the shop but the twin hooks where only $5 extra and after seeinging how much tension there is in them when the spring is compressed, I'd want the stongest available.
 

jazza15

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So if i am going to replace my strut tops, would you recomend removing the whole strut?
 

Pete SS

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the top nut isn't pressurised but the two lower ones are. I used the spring clamps to relieve pressure from them.

To replace the strutt tops you have to compress the spring to be able to undo the lower top nut that then enables you to remove the strutt tops.
 
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